Person Details

Birthday: 1938-10-18 04:18:52

Death: 2020-12-30 04:18:52

Aliases: Dawn Elberta Wells

Gender: Female

Place of birth: Reno, Nevada, USA

Homepage:

Movie Involvements: 6

TV Involvements: 8


Most Famous Work

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Dawn Elberta Wells (October 18, 1938 - December 30, 2020) was an American actress who is best known for her role as Mary Ann Summers on the CBS sitcom Gilligan's Island. She and Tina Louise are the last surviving regular cast members from that series. In Hollywood, Wells made her debut on ABC's The Roaring 20s and the movie The New Interns and was cast in episodes of such television series as 77 Sunset Strip, The Cheyenne Show, Maverick, and Bonanza, before she took the role of Mary Ann on Gilligan's Island. She reprised her character in the various Gilligan's Island reunion specials, including the reunion cartoon spin-off Gilligan's Planet and three reunion movies: Rescue from Gilligan's Island, The Castaways on Gilligan's Island, and The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island. She also appeared as a guest star on Wagon Train, Tales of Wells Fargo, 87th Precinct, Surfside 6, Hawaiian Eye, Ripcord, The Everglades, The Detectives, It's a Man's World, Channing, Laramie, Burke's Law, The Invaders, The Wild Wild West, The F.B.I., Vega$, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Matt Houston, ALF, Herman's Head, Three Sisters, Pastor Greg, and Roseanne. Following Gilligan's Island, Wells embarked on a theater career, appearing in nearly one hundred theatrical productions as of July 2009. She spent the majority of the 1970s, and 1980s, touring in musical theater productions. She also had a one-woman show at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in 1985. In 1993, Wells published Mary Ann's Gilligan's Island Cookbook with co-writers Ken Beck and Jim Clark, including a foreword by Bob Denver. She was close to Alan Hale Jr., who played The Skipper in Gilligan's Island, even after the series completed its run, and he contributed a family recipe ("Kansas Chicken and Dumplings") to her cookbook. Hale's character was the inspiration behind such concoctions as Skipper's Coconut Pie, Skipper's Navy Bean Soup, and Skipper's Goodbye Ribeye, and he is depicted as Skipper Jonas Grumby in numerous photographs throughout the book. She said in a 2014 interview with GoErie.com, "Alan could not have been kinder to a young actress. He was a real peach." In 2005, Wells consigned her original gingham blouse and shorts ensemble for sale from her signature role. Beverly Hills auction house Profiles in History sold it for $20,700. In 2008, she joined Gilligan's Island creator Sherwood Schwartz in Los Angeles for the celebration of Schwartz's entry into the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She appeared on the "Celebrity Holiday Bash" episode of Food Network's Chopped, which first aired December 1, 2013. In 2014, Wells released What Would Mary Ann Do? A Guide to Life, which she co-wrote with Steve Stinson. The book was released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Gilligan's Island. Gilligan's Island co-star Russell Johnson died on January 16, 2014, and Wells and Tina Louise are the only surviving cast members of the sitcom. In May 2016, Wells was named Marketing Ambassador to MeTV Network. In January 2019, Wells was seen promoting the Gilligan's Island television series on the MeTV television network. CLR

Most Famous Work

Bonanza
Average
8

Bonanza

(1959) Moon Holt
Cheyenne
Average
6

Cheyenne

(1955) Sarah Claypool
The Invaders
Average
7

The Invaders

(1967) Eileen Brown
Laramie
Average
6

Laramie

(1959) Millie
Celebrity Ghost Stories
Average
7
The F.B.I.
Average
5

The F.B.I.

(1965) Carol Morton
Burke's Law
Average
6

Burke's Law

(1963) Wendy
The Town That Dreaded Sundown
Average
6

The Town That Dreaded Sundown

(1976) Helen Reed

Acting

Year Character Movie/Tv
2018 Herself
2012 Rose
2009 Self
2002 Super Sucker Celebrity Spokesperson
2001 Mary Anne (Narator)
2000 N/A
1996 N/A
Mary Ann
Self
1994 N/A
1993 Self - Guest
1992 Lucille Perkins
1991 Mary Ann
1988 N/A
1986 Mary Ann Summers
1985 Myrtle Deforest
Casting Receptionist
1983 MIss Lorilee Lee
1982 N/A
N/A
1981 Mary Ann
1980 N/A
1979 Mary Ann
1978 Mary Ann Summers
N/A
1977 Valerie Madden
Jolene
1976 Helen Reed
1975 Clayanna / Narrator
1967 Eileen Brown
1965 Carol Morton
N/A
1964 Mary Ann Summers
Bobbie
1963 Wendy
1961 N/A
N/A
1960 N/A
N/A
1959 N/A
Millie
Moon Holt
Marty Johnson
1958 N/A
1957 N/A
1955 Sarah Claypool
N/A
Year Character Movie/Tv

Production

Year Role Movie/Tv
2019 Executive Producer
Year Role Movie/Tv

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