Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann on ‘Gilligan’s Island,’ dies of COVID, publicist says

Actress Dawn Wells, best known for her role as Mary Ann in the sitcom “Gilligan’s Island,” died Tuesday of COVID-19, her publicist told Variety. She was 82.

Wells, a former Miss Nevada, rose to fame in the 1960s in her role on “Gilligan’s Island.” She was in 98 episodes of the show, which featured four men and three women who were marooned on a desert island. Tina Louise is the last surviving member of the regular cast of the show, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In addition to her role on “Gilligan’s Island,” Wells appeared in “Bonanza,” “77 Sunset Strip” and “Maverick.”

Services have not been planned for Wells, who died in Los Angeles, according to Deadline.

Actor Jon Cryer was among the people who sent their condolences on Twitter Wednesday.

“It was such a thrill for me to meet Dawn Wells when she came to see ‘Two and a Half Men,’” Cryer tweeted. “She could not have been more lovely and gracious. I’m so grateful that I got to enjoy the work she loved doing.”

In her last social media post, Wells wished her followers a Merry Christmas.

“Keep your heart light and share a few laughs and conversation with someone near and far,” she wrote Dec. 24.

Earlier this month, Wells revealed she is starring in a new show set to debut on Amazon Prime. In “Dawn Wells: Reel Adventures,” she will be shown traveling the world with fly-fisher Kathy Ruddick “exploring the world of fishing.”

More than 82 million cases of the COVID-19 virus have been confirmed worldwide with more than 1.7 million deaths as of Dec. 30, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 19 million confirmed cases with more than 338,000 deaths.

This story was originally published December 30, 2020 at 2:52 PM with the headline "Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann on ‘Gilligan’s Island,’ dies of COVID, publicist says."