From Gilligan's Island to Rosemont

Dawn Wells is great. She is pleasant, polite, personable and seemingly happy. Unlike others who are known for one role, Wells seems content with her place in life.
Wells played Mary Ann Summers on tv's Gilligan's Island. She has done many other less notable roles, but she will forever be Mary Ann to everyone. And she is perfectly fine with that.
Wells embraces her past, without overdoing it. Aside from her pictures (mostly from Gilligan's Island), she has a few other GI-related pieces for sale (like the famous 'Mary Ann or Ginger?' shirt). She doesn't come dressed in character either, like some others.
Somehow, she caught me off guard though, when she asked me for my favorite GI episode. I have seen them all (many times), yet I froze. Finally, I mentioned the HoneyBees. She laughed at that.
Actually, thinking back, Wells seemed a lot like her character Mary Ann. Unfortunately, she did not bake a pie for me though! Still, it was great meeting and talking to her.

Dawn Wells and me in Rosemont, IL-March 2010.