It recently was reported that Gilligan’s Island star Dawn Wells was arrested and accused of smoking pot.
Several news agencies reported that she was picked up by Idaho police last fall for driving recklessly. Police pulled her over Oct. 18 for driving erratically and a search of her car produced three to four half-smoked joints.
Wells blamed hitchhikers for the pot in her car. She pleaded guilty to one reckless driving count. Three other charges – including possession of a controlled substance were dropped. As a result Wells has been the target of negative press and jokes.
In light of all the negative here is a positive story about Wells.
On June 12, 2004, while working at the Arkansas City Traveler newspaper in Arkansas City, Kansas, I had the opportunity to meet and interview Wells in Wichita, Kansas.( Log onto http://www.arkcity.net/stories/061404/com_0002.shtml, to read the story from that day.)
Wells and Gilligan’s Island creator, Sherwood Schwartz’s son Lloyd Schwartz were at Town East Mall that day judging people trying out for the TBS reality series, “The Real Gilligan’s Island.
The casting call came to Kansas that day partly because the character Wells portrayed on the show, Mary Ann Summers, was a farm girl from Winfield, Kan. located about 60 miles north of the Oklahoma border and about 30 miles south of Wichita.
On that day Wells told me that Gilligan’s Island is aired in 30 languages around the world.
“Everywhere I go someone knows me as Mary Ann,” Wells said. “I think the shows popularity grows, new generations are coming up.”
For those of you not familiar with the sitcom that began in 1964, it was the story of seven castaways stranded on an uncharted desert island.
The group included, the skipper and his first mate Gilligan. A rich couple named Thurston and Lovie Howell. Mary Ann, and her hut mate, actress Ginger Grant, and a professor named Roy Hinkly.
Wells commented on the first time she visited her character’s hometown of Winfield in 1993.
“It was a great event for me,” she said. “At the football game they had the SS Minnow tip over and out came the castaways. They baked the largest coconut cream pie It was just a great time.”
Wells is the founder of the Film Actor’s Boot Camp (FABC) located in Driggs, Idaho. A non profit educational organization designed to give aspiring actors a place to learn the tricks of becoming a professional actor.
Wells said that the boot camp helps the community by creating jobs and it provides the opportunity for kids to learn trades such as running a camera or a boom.
The Web site is loaded with notes of thank you to Wells.
Wells is also a promoter of Spud Fest, an annual celebration of independent family films and music.
This year’s event is scheduled for July 31 through Aug. 2. The event provides students the opportunity to submit their film creations.
I had a pleasant experience meeting Wells and I hope that the recent negative headlines do not sour people’s perception of her.
Sources:
www. dawn-wells.com
http://www.newscow.net/story.php?StoryID=1600
http://www.kixr.com/
www.spudfest.org
