Gilligan’s Island Beloved Star Dawn Wells Who Played Mary Ann Dead at 82 from Complications of Covid-19 – Breaking Entertainment News

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By Geoffrey Huchel

Dawn Wells, known for her role as “the girl next door” Mary Ann Summers on the classic sitcom GILLIGAN’S ISLAND (1964-1967), died December 30, 2020 in Los Angeles, California, from complications of COVID-19. She was 82.

Wells was born on October 18, 1938 in Reno, Nevada. She received her education from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, where she majored in chemistry. She transferred to the University of Washington, in Seattle. She graduated in 1960 with a degree in theater arts and design.

Wells was a beauty queen and was crowned Miss Nevada in 1959 and represented her state in the Miss America Pageant in 1960. She moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in acting and got her start by making appearances on numerous television series such as MAVERICK (1957-1962), CHEYENNE (1955-1963), WAGON TRAIN (1957-1965), 77 SUNSET STRIP (1958-1962), THE DETECTIVES (1959-1962), LAWMAN (1958-1962), HAWAIIAN EYE (1959-1963), and BURKE’S LAW (1963-1966).

It was her role as Mary Ann on GILLIGAN’S ISLAND that would cement her as a pop culture icon. For three seasons she co-starred as one of seven stranded castaways, along with Bob Denver, Alan Hale, JR., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise and Russell Johnson. After GILLIGAN’S ISLAND finished its run, Wells made appearances on series such as THE INVADERS (1967-1968), THE WILD, WILD WEST (1965-1969), BONANZA (1959-1973), VEGA$ (1978-1981), THE LOVE BOAT (1977-1987), FANTASY ISLAND (1977-1984), ALF (1986), GROWING PAINS (1985-1992), BAYWATCH (1989-2001), COLUMBO (1971-2003), ROSEANNE (1988-2018), THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (1987-), and THE EPIC TALES OF CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS (2018-).

Wells reprised her role of Mary Ann for the TV movies RESCUE FROM GILLIGAN’S ISLAND (1978), THE CASTAWAYS OF GILLIGAN’S ISLAND (1979), THE HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS ON GILLIGAN’S ISLAND (1981) and the series GILLIGAN’S PLANET (1982-1983).

Ringside Report sends our condolences to Dawn Wells’ family during their time of grief.

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