Dawn Wells Dies Of Covid-19: Mary Ann On 'Gilligan's Island' Was 82

Dawn Wells, best knows for playing the girl-next-door castaway Mary Ann on the iconic TV comedy series Gilligan’s Island, died Wednesday morning in Los Angeles from complications due to Covid-19. She was 82.

Wells, who was Miss Nevada in the 1959 Miss America pageant, beat out 350 actress for the role of Mary Ann. She appeared in more 150 series and several movies during her career as well as on Broadway.

Wells is survived by her stepsister, Weslee Wells. No services are scheduled at this time.

https://deadline.com/2020/12/dawn-wells-dead-gilligans-island-covid-19-complications-1234662935/

Before she was Mary Ann, Wells had a string of smaller roles on TV shows like Wagon Train, Maverick, 77 Sunset Strip and Bonanza and, after Gilligan's Island was canceled, she appeared on The Wild Wild West, ALF and other series.

Wells appeared in about six dozen different stage plays but was less prolific on the big screen, though her star turn in the horror film The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976), where she played a real-life murder victim, has become a cult classic. She starred in another horror film, Return to Boggy Creek (1977), after playing alongside Denver Pyle and Woody Strode in a 1975 Western, Winterhawk.

Wells also was a journalist for a brief time and hosted the Australian news show Midday, where she interviewed celebrities like Eddie Murphy, Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks.

Wells married talent agent Larry Rosen in 1962, and the couple divorced five years later, just as Gilligan's Island was ending.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dawn-wells-dead-mary-ann-gilligans-island-was-82-1149549