Dawn Wells Was Crushing On A Gilligan's Island Co-Star, But The Timing Wasn't Right

Actress Dawn Wells passed away in 2020 at the age of 82, having experienced a prolific career in TV and on film. In the early 1960s, Wells appeared on hot TV shows like "Wagon Train," "Maverick," and "77 Sunset Strip" in various supporting roles, and her career boomed in 1964 when she was hired to play the friendly hayseed Mary Ann on Sherwood Schwartz's mega-hit "Gilligan's Island." While "Gilligan's Island" was derided at the time for its silliness and broad, cartoony tone, it was still a huge hit, and the seven lead actors all became household names. Indeed, "Gilligan's Island" became so popular that several of its stars had trouble shaking off their association with the show.

After the series ended, Wells continued to work on hit shows like "Bonanza," and she appeared in notable horror movies like "The Town That Dreaded Sundown" and "Return to Boggy Creek," but many of her on-screen gigs were "Gilligan's Island"-related. She competed on "Family Feud," for instance, alongside some of her old co-stars, in the early 1980s, and played characters named Mary Ann on various other shows, riffing on her fame as a castaway. Her final role came in 2019 playing a guest role on "The Epic Adventures of Captain Underpants." 

In 2016, Wells spoke with "Oprah: Where Are They Now?" about her time on "Gilligan's Island," and she admitted that she didn't mind showing up on set every day ... because she had an unrequited crush on her co-star, Russell Johnson. Johnson played the level-headed Professor on "Gilligan's Island," and he and Wells had many scenes together throughout the series. Indeed, the two actors even shared the screen for their opening credits ("The Professor and Mary Ann..."). Sadly, a relationship wasn't to be, since — as the old saying goes — the timing was bad.

"Bad timing" in such circumstances usually just means that one or both of the players in a potential relationship was already married or dating someone else at the time. From 1962 to 1967, Wells was married to a man named Larry Rosen, while Johnson was married to actress Kay Cousins. Wells divorced Rosen in 1967, while Johnson stayed married to Cousins until 1980 when she passed away. During the production of "Gilligan's," however, which lasted from 1964 until 1967, the two were in close contact, and Wells admitted to being very attracted to Johnson. 

Many viewers might have picked up on Wells' attraction, as "Gilligan's Island" fans frequently paired their characters romantically; they seemed to be the most "normal" and even-tempered characters on the cast. Sadly, even a fictional romance wasn't in the cards for Wells and Johnson. In 2016, Wells lamented what could have been, saying:

"If either one of us had been single or both of us had been single, there would have been some chemistry. [...] He had the best sense of humor. He was the funniest. [...] And he was a hunk! [...] I did not know until the funeral that he got the Purple Heart. I knew he fought in World War II, but he was not a bragger. [...] Very witty, very handsome, good man. Miss him."

Johnson passed away in 2014 due to kidney failure. He was 89. He did indeed serve in the Air Force, and broke both his ankles after being shot down over the Philippines in 1945. He served as a bombardier on 44 missions, and was honorably discharged for his service. He used his G.I. Bill money after the war to study acting, and that's when his career began in earnest.