Gilligan's Island star Dawn Wells dies of COVID-19

Dawn Wells.
(Image credit: Michael Tullberg/Getty Images)

Actress Dawn Wells, best known for starring as Mary Ann on the classic sitcom Gilligan's Island, died Wednesday in Los Angeles of causes related to COVID-19. She was 82.

Wells was born on Oct. 18, 1938, in Reno, Nevada. She was crowned Miss Nevada in 1959, and competed in the 1960 Miss American pageant. After graduating with a degree in theater arts from the University of Washington, Wells began appearing in guest roles on several popular television shows, including Wagon Train, 77 Sunset Strip, and Bonanza.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.