'Ginger or Mary Ann' on 'Gilligan's Island'?: The Great TV Debate Continues

Dawn Wells (left) played country girl next door Mary Ann on "Gilligan's Island," and Tina Louise (right) played movie star Ginger Grant.Photo byreddit.com

It's an age-old television debacle of a debate, along the lines of the two "Darrins" on Bewitched? Which do you prefer on Gilligan's Island? "Ginger," as played by Tina Louise, or "Mary Anne," as played by Dawn Wells?

Louise, who is the last surviving cast member of the classic 1960s television series, portrayed the more glamorous movie-star role on the show. Wells, who passed away in 2020, presented a more "down-home," country-girl charm.

A Closer Watch of Wells

Dawn Wells was born Dawn Elberta Wells on October 18, 1938, in Reno, Nevada. Her childhood was happy and healthy. She and her mother gardened their own fruits and vegetables and Dawn rode horses. In her high school years, she was the class treasurer, President of the debate team, and an honor roll student. Dawn was on her way to becoming a ballerina, but bad knees prevented her from realizing the dream. In 1959, she was crowned Miss Nevada and went on to compete in the 1960 Miss America Pageant. She wanted to be a doctor and enrolled in the elite Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri to study medicine, but then discovered the Drama Club. She transferred to the University of Washington, then known for its Theatre Department, and graduated with a Degree in Theatre.

Wells then moved to Hollywood and was cast as Mary Ann Summers on Gilligan's Island, which premiered on NBC in 1964.

Before and after Gilligan's Island, Wells appeared on several TV shows, including Bonanza, The Invaders, The Love Boat, Gilligan's Planet, Growing Pains, Baywatch, Columbo and Roseanne, among many more.

A Closer Look at Louise

Tina Louise received her first role at age two after being in an ad for her father's candy store. She began studying acting, singing and dancing at age 17 under Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in Manhattan. She was offered modeling jobs, including the 1958 Frederick's of Hollywood catalog, and she appeared on the cover of several pinup magazines such as Adam, Sir! and Modern Man. Her pictorials for Playboy in May 1958 and April 1959 were arranged by Columbia Pictures studio in an effort to promote her.

Louise made in stage acting debut in 1952 in the Bette Davis musical revue Two's Company followed by roles in other Broadway productions such as The Fifth Season, and Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? She appeared in live television dramas like Studio One and Appointment with Adventure. In 1957, she appeared on Broadway in the musical Li'l Abner. She made her film debut in 1958 in God's Little Acre. That same year, the National Art Council named her the "World's Most Beautiful Redhead." The next year, she starred in Day of the Outlaw with Robert Ryan, and made a few Italian movies.

After traveling abroad, Louise returned to America, studied acting with Less Strasberg, and became a member of his famed Actor's Studio. In 1962, Louise guest-starred on the TV sitcom, The Real McCoys, and later performed with future Gilligan's Island lead Bob Denver in For Those Who Think Young.

In 1964, she left the Broadway musical Fade Out, Fade-In to play Ginger Grant on Gilligan's Island, where she remained until the show's original run ended in 1967.

The End Game

Dawn Wells was in awe of Tina Louise’s beauty and charisma. The two women were friends, and far from enemies. At one point, Wells even taught Louise how to cook a Thanksgiving dinner. They simply were two different people.

When Wells died, Tina Louise paid tribute to her former castmate on Twitter, saying: “I will always remember Dawn’s kindness to me. We shared in creating a cultural landmark that has continued to bring comfort and smiles to people during this difficult time. I hope that people will remember her the way that I do — always with a smile on her face.”

Into this mix, Wells participated in a series of Gilligan's Island TV-reunion movies that followed over the original series, but Louise did not. For some fans of the franchise, that's a good thing. For others, maybe not so much.

In this and many other ways, the great debate of "Mary Ann vs. Ginger," or "Ginger vs. Mary Anne," may just indeed be a tie.