Dawn Wells
Dawn Wells | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 18, 1938 |
Dawn Elberta Wells[1] (born October 18, 1938 in Reno, Nevada) is an American actress, best known for her role as Mary Ann Summers on the sitcom Gilligan's Island, which ran on CBS from 1964 until 1967.
Early life and career
Wells attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, where she majored in chemistry. She later transferred to the University of Washington in Seattle, where she graduated in 1960 with a degree in theatre. She was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority.
In 1959, Wells was crowned Miss Nevada and represented her state in the 1960 Miss America pageant. After moving to Hollywood, she began appearing in guest roles in such television series as 77 Sunset Strip, Maverick and Bonanza before winning the role of Mary Ann.
Gilligan's Island
As Mary Ann, she expressed a certain wholesomeness while simultaneously displaying a pronounced sexual allure with her eye-catching outfits.
When Gilligan's Island went into syndication, its popularity with younger kids soared. From the series' first airing, the studio noticed an "unofficial" fan-mail battle between Wells and Tina Louise as to which actress got the most mail, a war that Wells purportedly won. [citation needed] The question of which character was more attractive ("Ginger or Mary Ann?") remains a common pop culture query to this day. [1]
Post-Gilligan's Island career
Wells starred with Michael Dante in the 1975 independent movie, Winterhawk, playing a Western settler kidnapped by a Native-American chief.
In the 1990s, she spoofed her character on a commercial for 1-800-COLLECT. She has also reprised her role in the various Gilligan's Island reunion specials, and on an episode of ALF.
Today, she runs a successful business making special clothing for people with limited mobility. Still active in local theater across the country, Wells also runs an ongoing actors workshop from her ranch in Driggs, Idaho. Further, Wells is also a dedicated alumna of Stephens College.
In April 2005, according to Forbes Collector, Wells personally consigned for sale, via an auction house in Beverly Hills called Profiles in History, her original gingham blouse and shorts ensemble from her signature role. The winning bid for the Mary Ann Summers outfit from Gilligan's Island was $20,700.
Marijuana Arrest
Wells was pulled over on October 18, 2007, and busted for marijuana possession. She was sentenced to four days in jail and six months of unsupervised probation.[2]
Personal
She was married to Larry Rosen (a talent agent), 1962 to 1967. For many years, she was the companion of Tom Irvin.[3]
Footnotes
- ^ crocoPuffs: The Ginger/Mary Ann conundrum
- ^ Post Chronicle (2008-03-11). "Photo: Gilligan's Island Dawn Wells, Hottie Mary Ann, Busted: Marijuana". Retrieved 2008-03-11.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Dawn Well's Interview
Filmography
- Palm Springs Weekend (1963)
- The New Interns (1964)
- Gilligan's Island (1964-1967)
- Winterhawk (1975)
- The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)
- Return to Boggy Creek (1977)
- Rescue from Gilligan's Island (1978)
- The Castaways on Gilligan's Island (1979)
- High School U.S.A. (1983)
- The Princess and the Dwarf (1989)
- Soulmates (1992)
- Lover's Knot (1996)
- Guest appearance in the music video for the song "Mary Ann" by Squirtgun (1997)
- Super Sucker (2002)
- Forever for Now (2004)
- Cyber Meltdown (2005)
- The Price is Right (Halloween 2007)[2]