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Actor Dawn Wells, Castaway Mary Ann on TV's 'Gilligan's Island,' Dies From
COVID-19

Reuters

   Dawn Wells, who parlayed her girl-next-door charm and wholesome beauty
   into enduring TV fame as the sweet-natured desert island castaway Mary
   Ann on the classic 1960s sitcom Gilligan's Island,died Wednesday at age
   82, her publicist said.
   Wells, who won the title of Miss Nevada in 1959 and competed in the
   Miss America contest, died from complications of COVID-19, publicist
   Harlan Boll said in a statement.
   Born in the gambling city of Reno, Wells played Kansas farm girl Mary
   Ann Summers, one of seven castaways stranded after their boat, the S.S.
   Minnow, became battered in a storm during what was supposed to be a
   three-hour tour from Hawaii. Wells beat out actorsincluding Raquel
   Welch for her role.
   Gilligan's Islandran for three seasons (1964-1967) with a cast that
   also included Bob Denver as the zany Gilligan, Alan Hale Jr. as the
   Skipper,Jim Backus as millionaire Thurston Howell III, Natalie Schafer
   as his posh wife, Russell Johnson as the Professorand Tina Louise as
   movie star Ginger.

   The death of Wells leaves Louise, 86, the sole survivor of these cast
   members.

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