Dawn Wells

A native of Reno, Nevada, Dawn Wells attended Stephens College in Missouri before going on to represent Nevada in the Miss America pageant in 1959. She found success in Hollywood immediately afterward, appearing in such shows as 77 Sunset Strip, Maverick, Bonanza, and Hawaiian Eye. She was later cast in the role of a lifetime as Mary Ann in Gilligan’s Island, beating out 350 other actresses, including Raquel Welch. Since then, Wells has continued acting on the stage and screen, produced films, and been active in a number of charities.