‘Gilligan’s Island’ Star Dawn Wells Showed Her Fan Appreciation on Netflix’s ‘Love on the Spectrum’
Dawn Wells, the “Gilligan’s Island” star who died Dec. 30 at the age of 82, was always considerate of the show’s super fans, as she demonstrated on an episode of Netflix 2019 dating show “Love on the Spectrum.”
The series focuses on young adults on the autism spectrum as they navigate the dating world.
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In the episode, Michael, a young man from Wollongong, Australia, calls Wells his “dream woman.” On “Gilligan’s Island,” a sitcom farce involving a motley group of people who wind up stranded on an island, Wells played Mary Ann, a girl-next-door character who was a contrast to the movie star character of Ginger, played by Tina Louise.
At the end of “Love on the Spectrum’s” second episode, Michael meets Wells at a comic convention. He chats with and hugs his idol, appearing visibly giddy at the experience and documenting it with a photo.
“You’d make a good Skipper,” Wells tells Michael, referencing his cosplay of Alan Hale Jr.’s character from “Gilligan’s Island.”
After bidding Wells adieu, Michael gushes over the experience. “That was pretty much one of the most cherished moments I’ve ever had in life. It was quite a privilege,” he said.
While Wells appeared in numerous TV shows, movies and plays, her role as Mary Ann was her most enduring, leading to gigs such as “castaway correspondent” for Australia’s Channel 9, spokeswoman for the MeTV network and a published book titled “A Guide to Life: What Would Mary Ann Do?”
Wells’ tenderness to Michael was cited by fans as they expressed appreciation for the actor following her death.
Thinking about Michael from Love on the Spectrum tonight. https://t.co/f3amLDKDto
— Michael Yerxa (He/Him) (@mikeyerxa) December 30, 2020
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