Dawn Wells, who starred as popular “good girl” Mary Ann in the popular 1960s comedy “Gilligan’s Island,” died Wednesday of causes related to COVID-19 in Los Angeles. She was 82.
Pig-tailed and dressed in her mid western shorts and tied up blouse, which are on display at the Hollywood Museum, the Mary Ann character was the girl-next-door opposite Tina Louise’s sexy evening gown wearing Ginger, who was often subjected to leering comments from the male stars in the show’s dialogue.
In stark contrast, Mary Ann was the apple many a young boy’s eye. She was the nice girl you could take home to meet your parents, and the kind of girl you were drawn to because of her genuine good spirit and kindness, much like the actress wh portrayed her, Dawn Wells.
Wells once told Smashing Interviews magazine that she was happy to change her image with a role as a prostitute in “The Owl and the Pussycat” soon after the show ended.
“Mary Ann was a good girl. She was polite. She was a hard worker. She would be your best friend. She cooked. She cleaned. She did all of those things, and she was a really good role model,” Wells said. “But the first thing you want to do is break that character and go do something else.”
Although Wells appeared in numerous TV shows, movies and plays, her role as Mary Ann was her most enduring, leading to gigs such as “castaway correspondent” for Australia’s Channel 9.
She also wrote the book titled “A Guide to Life: What Would Mary Ann Do?” in honor of the 50th anniversary of “Gilligan’s Island.”
Wells most recently engaged with fans on social media and was tireless in sharing her experiences with fans and friends alike.
RIP Dawn Wells, Mary Ann will live forever in our hearts!
Comments