Biography
This page uses content from the Dawn Wells biography page on the English version of Wikipedia and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. This list of authors can be seen in the page history. Rotten Tomatoes disclaims any and all warranties as to the accuracy or reliability of the content.
Dawn Wells (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.
Wells attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. She later transferred to the University of Washington in Seattle, where she graduated in 1960 with a Degree in Theatre and was a member of 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. As Mary Ann, she expressed a certain wholesomeness while still displaying a little sexual allure with her eye-catching outfits she wore.
When Gilligan's Island went into syndication, its popularity with younger kids soared. This resulted in an "unofficial" fan-mail battle between characters Mary Ann and Ginger among the fans. Mary Ann constantly won out due to her innocence that appealed to the younger viewers where Ginger's character was more geared towards older men which the show did not appeal to in the first place.
She starred with Michael Dante in the 1975 independent movie, "Winterhawk" as 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 as "Mary Ann" 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 actor's workshop from her ranch in Driggs, Idaho. Further, Wells is also a dedicated alumna of Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, having been instrumental in fundraising efforts for the college for many years.
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.
Filmography
- Palm Springs Weekend (1963)
- The New Interns (1964)
- Winterhawk (1975)
- The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)
- Return to Boggy Creek (1977)
- 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) (currently in pre-production)
External link
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