Dawn Wells, the real-life Mary Ann Summers of “Gilligan’s Island”, was as sunny and practical off-screen as she was on-screen, her co-star Tina Louise, the show’s only survivor, told The Post Wednesday market.
Louise, who played the indelible Ginger Grant on the CBS show, spoke fondly of Wells, who died at age 82 on Wednesday in Los Angeles after fighting COVID-19.
“I’m very sad,” said Louise, who has refused to appear in revivals and reboots or to discuss the series over the decades since it ended in 1967.
“Dawn was a wonderful person. I want people to remember her as someone who always had a smile on her face, ”said Louise, who lives on the East Side of Manhattan. “Nothing is more important than family and she was family. She will always be remembered. “
Louise, an enduring beauty who asked the Post not to mention her age, was shocked to learn of her friend’s death during a call from a Hollywood friend. “Nobody wants to receive this kind of news – especially with this horrible disease,” she said, adding that the health-conscious actress is doing her part to strengthen herself. “I’m doing my exercises and having a vegetarian lunch today,” she said, adding somberly, “Everything is complicated now.”
The beloved program, which spanned three seasons from 1964 to 1967, and accompanied a group of shipwrecked strangers living on an island, is as long-lasting as ever – especially during the blockade, when the new generations discovered its captivating charms.
“We were part of this wonderful show that everyone loves and has been a great source of comfort, especially in those times,” said Louise.
Although she famously refused to appear in the 1978 TV movie “Rescue from Gilligan’s Island”, 2001 “Surviving Gilligan’s Island” and several other revivals, she is irritated by rumors that she resented the role and the show.
“It’s never true – I loved doing my part, especially after they actually started writing for my character, originally advertised as a ‘Marilyn Monroe’ character type,” Louise told The Post. “A different director took over and really started writing for my character,” she added, admitting that she originally thought about giving up. “I really loved my character.”
She also ruled out any comparison between beloved neighbor Mary Ann and her less inhibited roommate, Ginger. “There is a character for each person. Everyone can identify with a different person, ”she said, noting the close relationship of the perfect cast. “We have always been a family. She had huge fans. “
Although she said “Dawn was wonderful on her part”, she even had special moments with her late co-star, recalling her favorite memory when she was invited to Wells’ house around 1966.
“I was just married and it was Thanksgiving Day. I didn’t know how to cook particularly. She invited me to her house with her mother, ”said Louise, who learned how to make a potato souffle recipe that has become a favorite ever. “It became something I did every year on Thanksgiving,” she said. “I never forgot that.”
Louise, who starred in “The Stepford Wives”, “The Love Boat” and “Dallas”, said she is grateful for the outpouring of “Gilligan’s Island” fans in recent months. “We brought a lot of joy to people and we still do. This show is an escape from so much going on, ”she said. “Parents now share this with their children. I get letters all the time about it. “
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Wells, who starred in popular shows like “Bonanza” and “Maverick”, would always be indelibly linked to her adorable character “Gilligan’s Island”, said Louise. “She should always be remembered with a smile on her face – she was a person full of joy and shared her joy with everyone.”
Although it has been a while since the two co-stars spoke, Louise said that Wells’s smile is etched into her heart and said that fans write to tell her that they bought the series box for their children.
“The show will live on forever – and so will she. We will remember her with a smile. “