Dawn Wells Add to My Celebs Age 73 Birthday Oct. 18th, 1938 Born in Reno, Nevada, USA Height 5' 4

Dawn Wells' Main TV Roles Show Character(s) Gilligan's Island Mary Ann Su… Gilligan's Planet Mary Ann Ginger TV Land Moguls Dawn Wells

Main Movie Roles 1976 - The Town That Dreaded Sundown 1964 - The New Interns 1963 - Palm Springs Weekend

NOTE: Complete List of Works can be found at IMDB


BIOGRAPHY:

A wholesome beauty from Reno, Nevada, Wells was on her way to becoming a ballerina, but bad knees prevented her from realizing the dream. Despite this, she did become Miss Nevada and was in the 1960 Miss America pageant. Wells majored in drama during her collegiate years (she was originally going to study chemistry) and after graduation moved to Hollywood and got parts in several popular TV shows. Wells got the part of Mary Ann Summers in "Gilligan's Island" (1964), after CBS decided not to go with Nancy McCarthy (who played Bunny, the forerunner to Mary Ann).

After "Gilligan" ended it's three-year tour, Wells found work in the theatre and a few movies, but mostly talk shows that emphasized reunion themes. Lately she has been in a popular commercial for Western Union, capitalizing on her Mary Ann character.


TRIVIA:

• Her alma mater, Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, a college for women. 'Joan Crawford (I)' (qv) was expelled from Stephens in the early 1920s.
• Measurements: 35-23-34 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)
• Despite playing a supporting role to 'Tina Louise' (qv) in _"Gilligan's Island" (1964)_ (qv), (and to 'Bob Denver' (qv) and 'Jim Backus' (qv)), her character Mary Ann was consistently the most popular among viewers, which also contributed to the tension with Louise.
• Is a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority.
• Has a second cousin named Bonnie, who is an artist in Baltimore.
• Runs a "boot camp" for wannabe actors at her ranch in Idaho.
• Owns her own company, Wishing Wells, which makes clothing for people with disabilities.
• She co-produced and starred on a television show called _"Dawn Wells: Reel Adventures" (1997)_ (qv).

Dawn Wells Photos

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