DW
Dawn Wells
Actor, Producer, Additional Credits
Born October 18, 1938Died December 30, 2020 (82 years)
A wholesome beauty with comedic appeal, Dawn Elberta Wells was born on October 18, 1938 in Reno, Nevada. Wells' childhood was a happy and healthy one. She and her mother grew their own fruits and vegetables in their gardens and Dawn rode horses. In her high school years, she was the class treasurer, President of the debate team and an honor roll student. Dawn was on her way to becoming a ballerina, but bad knees prevented her from realizing the dream. She was Miss Nevada in 1959 and went on to the 1960 Miss America Pageant. Dawn had wanted to be a doctor, and enrolled in the elite Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri to study medicine, but then she discovered the Drama Club. She then transferred to the University of Washington, which was known for their Theatre Department, and she graduated with a Degree in Theatre.
Dawn moved to Hollywood and was cast as Mary Ann Summers on CBS's Gilligan's Island (1964). The rest is history. However, there was much more to Dawn than her simple Mary Ann character. Wells refused to be an unemployed actor after the show ended and was never out of work since the show decades ago. She performed in over 66 theatrical productions, including the National Touring Company of "They're Playing Our Song!" She did countless voice-overs, commercials and talk shows. She worked for the Australian news show "Midday" and interviewed such talents as Julia Roberts, Eddie Murphy and Tom Hanks, to name a few. Dawn has also had great success as a producer and has a number of television movies to her credit. After years of touring and performing in dramas, comedies, and musical theatre, Dawn slowed down a little. In 1998, she founded the Dawn Wells' Film Actors Boot Camp in Driggs, Idaho. The camp is for the already trained actor looking to make the transition from the amateur to the professional actor.
Wells managed the camp for many years. She has been in a popular commercial for Western Union, capitalizing on her character Mary Ann Summers. In 2003, Dawn did tours of the plays "Love Letters" with Adam West and Eve Ensler's Award Winning "The Vagina Monologues." In early 2004, Dawn established and founded The Spud Film Institute in Idaho and Wyoming, and held the first ever Spud Drive in Film and Music Festival in the summer of 2004. She was also the artistic director of the festival. If that is not enough, Ms. Wells also had her own clothing line for the physically challenged called "Wishing Wells Collections" and she recently launched her own skin care line, Classic Beauty. Dawn Wells continued to contribute to the business she loved so much and constantly gave back to the acting community. She mentored young actors and traveled to colleges all across the United States to teach Master Classes. She served as Artist in Residence at several Universities. Dawn was in constant demand for personal appearances and speaking engagements, yet never forgot to give back to the Artistic community. She will surely be remembered for all her good work. Wells passed away on December 30, 2020 at age 82. You can get information about all of Dawn's organizations at her website, dawn-wells.com.
Dawn moved to Hollywood and was cast as Mary Ann Summers on CBS's Gilligan's Island (1964). The rest is history. However, there was much more to Dawn than her simple Mary Ann character. Wells refused to be an unemployed actor after the show ended and was never out of work since the show decades ago. She performed in over 66 theatrical productions, including the National Touring Company of "They're Playing Our Song!" She did countless voice-overs, commercials and talk shows. She worked for the Australian news show "Midday" and interviewed such talents as Julia Roberts, Eddie Murphy and Tom Hanks, to name a few. Dawn has also had great success as a producer and has a number of television movies to her credit. After years of touring and performing in dramas, comedies, and musical theatre, Dawn slowed down a little. In 1998, she founded the Dawn Wells' Film Actors Boot Camp in Driggs, Idaho. The camp is for the already trained actor looking to make the transition from the amateur to the professional actor.
Wells managed the camp for many years. She has been in a popular commercial for Western Union, capitalizing on her character Mary Ann Summers. In 2003, Dawn did tours of the plays "Love Letters" with Adam West and Eve Ensler's Award Winning "The Vagina Monologues." In early 2004, Dawn established and founded The Spud Film Institute in Idaho and Wyoming, and held the first ever Spud Drive in Film and Music Festival in the summer of 2004. She was also the artistic director of the festival. If that is not enough, Ms. Wells also had her own clothing line for the physically challenged called "Wishing Wells Collections" and she recently launched her own skin care line, Classic Beauty. Dawn Wells continued to contribute to the business she loved so much and constantly gave back to the acting community. She mentored young actors and traveled to colleges all across the United States to teach Master Classes. She served as Artist in Residence at several Universities. Dawn was in constant demand for personal appearances and speaking engagements, yet never forgot to give back to the Artistic community. She will surely be remembered for all her good work. Wells passed away on December 30, 2020 at age 82. You can get information about all of Dawn's organizations at her website, dawn-wells.com.
Filmography
| 2018 | The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants (TV Series) · as Gumbalina Toothington (voice) |
| 2013 | This Is Our Time · as Margo |
| 2012 | Silent But Deadly · as Rose |
| 2012 | Marie (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 2005 | Pastor Greg (TV Series) · as Kathryn |
| 2002 | Super Sucker · as Super Sucker Celebrity Spokesperson |
| 2001 | Surviving Gilligan's Island: The Incredibly True Story of the Longest Three Hour Tour in History · as Mary Anne (narator) |
| 2001 | Three Sisters (TV Series) · as Susan |
| 1997 | Meego (TV Series) · as Mary Ann |
| 1996 | E! True Hollywood Story (TV Series) |
| 1995 | Lover's Knot · as Mary Ann |
| 1993 | Columbo: It's All in the Game · as Female Guest |
| 1992 | Soulmates · as Lucille Perkins |
| 1991 | Herman's Head (TV Series) · as Mary Ann |
| 1991 | Talk Soup (TV Series) · as Mary Ann |
| 1989 | Baywatch (TV Series) · as Mary Ann Summers |
| 1989 | The Princess and the Dwarf · as Cast |
| 1988 | Roseanne (TV Series) |
| 1987 | The Bold and the Beautiful (TV Series) · as Alice |
| 1986 | ALF (TV Series) · as Mary Ann Summers |
| 1985 | Growing Pains (TV Series) · as Myrtle Deforest |
| 1983 | High School U.S.A. · as Miss Lorilee Lee |
| 1982 | Matt Houston (TV Series) |
| 1982 | Gilligan's Planet (TV Series) · as Ginger Grant / Mary Ann Summers (voices) |
| 1981 | The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island · as Mary Ann |
| 1979 | The Castaways on Gilligan's Island · as Mary Ann |
| 1978 | Rescue from Gilligan's Island · as Mary Ann Summers |
| 1978 | Vega$ (TV Series) |
| 1977 | Return to Boggy Creek · as Jolene |
| 1977 | The Love Boat (TV Series) · as Valerie Madden |
| 1977 | Fantasy Island (TV Series) · as Myra Fletcher |
| 1976 | The Town That Dreaded Sundown · as Helen Reed |
| 1975 | Winterhawk · as Clayanna / Narrator |
| 1974 | High Rollers (TV Series) · as Assistant (1974-80) |
| 1967 | The Invaders (TV Series) · as Eileen Brown |
| 1965 | The Wild Wild West (TV Series) · as Betsy |
| 1965 | The F.B.I. (TV Series) · as Carol Morton |
| 1964 | Gilligan's Island (TV Series) · as Mary Ann Summers |
| 1964 | Valentine's Day (TV Series) · as Pocahontas |
| 1964 | The New Interns · as Bobbie |
| 1963 | Palm Springs Weekend · as Girl At Police Station |
| 1963 | Burke's Law (TV Series) · as Wendy |
| 1963 | Channing (TV Series) · as Nancy |
| 1962 | It's a Man's World (TV Series) · as Molly |
| 1961 | The Everglades (TV Series) |
| 1961 | Ripcord (TV Series) · as Evvie Eden |
| 1961 | 87th Precinct (TV Series) · as Kathy Blakely |
| 1961 | The Joey Bishop Show (TV Series) · as Connie |
| 1960 | The Roaring 20's (TV Series) · as Gloria |
| 1960 | SurfSide 6 (TV Series) · as Consuelo Hernandez |
| 1959 | The Detectives (1959) (TV Series) |
| 1959 | Hawaiian Eye (TV Series) · as Lois Corey |
| 1959 | Laramie (TV Series) · as Millie |
| 1959 | Bonanza (TV Series) · as Moon Holt |
| 1959 | The Third Man (TV Series) · as Secretary |
| 1958 | 77 Sunset Strip (TV Series) · as Judy Rogers |
| 1958 | Lawman (TV Series) · as Elly Stratton |
| 1957 | Maverick (TV Series) · as Caprice Rambeau |
| 1957 | Wagon Train (TV Series) · as Mrs. Murray |
| 1957 | Tales of Wells Fargo (TV Series) · as Molly |
| 1955 | Cheyenne (TV Series) · as Sarah Claypool |
| 1954 | Miss America Pageant (TV Series) · as Miss Nevada 1959 |