# Mary Ann... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 15, 2001, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544 "2001-10-15T19:30:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/1 "2001-10-15T19:30:30Z")
Okay, I saw the Gilligan’s Island retrospective on CBS last night, and I have one question that’s begging to be answered. How the heck does Dawn Wells look so good after all these decades? She’s in her sixties, for pity’s sake, and she still looks better than most twenty-somethings I know. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/2 "2001-10-15T19:37:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > \*\*Okay, I saw the Gilligan’s Island retrospective on CBS last night, and I have one question that’s begging to be answered. > > How the heck does Dawn Wells look so good after all these decades? She’s in her sixties, for pity’s sake, and she still looks better than most twenty-somethings I know. \*\* Well she’s certainly aged better then Ginger. Marc ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/3 "2001-10-15T19:41:12Z")
Good camera angles, good makeup, and lots of coconut cream pies have helped. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/4 "2001-10-15T19:43:45Z")
I saw parts of that, and I’ve seen Dawn Wells before. I’ll say it before and I’ll say it again, she is gorgeous. The definitive answer to the Ginger vs. Mary Anne thing. 🙂 Sigh. I felt like such a dork for knowing all those little tricks/scenes before I saw it (i.e., knowing the Professor’s name, knowing the story about Bob Denver only being photographed w/ Tina, knowing Tina hated the show…). Got all that from either the Straight Dope or the E! True Hollywood Story. :o ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/5 "2001-10-15T19:44:01Z")
Maybe she is related to Dick Clark. ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/6 "2001-10-15T19:46:47Z")
pearl cream? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/7 "2001-10-15T20:34:49Z")
On a side note … am I the only one who watched the show, and cracked up the entire time at the horrendous acting? And the scene where Nancy Schaeffer(sp?) reveals her masectomy scar to the other woman … oh my god. What’s wrong with, “I’ve had a masectomy, dear, so I know what you’re going through.” Did she really have to flash her? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/8 "2001-10-15T20:37:21Z")
**Natalie Schafer** … my bad. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/9 "2001-10-15T22:29:11Z")
I too saw the show and it was one of the innovative things I have seen on television in quite a while. I was never a big Gilligan’s Island fan, but this show was impressive. First off, the surreal quality of wandering between the interviews and the show was a wonderful concept. I don’t know why that is not done that well more often. Much of the acting was iffy, but God, this is the best acting Barbara Eden has ever done, bar none. (Yes, the baring the brest thing was overdone, but according to those that should know, it really happened that way). Seriously, I was impressed with her. She really acted. I was also impressed with the fellow that played Alan Hale Jr. He had the Skipper down to the tilt of his cap. It was interesting that the weakest portrayals were done of the individuals still alive. Did they get to choose relatives or something? TV ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_The\_Bold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/41988e/32.png) [@Dale\_The\_Bold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_The_Bold)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/10 "2001-10-16T00:10:32Z")
The secret to Mary Ann’s eternal beauty is most likely the result of some radioactive carrots she ate some years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/11 "2001-10-16T00:36:57Z")
Y’know, I have seen Mary Ann recently (she was in a commercial for something or another), and she is still definitely quite a looker… But it never occured to me how old she is by now! Even now that I think about it, I still have a hard time buying that she’s much beyond 30. Yow! Of course, Ginger always tried too hard, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/12 "2001-10-16T00:48:19Z")
By the way, she has an [official web page](http://www.dawn-wells.com/), as well. There’s some current pictures under the “Marooned with Mary Ann” link. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/13 "2001-10-16T12:00:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TV time \* > \*\*Much of the acting was iffy, but God, this is the best acting Barbara Eden has ever done, bar none. (Yes, the baring the brest thing was overdone, but according to those that should know, it really happened that way). Seriously, I was impressed with her. She really acted. \*\* That was Barbara Eden playing Natalie Schafer? Jeannie? ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/14 "2001-10-16T12:48:57Z")
**TV Time** , if you saw Barbara Eden in that show, I want some of what you’re smoking. I enjoyed watching for the little tidbits I didn’t know, like that Racquel Welch, Dabney Coleman and Carroll O’Connor all auditioned for the show. But the acting was really awful. The guy who played Jim Backus (the same actor who played Winona Ryder’s father in _Heathers,_ if I’m not mistaken) seemed to be playing Jim Backus as Mr. Magoo. Surely Backus couldn’t have been like that in real life, with the hammy laugh and exaggerated mannerisms. ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/15 "2001-10-16T13:05:23Z")
Was anyone else totally floored to find out Natalie Schafer was in her 80’s when she made that show? I should look that good when I’m eighty-something! ---
**Author:** ![Mystery\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Mystery\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mystery_Dog)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/16 "2001-10-16T13:26:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zoggie \* > \*\*Sigh. I felt like such a dork for knowing all those little tricks/scenes before I saw it (i.e., knowing the Professor’s name, knowing the story about Bob Denver only being photographed w/ Tina, knowing Tina hated the show…). Got all that from either the Straight Dope or the E! True Hollywood Story. :o \*\* Zoggie, I missed this movie, and didn’t see all of the E!THS. What’s the story on Bob only being photographed with Tina? ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/17 "2001-10-16T14:28:29Z")
I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been such a snooty bitch all those years ago. The real reason I decline to be involved in anything “Gilligan’s Island” anymore is that the bitterness has twisted me. I don’t look half as good as Mary Ann. _ahem_ Who was the blonde woman who had the mastectomy, the one **Natalie Schaefer** talked into it? I was only half watching. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/18 "2001-10-16T14:58:41Z")
**Jack Batty** : > [@](#): > > And the scene where Nancy Schaefer reveals her masectomy scar to the other woman … oh my god. What’s wrong with, “I’ve had a masectomy, dear, so I know what you’re going through.” Did she really have to flash her? Indeed. I hope I never have to get a similar pep talk from Lance Armstrong. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/19 "2001-10-16T18:33:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dale The Bold \* > \*\*The secret to Mary Ann’s eternal beauty is most likely the result of some radioactive carrots she ate some years ago. \*\* Well, okay… but how do you explain her telepathic powers? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544/20 "2001-10-16T18:59:20Z")
Oh, well they were doing a shoot for TV Guide, and Bob Denver didn’t really get along with Tina Louise…he thought she was kind of snotty, and she was, a bit. (She originally thought the show would be revolving around her, being the movie star and all that.) Bob wanted to be photographed with both Dawn and Tina, but by the time the cover came out, they had cropped Dawn out of the pic. Plus, the stuff that Tina said in the interview, that the show wasn’t very good, etc., also irked Bob. And Sherwood Schwartz, too, I think. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-ann/87544.md?page=2)