Dawn Elberta Wells (born October 18, 1938) is an American actress known for playing Mary Ann Summers on the sitcom Gilligan's Island during its run from 1964 until 1967.
Wells was born in Reno, Nevada. She attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, where she majored in chemistry. She transferred to the University of Washington in Seattle, where she graduated in 1960 with a degree in theater arts. She was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega soro...
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Dawn Elberta Wells (born October 18, 1938) is an American actress known for playing Mary Ann Summers on the sitcom Gilligan's Island during its run from 1964 until 1967.
Wells was born in Reno, Nevada. She attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, where she majored in chemistry. She transferred to the University of Washington in Seattle, where she graduated in 1960 with a degree in theater 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 on ABC, and Bonanza on NBC, before the role of Mary Ann on Gilligan's Island. She reprised her role in the various Gilligan's Island reunion specials.
Wells starred with Michael Dante in the independent movie Winterhawk (1975), playing a Western settler kidnapped by a Native-American chief. She...
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