Tina Louise, last star of Gilligan’s Island, on death of Dawn Wells

Dawn Wells, the real Mary Ann Summers of “Gilligan’s Island,” was just as sunny and down to earth off-screen as she was on-screen, her co-star Tina Louise the only cast member still alive, told The Post on Wednesday.

Louise, who played the indelible role of Ginger Grant on the CBS show, spoke fondly of Wells, who died at 82 in Los Angeles on Wednesday after battling COVID-19.

“I’m very sad,” said Louise, who has sadly declined to appear in reshoots and reboots or discuss the show in the decades since it ended in 1967.

“Dawn was a very wonderful person. I want people to remember her as someone who always had a smile on her face, ”said Louise, who lives on the East Side of Manhattan. “Nothing is more important than family and it was family. She will always be remembered.

Louise, an enduring beauty who asked The Post not to mention her age, was shocked to learn of her friend’s death during a phone call from a Hollywood friend. “Nobody wants to receive this kind of news – especially this way, with this horrible disease,” she said, adding that the health-conscious actress was doing her part to strengthen herself. “I’m doing my exercise and having a vegetarian lunch today,” she said, adding grimly, “Everything is complicated now.

The beloved show, which spanned three seasons from 1964 to 1967, and followed a group of stranded aliens living on an island, is as enduring as ever – especially during the lockdown, when new generations discovered its charms. endearing.

“We were part of the wonderful show that everyone loves and that has been a great source of comfort, especially during these times,” said Louise.

Although she notoriously refused to appear in the 1978 TV movie “Rescue from Gilligan’s Island”, 2001 “Surviving Gilligan’s Island” and various other revivals, she bristles with longstanding rumors that she was after the role. and on the show.

“Never true – I loved doing my part, especially after they really started writing for my character, initially introduced as a ‘Marilyn Monroe’ type character,” Louise told The Post. “A different director took over and really started writing for my character,” she added, admitting that she initially thought about quitting. “I really loved my character.”

She also avoided any comparison between beloved girl next door Mary Ann and her less inhibited roommate, Ginger. “There is a character for each person. Everyone can relate to a different person, ”she said, emphasizing the close kinship of the seamless cast. “We have always been a family. She had huge fans.

While she said “Dawn was wonderful in her role”, she even had special moments with her deceased co-star, recalling her favorite memory when she was invited to Wells around 1966.

“I had just got married and it was Thanksgiving. I did not particularly know how to cook. She invited me over to her house with her mother, ”said Louise, who learned how to make a potato soufflé recipe that has become an enduring favorite. “It became something I did every Thanksgiving year,” she says. “I never forgot that.”

Louise, who has continued to star in “The Stepford Wives”, “The Love Boat” and “Dallas”, said she was grateful for the outpouring of “Gilligan’s Island” fans in recent months. “We brought a lot of joy to people and we still do. This show is an escape from so much that is going on, ”she says. “Fathers now share it with their children. I get letters about it all the time.

Wells, who has appeared on popular shows such as “Bonanza” and “Maverick,” would always be indelibly linked to her lovable character from “Gilligan’s Island,” Louise said. “She should always be remembered with a smile on her face – she was a joyful person and shared her joy with everyone.”

Although it had been a while since the two co-stars had spoken, Louise said Wells’ smile was etched in her heart and said fans wrote to her to tell her they bought the set of the series for their children.

“The show will live on forever – and so will she. We will remember her with a smile.