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Dawn Wells

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Dawn Wells
Born (1938-10-18) October 18, 1938 (age 86)
Reno, Nevada
NationalityAmerican
OccupationActress
Known forPlayed Mary Ann Summers on Gilligan's Island (1964-67)
Websitehttp://www.dawn-wells.com/

Dawn Elberta Wells (born October 18, 1938, in Reno, Nevada) is an American actress, best known for her television work in the 1960s, particularly her role as Mary Ann Summers on the sitcom Gilligan's Island, which first ran on CBS from 1964-1967, and has been continuously rerun in American television markets over the subsequent decades. The "Mary Ann" character was based on the "Dorothy" character of The Wizard of Oz, a typical American girl stranded in an exotic locale. Dawn's fresh, wholesome looks made for a good contrast to those of the island's glamorous "movie star," Tina Louise.

Early life and career

Wells attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, where she majored in chemistry. She later transferred to the University of Washington in Seattle, where she graduated in 1960 with a degree in theatre arts. She was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority.

In 1959, Wells was crowned Miss Nevada and represented her state in the 1960 Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey. After moving to Hollywood, she began appearing in guest roles in such television series as 77 Sunset Strip, Maverick, both on ABC, and Bonanza on NBC, before she won the role of Mary Ann.

She was married to Larry Rosen (a talent agent) from 1962-1967.

Post-Gilligan's Island career

Wells starred with Michael Dante in the 1975 independent movie, Winterhawk, playing 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 in the various Gilligan's Island reunion specials, and on an episode of ALF.

According to Forbes Collector, in April 2005, Wells consigned for sale her original gingham blouse and shorts ensemble from her signature role. A Beverly Hills auction house, Profiles in History, sold it for $20,700.

In 2008, Wells came to Los Angeles to join Sherwood Schwartz, the creator of Gilligan's Island for the celebration of Schwartz' entry into the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Life in Idaho

Wells, who spent summers in her early years in the Teton Valley of eastern Idaho, relocated there in the 1990s. In Idaho, Wells runs a successful business, Wishing Wells Collections, making clothing for people with limited mobility. She is the founder of the Idaho Film and Television Institute. She also organized Spud Fest, a regional annual family movie festival.

Marijuana Incidents

In 1998, fellow Islander Bob Denver was arrested for having a parcel of marijuana delivered to his home. He originally said that the parcel had come from Dawn Wells, but later refused to name her in court, and testified that "some crazy fan must have sent it".

Wells was arrested on October 18 2007, after a Teton County sheriff's deputy pulled her over after observing her swerve across the fog lines and center lines of State Highway 33 and repeatedly accelerating and slowing down. The officer noted the odor of "burning marijuana", and a search of her vehicle produced four partially consumed marijuana cigarettes and several containers of marijuana. Wells was taken into custody after failing a field sobriety test. According to the Associated Press, she was sentenced on February 29 2008 to five days in jail, fined $410.50, and placed on six months' probation after pleading guilty to one count of reckless driving.

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Wells' lawyers have branded the media reports "extremely inaccurate and erroneous". Her attorney, Ron Swafford, has publicly insisted that Wells did not serve a jail term — and was only issued with a small fine and unsupervised probation for reckless driving. Charges related to DUI and marijuana possession were dropped. According to ETonline.com, reports of a plea bargain are inaccurate. Her attorney states that Wells' car had been borrowed by a "third party" earlier in the day, who testified in court, taking responsibility for the marijuana left in her vehicle. According to Swafford, Wells swerved only because she was "reaching for her heater controls in an unfamiliar new car".

Partial filmography

Footnotes

  1. Dawn Well's interview from gilligansisle.com
  2. Good...Better...Best, Missy Sullivan, Forbes Collector, April 2005 Vol 3 Nbr 4, newsletter archive at Art Market Insider
  3. Driggs plans film school an April 2005 article from Headwaters News (a project of the University of Montana)
  4. Idaho Film and Television Institute site
  5. Dana Stevens (September 6 2005). "Gilligan's Dreams". slate.msn.com. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_documents/0311_dawn_wells_wm.pdf Jail Booking Detail], Teton County Sheriff, October 18, 2007
  7. Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer website (March 11 2008). "Gilligan's Island good girl caught with pot". Retrieved 2008-03-11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. "Dawn Wells' Lawyer: 'Arrest Reports Are Inaccurate And Erroneous'". starpulse.com. March 12 2008. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

Gilligan's Island
Episodes
Characters
Spin-offs
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