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| Birth Name(s) : Dawn Wells |
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Full Dawn Wells Biography
Dawn Wells (born October 18, 1938 in Reno, Nevada) is an American actress, best known for her role as Mary Ann Summers on the sitcom Gilligan's Island, which ran on CBS from 1964 until 1967.
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. 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. After moving to Hollywood, she began appearing in guest roles in such television series as 77 Sunset Strip, Maverick, and Bonanza before winning the role of Mary Ann.
As Mary Ann, she expressed a certain wholesomeness while simultaneously displaying a pronounced sexual allure with her eye-catching outfits.
When Gilligan's Island went into syndication, its popularity with younger kids soared. From the series' first airing, the studio noticed an "unofficial" fan-mail battle between Wells and Tina Louise as to which actress got the most mail, a war that Wells purportedly won. The question of which character was more attractive ("Ginger or Mary Ann?") remains a common pop culture query to this day.
Wells starred with Michael Dante in the 1975 independent movie, Winterhawk, playing a Western settler kidnapped by a Native-American chief.
Today, she runs a successful business making special clothing for people with limited mobility. Still active in local theater across the country, Wells also runs an ongoing actors workshop from her ranch in Driggs, Idaho. Further, Wells is also a dedicated alumna of Stephens College.
In April 2005, according to Forbes Collector, Wells personally consigned for sale, via an auction house in Beverly Hills called Profiles in History, her original gingham blouse and shorts ensemble from her signature role. The winning bid for the Mary Ann Summers outfit from Gilligan's Island was $20,700.
She was married to Larry Rosen (a talent agent), 1962 to 1967. For many years, she was the companion of Tom Irvin. |
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