Global Ganja Report

Some of her fans fondly recall that Gilligan's Island co-star Dawn Wells, who played innocent Mary Ann and passed away on Dec. 30 in Los Angeles, had been arrested for cannabis possession in 2007. Police in Idaho, where she then lived, stopped her car for swerving on the night of Wells' 69th birthday, Oct. 18, and said they detected the smell of marijuana. Four partially smoked joints were found in the car.

Wells initially claimed she'd picked up a few hitchhikers who smoked in the vehicle. She was nonetheless charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia, driving under the influence and reckless driving. She pleaded guilty to the last charge, and the other counts were dropped. The actress received a five-day jail sentence, six months' unsupervised probation, and a $410 fine.

Wells was also linked to cannabis when her erstwhile co-star Bob Denver (the eponymous Gilligan) was arrested in 1998, at the age of 63. Denver was charged with possession of 35 grams of marijuana that was delivered to his West Virginia home, and which early reports claimed had been sent by Wells. But later in court, Denver refused to testify against Wells, saying that "some crazy fan must have sent it." After pleading "no contest" to the charge, he received six months' probation.

Known best for her role on Gilligan's Island as gingham dress-wearing Kansas farm-girl Mary Ann Summers in 98 episodes from 1964 to 1967, the Nevada-born Wells also appeared on 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eyes and other TV shows from 1961 to 2019. She was the co-star and narrator in a 1975 Western, Winterhawk, which is on YouTube.

Wells' death was attributed to COVID-19. She was 82.

Adapted from CelebStoner

Image via Wikimedia