Dawn Wells, who portrayed Mary Ann on the classic CBS comedy series Gilligan's Island, has passed away at the age of 82. The cause of death is due to coronavirus (COVID-19).

Wells won the coveted role of Gilligan's Island's girl-next-door Mary Ann Summers by beating out 350 other actors. Mary Ann was known as being a naive farm girl from Kansas, who luckily won a trip on the S.S. Minnow through a lottery.

Mary Ann often played off of Tina Louise's Ginger, a Hollywood movie star who also happened to be aboard the S.S. Minnow when it became lost at sea. As the Gilligan's Island theme song revealed, those aboard the S.S. Minnow set out for what was supposed to be a three-hour tour. However, the weather started getting rough, causing the ship to set ground on an uncharted desert isle. Wells' Mary Ann was joined by Louise's Ginger, Gilligan (Bob Denver), the Skipper (Alan Hale Jr.), Thurston Howell III (Jim Backus), "Lovey" Wentworth-Howell (Natalie Schafer) and the Professor (Russell Johnson).

Wells was a former Miss Nevada in 1959 and started her Hollywood career with ABC's The Roaring 20s and The New Intern. She also made appearances on The Love Boat, ALF, Fantasy Island and Roseanne.

Source: Deadline