DRIGGS, Idaho -- There's no furniture made of coconut husks, bamboo shoots and palm fronds visible at Teton Wells Ranch in Driggs. Not even a life preserver hanging on the wall emblazoned with the S.S. Minnow logo, which would offset a good number of her acquired artifacts.
Visit the garage and there's a vintage "Gilligan's Island" pinball machine, courtesy of Bob Denver . . . but even that is covered by a blanket.All obvious television sitcom puns aside (as in "it took over a three-hour tour to drive to the ranch from Salt Lake City"), Dawn Wells, widely known for her three-season stint as Mary Ann Summers on "Gilligan's Island," is doing quite well, thank you. She doesn't seem anxious to hold on to her past -- but it's got a death grip on her.
While Wells left Mary Ann behind long ago, she's still a lot like her, not minding in the least when fans associate her with her familiar TV persona.
Entering a set -- regardless of whether she gets the part -- Wells is consistently greeted warmly. "There's a lot of stuff I'm more proud of than 'Gilligan's Island,' but because of that I've been able to work more roles. Everyone still remembers her (the Mary Ann character) with fond memories, She's always been a part of everybody's growing up."
Whereas many actors and actresses refuse to be likened to the characters they play, Wells embraces the opportunity. She feels there are a lot of parallels to draw between herself and the girl from Kansas.
For example, both were raised with hard work principles and practicality; both can be trusted. "Men liked her because they could take her home to mom. We need more 'Mary Anns.' "
When she served as a TV journalist known as "the Castaway Correspondent" for the Australian show "Midday," she interviewed a lot of celebrities who had similar reactions. Tom Hanks was very excited about actually talking to "Mary Ann." Geena Davis effused about how Wells was one of the reasons she became an actress. Robin Williams did the entire interview as Thurston Howell III, Hawaiian shirt and all.
Not bad for a girl whose greatest claim to fame prior to becoming an actress was being crowned Miss Nevada when she was 21 years old in 1959.
Wells just finished her latest venture at the end of August, the self-named Film Actor's Boot Camp, where she taught small groups of individuals, aged 18-39, the logistics of pursuing an acting career. This was her first time to conduct such a camp and, as a result, she did only six week-long sessions. Next summer, she plans to begin in May and run through the end of August.
The intensive workshop, averaging around 50-55 hours a week, focuses not on teaching students how to act but rather fine-tuning the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the the transition from stage acting to beginning a career in film and television. For a $2,000 fee, students learn things as how to use what "type" of actor you are to your advantage, doing voice-overs and how to avoid rip-off artists who take advantage of young actors. For more information or to sign up, visit (www.dawn-wells.com).
"It's even more important to market yourself, to sell yourself in the film industry," Wells said. "You need to find that marketability and know it instinctively and be comfortable with all things."
In Wells' case, she sold herself as "the girl with the perfect round face and big eyes." After graduating from Stephens College and the University of Washington, majoring in pre-med, she decided she would give acting a shot. She gave herself a year to land a role before returning to school. "I wasn't going to be one of these broke, out-of-work actresses."
After playing a part in the play "Black-Eyed Susan" in Los Angeles, it wasn't long before she tried out for "Gilligan's Island," and the rest is history. Since its inception in 1964, the campy television series hasn't been off the air. And it's now in 30 languages, making "Gilligan's Island" the longest-running show in syndication and preserving its spot in pop culture.
An few age-old questions are frequently posed to her, even now, about the relationships stemming between the characters of the show.
There's the dilemma of choosing between Ginger and Mary Ann, as well as whether or not Mary Ann was secretly seeing Gilligan or the Professor (or both).
Today, however, fans approach her about the closeness of the Skipper and Gilligan's relationship and whether or not they were romantically involved. It's something nobody was asking her five years ago.
"In those days, we couldn't show our navel. We couldn't show cleavage. I don't think Mary Ann's been kissed yet."
When Wells isn't conducting acting workshops at her ranch, she keeps herself busy making personal appearances, acting in plays and managing her clothing line, the Wishing Wells collection (also available on her Web site).