- This woman was a movie star who attained impressive fame and fortune.
- She sadly faced financial issues in her last years and needed help.
- The actress ended up dying from an illness from a recent global pandemic.
Before her death, this star was popularly known as an American actress. She had a career in Hollywood that spanned several decades, including many accolades and honors for her impact on the entertainment industry.
During the early stages of her movie career, she took minor roles in productions like “77 Sunset Strip,” “The Roaring 20s,” and “It’s a Man’s World.” However, her career leaped in 1964 when she was cast as Mary Ann Summers in “Gilligan’s Island.”
The actress as Mary Ann and Natalie Schaefer as Mrs. Howell in a scene from the 1960s television comedy “Gilligan’s Island” | Source: Getty Images
After three seasons, the show was canceled in 1967; she moved on with her career, landing other roles and getting several offers. In her book “What Would Mary Ann Do?: A Guide to Life,” the actress wrote candidly about a very tempting offer she received. She revealed that she was offered $500,000 to pose topless.
The cast of TV Show “Gilligan’s Island” in a publicity shoot | Source: Getty Images
At that point, the star thought of everything she could do with the money. But in the end, she turned down the offer. Even though the offerers claimed that everything would be airbrushed, she said she could not appear topless in front of the photographer, whom she did not know, hence her decision. Here’s more to learn about the late actress, including her life outside of work.
Inside Dawn Wells’s Love Life
Dawn Wells enjoyed a successful career in the movie industry. However, the same cannot be said of her personal life, especially her love life. In the entirety of her lifetime, the “It’s a Man’s World” actress walked down the aisle once, and the lucky man was talent agent Larry Rosen.
Dawn Wells as Mary Ann Summers on “Gilligan’s Island” in 1964 | Source: Getty Images
Besides being a talent agent, born on February 8, 1936, in Newark, New Jersey, Rosen was also a writer and producer known for “Jennifer Slept Here,” “Summer Playhouse,” and “Mr. Merlin.” He and the late movie star tied the knot in 1962, but their union was short-lived.
Dawn Wells appearing on “The FBI” episode “The Attorney” circa 1970 | Source: Getty Images
They called it quits a few years later in 1967 but remained friends afterward. That year was a very challenging one for Wells. Not only did she divorce Rosen, but the actress also lost her dad, who used to own the Las Vegas Thunderbird Hotel. In addition, “Gilligan’s Island,” the production that skyrocketed Wells’s career, got canceled.
Wells’s Platonic Relationships on Set
However, the actress left the program with many memories and friends. During an interview, Wells gave a list of co-stars with whom she shared a connection on set. She mentioned Bob Denver, Russell Johnson, Tina Louise, and Alan Hale Jr. According to Wells, the latter was more like a father to her.
Dawn Wells and Tina Louise at the cocktail party for the “CBS at 75’s” television gala on November 2, 2003 | Source: Getty Images
Even though Wells shared a close bond with her colleagues, she explained that the relationships were not romantic. However, there was one man with whom she built a close bond with over the years.
Although the fundraising campaign listed $194,000, fans raised more than $205,000.
Wells and Tom’s Relationship
The actress noted that she never found anybody she wanted to settle down with. But later in life, she was involved in a relationship with a man named Tom. Wells described Tom as a remarkable man who touched her soul, mind, and being.
Dawn Wells on September 26, 2013, in North Hollywood, California | Source: Getty Images
The duo were best friends for years before their romance began. In her book, Wells explained that at some point, she started losing people at some point and naturally turned to the people she knew. Turning to her best friend, she saw the start of a memorable romance.
Wells and Tom dated for 15 years, with the former valuing the relationship so much that she moved to Nashville because of him. Surprisingly, the lovebirds never married or lived together. Wells’s decision to live separately was based on her values.
Dawn Wells at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, March 7, 2008 | Source: Getty Images
Tom had two daughters, and the actress believed that it was not ideal to sleep under the same roof as his kids with a man who was not her husband under the same roof as his kids, even though they were adults. It went as far as Wells not sharing a room with Tom when his mother or children were around.
The actress learned the act of restraint at a young age; she was at Stephen’s College, a private women’s college in Columbia, Missouri. She spoke about the school in her book, explaining that her father never understood her desire to attend an all-female college.
Dawn Wells in a publicity shoot for TV series “Gilligan’s Island” | Source: Getty Images
He always thought it would isolate his daughter, but Wells said it was the opposite. It was liberating because she did not have to compete with boys. There, she could have a relationship with anybody she wanted without distractions or interference from men.
Dawn Wells participates in The Hollywood Show on October 6, 2012 | Source: Getty Images
According to the actress, the college turned out to be the place that opened her eyes to many possibilities. Not only was her private life a bit challenging at times, but the star needed donations to stay afloat.
Wells’s Career and Tough Times
Although Wells was mainly known for her role in “Gilligan’s Island,” she believed that her career was even better after the show. After starring in the sitcom, the actress said she landed other roles before delving into the theater.
Russell Johnson, Dawn Wells, Sherwood Schwartz, and Bob Denver in front of the “SS Minow” on February 3, 2004 | Source: Getty Images
Wells said she featured in over 100 productions, including “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and “Menopause: The Musical.” The star revealed that all the money she made as a working actress was from her movie career.
But, according to the icon, she felt lucky to have earned comfort from acting throughout her adult life from acting. Sadly, she faced difficult situations in the later years of Wells’s life; she faced difficult situations. In August 2018, her friend and hair stylist, Dugg Kirkpatrick, started a GoFundMe page to help her out of the trouble that began in 2008.
Barbara Eden and Dawn Wells at the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films in 2012 | Source: Getty Images
Kirkpatrick explained that due to the financial crisis in 2008, Wells lost everything, including her life savings, with a good portion of the $194,000 listed to alleviate penalties by the IRS. Also, Wells had suffered a broken knee while recovering from a life-threatening surgery that came close to killing her. Furthermore, the actress had no family and lost her home.
She needed to move into a smaller assisted living facility, but they refused to accept her because of her $180,000 debt. Wells’s compounding problems are what caused Kirkpatrick to start fundraising.
Dawn Wells visits Hallmark Channel’s “Home & Family” on September 30, 2019, in Universal City, California | Source: Getty Images
Although the fundraising campaign listed $194,000, fans raised more than $205,000. Wells expressed her gratitude via a Facebook post. The actress said she was wowed by the show of kindness and affection from fans.
The star also thanked her friend for creating the page and helping her with her issues. Wells said she thought she was taking the proper steps to ensure her golden years, but wound up with “‘no family, no husband, no kids, and no money.”
However, she was grateful to God for giving her fans and friends who cared. Wells cleared her debt and paid her hospital bills, but she eventually passed away in Los Angeles in December 2020. She died at 82 from causes related to the coronavirus and will always remain one of the beloved actresses adored by fans worldwide.