Dawn Wells-Gilligan’s Island
Dawn Wells is a constant point of argument for fans of Gilligan’s Island. While some think she was the more beautiful “girl next door” and others argue that Ginger was the stunner, she has always held her own as one of the most charming characters on the island, and possibly on television at the time. She even represented Nevada in the Miss America 1960 pageant.
While she had a busy television and film career, she also found time to become a writer. She worked with Jim Clark and Ken Beck, with a foreword by Bob Denver on her popular Mary Ann’s Gilligan’s Island Cookbook.
Her relationships with the cast of Gilligan’s Island were a foundation of her career. She never lost touch. In fact, one story goes that Bob Denver (Gilligan) was arrested in 1998 for having marijuana delivered to his home. He said that he thought Dawn Wells sent it for him, but would not testify in court. Other relationships, such as that with the Skipper seemed to mean a great deal to her. She was very close to Alan Hale, Jr. (Skipper) saying:
“Alan could not have been kinder to a young actress. He was a real peach.”
Wells actually lost a speaking job due to an arrest in 2007. She was observed swerving across the roadway and marijuana was found in her car. A third party claimed that the majiauana was theirs and took full responsibility, but she plead guilty to reckless driving, was find and served six month’s unsupervised probation. What she had to say about the whole incedent speaks a great deal about our obsession with seeing our favorite stars fall:
“I think it is so hysterical that people went nuts over it. I am what, now, 102 years old? I get booked for the first time in my life and suddenly I am a drug-using bum? I have told people the facts, but facts don’t interest people or the media. They only trust headlines. The only reason I even cared was because it negatively affected my film festival and film school, and my sponsors were concerned. If I did not own a not-for-profit school, I would be on Saturday Night Live making fun of it!”