Dawn Wells, Star of ‘Gilligan’s Island’ and Casino Owner’s Daughter, Dies

The New York Times this week noted that Wells’ character had a limited backstory. The little that viewers knew about Mary Ann is that she worked at a hardware store where she was from and had a boyfriend, according to the newspaper.

As the Times noted, her “persona alone made her memorable.”

“Gingham blouses, short shorts, double ponytails and perky hair bows were all parts of her signature look,” the newspaper noted.   

One-Woman Las Vegas Show

Tina Louise, the show’s last surviving cast member, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Wells did a great job on the program and that “everybody loves her.”

“She was very special in her part, and she will always be remembered and remembered fondly and thought about because she gave so much to the universe through the show,” Louise said.

In later years, Wells appeared in spin-offs from the show and became involved in charitable organizations. She also continued in her acting career, appearing on stage and in television shows. Her performances included a one-woman show in 1985 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

Wells also became an author, writing Mary Ann’s Gilligan’s Island Cookbook and What Would Mary Ann Do? A Guide to Life.

The advice she provided in the Guide to Life includes this observation: “Failure builds character. What matters is what you do after you fail.” 

When the Clark County Wetlands Park opened in 2012, the Wells Trailhead was named after the Wells family, according to the Clark County government Facebook page.

Years ago, IGT created a Gilligan’s Island slot machine. , told the Las Vegas Review-Journal this week that the cast attended the Global Gaming Expo for the game’s unveiling. He said Wells was “as sweet and kind and nice as we remember her” from the show.

“She was ever-so-Mary Ann,” he said.