Actress Dawn Wells, who portrayed Mary Ann on the classic TV sitcom "Gilligan's Island," died Wednesday at age 82, according to her publicist.
Wells died in Los Angeles due to complications of COVID-19, publicist Harlan Boll said in a Facebook post announcing her death.
Wells was one of the last surviving cast members of the show that featured three women and four men stranded on a desert island following the shipwreck of the S.S. Minnow.
Eric Jerome Dickey, the bestselling novelist who blended crime, romance and eroticism in “Sister, Sister,” “Waking With Enemies” and dozens of other books about contemporary Black life, has died at age 59.
Tanya Roberts, best known for her role in a James Bond film and the TV comedy ‘That 70s Show,’ has died at age 65 on Jan. 4, 2021. Her death was prematurely reported, causing two days of confusion, before her publicist confirmed it on Jan. 5.
Gerry Marsden, lead singer of the 1960s British group Gerry and the Pacemakers that had such hits as “Ferry Cross the Mersey” and the song that became the anthem of Liverpool Football Club, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” has died. He was 78.
Rapper MF DOOM died on Oct. 31, 2020, his wife announced on Instagram on Dec. 31, 2020. The 49-year-old, who rose to popularity in the late '90s and early '00s with songs like "Rhymes Like Dimes" and "DOOMsday," released the Christmas album "Doom Xmas" with Cookin' Soul in 2019.
Dick Thornburgh, who as Pennsylvania governor won plaudits for his cool handling of the 1979 Three Mile Island crisis and as U.S. attorney general restored credibility to a Justice Department hurt by the Iran-Contra scandal, died Dec. 31, 2020. He was 88.
Dawn Wells, the actor who portrayed Mary Ann Summers on “Gillian’s Island” (right), have died from COVID-19 complications, according to her publicist. Wells, one of the last surviving cast members of the sitcom, was 82.
Congressman-elect Luke Letlow, R-La., died of complications from COVID-19 on Dec. 29, 2020, just days before he was set to take office. He was 41.
Pierre Cardin, a French designer known for revolutionizing fashion starting in the early 1950s, died on Dec. 29, 2020. He was 98. Cardin’s name embossed thousands of products, from wristwatches to bed sheets. In the brand’s heyday, goods bearing his fancy cursive signature were sold at some 100,000 outlets worldwide.
Armando Manzanero, the Mexican ballad singer and composer, died from kidney complications at the age of 85, according to his manager Laura Blum. Manzanero, regarded by the President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador as "the country's best" composer, was best known for songs like "Somos Novios."
Stella Tennant, the muse who inspired powerhouse designers like Karl Lagerfeld and Gianni Versace, died at the age of 50 according to her family. Tennant came into the public eye in the 90s when she was announced the new face of Chanel.
Hall of Fame linebacker Kevin Greene, considered one of the fiercest pass rushers in NFL history, died Dec. 21, 2020. He was 58. Greene finished his 15-year NFL career with 160 sacks, which ranks third in league history behind only Bruce Smith (200) and Reggie White (198). He played for Los Angeles Rams (1985–1992), Pittsburgh Steelers (1993–1995), Carolina Panthers (1996, 1998-99) and San Francisco 49ers (1997). He was All-Pro in 1994 and 1996.
Country singer K.T. Oslin, who hit it big with the 1987 hit “80′s Ladies” and won three Grammy awards, died on Dec. 21, 2020. She was 78. In 1988, Oslin unseated Reba McEntire as the Country Music Association’s female vocalist of the year. McEntire had won it four straight times.
Chuck Yeager attends the 50th anniversary celebration of his October 14, 1947, Bell X-1 flight, in which he became the first man to break the sound barrier. Yeager again flew at the speed of sound, only this time in a McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The legendary pilot died on Dec. 7, 2020, at 97.
Natalie Desselle Reed, known for her roles in "Eve," "B.A.P.S." and "Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family," died on Dec. 7, 2020, at 53.
Dave Prowse, who played Darth Vader in "Star Wars," attends the Metal Hammer Golden Gods awards at Indigo2 at O2 Arena on June 16, 2014 in London, England. The actor died after a short illness, his agent, Thomas Bowington, confirmed on Nov. 29, 2020.
Diego Maradona kisses the World Soccer Cup after Argentina’s 3-2 victory over West Germany on June 29, 1986, Mexico City. The soccer legend, known for his “Hand of God” goal made during that year’s quarterfinals against England, died at the age of 60 in his home.
Alex Trebek, the beloved host of "Jeopardy!" for close to four decades, passed away from pancreatic cancer at age 80, Nov. 8, 2020.
Sean Connery, as James Bond in 1968. Sir Sean Connery, was best known for his big screen portrayal of James Bond. He died at the age of 90.
Roberta Wright McCain, mother to U.S. Sen. John McCain, who became her son's secret weapon during his 2008 presidential campaign, died Monday, Oct. 12, according to a spokesperson for daughter-in-law Cindy McCain. Roberta McCain was 108.
Roberta McCain remained active into her 90s, traveling with her identical twin sister Rowena and campaigning at the age of 96 during her son's presidential bid.
American Rock musician Eddie Van Halen, of the group Van Halen, performs onstage at the Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, Illinois, April 6, 1979. Van Halen died on Oct. 6, 2020, at the age of 65 after a battle with cancer.
Known for his 1972 hit "I Can See Clearly Now," Johnny Nash lived several show business lives as a singer-songwriter, actor and producer. The fame of “I Can See Clearly Now” outlasted Nash’s own. He rarely made the charts in the years following, even with albums “Tears On My Pillow” and “Celebrate Life,” and by the 1990s had essentially left the business. Nash died on Oct. 6, 2020, at 80.
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Iconic French-Japanese fashion designer Kenzo Takada died from coronavirus on Oct. 4, 2020, at the age of 81. Famed for his jungle-infused designs and free-spirited aesthetic that channeled global travel, Takada retired in 1999 to pursue art but remained one of the most respected fixtures of high Paris fashion.
Tommy DeVito, a founding member of the Four Seasons, died of the coronavirus on Sept. 21, 2020. He was 92. DeVito along with Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio and Nick Massi founded the Four Seasons in 1960. They sang huge hits such as “Oh, What a Night,” and other sensations from Valli’s solo collection, like, ″Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” Their story came to life in "Jersey Boys," a Broadway musical turned movie in 2005.
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John Thompson, the legendary coach who turned Georgetown into a “Hoya Paranoia” powerhouse and became the first Black coach to lead a team to the NCAA men’s basketball championship, has died. He was 78.
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Wells "passed peacefully (Wednesday) morning, in no pain, as a result of complications due to COVID," Boll said in a Facebook post. In the post, Boll referred to her as America's favorite castaway.
"With over 540,000 fans on her Facebook page and fan clubs across the U.S., her following has remained faithful,'' Boll wrote. "Dawn would say that Mary Ann fits today just as she fit three generations ago, because she is timeless. In a world where the industry and society has been celebrating their `bad girls,' Mary Ann continues to be, for many, the breath of fresh air as the 'good girl.'"
Dawn would say that Mary Ann fits today just as she fit three generations ago, because she is timeless.
Publicist Harlan Boll
He also described her life as much more than her role on 'Gilligan's Island.' Wells also had many film and stage acting credits, and was a teacher and motivational speaker, Boll said.
A native of Reno, Wells was Miss Nevada in the 1959 Miss America pageant before moving to Hollywood and beginning appearances on a string of shows, including "Bonanza,'' "Maverick" and "77 Sunset Strip."
Actress Dawn Wells appears with a "Gilligan's Island" promotional poster. Photo by Bill Down, courtesy of The Hollywood Museum.
But she is best known as wholesome Kansas farm girl Mary Ann Summers on Sherwood Schwartz's "Gilligan's Island," the tale of seven castaways and their series of comical mishaps on an uncharted island. The show ran from 1964-67, but lived on for generations through syndication and continues to air on MeTV. The show was also parlayed into a series of made-for-TV movies.
Her wardrobe on the show, including a gingham dress and high-waisted shorts, are both on display in Los Angeles at The Hollywood Museum.
Tina Louise -- who portrayed starlet Ginger -- is the lone surviving original cast member. The sitcom also starred Bob Denver, as Gilligan, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer and Russell Johnson.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in name to The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee, the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum or The Shambala Preserve, Boll said.
Copyright City News Service
