Dawn Wells

Biography

Dawn Wells was an American actress whose portrayal of Mary Ann Summers on the sitcom Gilligan's Island brought her lasting fame. Born in Reno, Nevada, she earned a theater arts and design degree from the University of Washington in 1960. Named Miss Nevada in 1959, she went on to the Miss America 1960 pageant. After guest spots on television series and small parts in early 1960s films, she took the role of Mary Ann in 1964, and the show aired 98 episodes through 1967. She played the character again in reunion projects including Rescue from Gilligan's Island (1978). Her film work included The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976) and Silent but Deadly (2012). Wells also toured in theater, appeared in nearly 100 productions, and published Mary Ann's Gilligan's Island Cookbook in 1993 and What Would Mary Ann Do? A Guide to Life in 2014. She died in 2020.

82years old at death

Born October 18, 1938Reno
Died December 30, 2020Los Angeles
Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
Dawn Elberta Wells (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 4
Career span: 36 years1976 to 2012

Every film, newest first

2012Silent but DeadlyIMDb rating 4.9
1983High School U.S.A.IMDb rating 5.5
1978Rescue from Gilligan's IslandIMDb rating 5.4
1976The Town That Dreaded SundownIMDb rating 6.0

Genres

Did you know?!

A first
Wells was crowned Miss Nevada in 1959. She then represented her state at the Miss America 1960 pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and finished outside the top ten.
Beyond film
After Gilligan's Island, Wells pursued theater, touring for most of the 1970s and 1980s. She played Jennie Malone in Neil Simon's Chapter Two and took over from Lorna Luft as Sonia Walsk in They're Playing Our Song.
Behind the camera
Wells published Mary Ann's Gilligan's Island Cookbook in 1993 with Ken Beck and Jim Clark, featuring a foreword by Bob Denver and a recipe from Alan Hale Jr.

Dawn Wells movies on Netflix

Silent but Deadly2012IMDb rating 4.9as Rose
High School U.S.A.1983IMDb rating 5.5as Miss Lorilee Lee
Rescue from Gilligan's Island1978IMDb rating 5.4as Mary Ann Summers
The Town That Dreaded Sundown1976IMDb rating 6.0as Helen Reed

Worked with

Dawn Wells shares two films with Bob Denver, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Bob Denver

Ben Johnson

Jim Backus

Martin Kove

Vincent Schiavelli

Crispin Glover

Charles B. PierceDirector, 1 film Leslie H. MartinsonDirector, 1 film Rod AmateauDirector, 1 film

Films together

Bob Denver2 films together, 1978 to 1983
Bob Denver's page
- High School U.S.A.1983IMDb rating 5.5Wells as Miss Lorilee LeeDenver as Milton Feld
- Rescue from Gilligan's Island1978IMDb rating 5.4Wells as Mary Ann SummersDenver as Gilligan
Ben Johnson1 film together, 1976
Ben Johnson's page
- The Town That Dreaded Sundown1976IMDb rating 6.0Wells as Helen ReedJohnson as JD Morales
Jim Backus1 film together, 1978
Jim Backus's page
- Rescue from Gilligan's Island1978IMDb rating 5.4Wells as Mary Ann SummersBackus as Thurston Howell III
Martin Kove1 film together, 2012
Martin Kove's page
- Silent but Deadly2012IMDb rating 4.9Wells as RoseKove as Hodge
Vincent Schiavelli1 film together, 1978
Vincent Schiavelli's page
- Rescue from Gilligan's Island1978IMDb rating 5.4Wells as Mary Ann SummersSchiavelli as Dimitri
Crispin Glover1 film together, 1983
Crispin Glover's page
- High School U.S.A.1983IMDb rating 5.5Wells as Miss Lorilee LeeGlover as Archie Feld
Charles B. PierceDirector, 1 film, 1976
All films by Charles B. Pierce
- The Town That Dreaded Sundown1976IMDb rating 6.0Wells as Helen Reed
Leslie H. MartinsonDirector, 1 film, 1978
All films by Leslie H. Martinson
- Rescue from Gilligan's Island1978IMDb rating 5.4Wells as Mary Ann Summers
Rod AmateauDirector, 1 film, 1983
All films by Rod Amateau
- High School U.S.A.1983IMDb rating 5.5Wells as Miss Lorilee Lee

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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