'Gilligan's Island' Actress Explains 'What Would Mary Ann Do?' In New Book

STUDIO CITY (CBSLA.com) — WWMAD? What Would Mary Ann Do?

Actress and author Dawn Wells, who portrayed the lovable Mary Ann Sommers on "Gilligan's Island," visited the KCAL9 studios Thursday to talk about her new book, "A Guide To Life: What Would Mary Ann Do?"

Dawn writes about the meaning of the Mary Ann character and observes the cultural shifts that have occurred since she was on the island.  From the get-go, the Mary Ann character was different. She wasn't a Hollywood creation. She was molded by Dawn, from Dawn.  The Character that was originally listed as "And the rest" on the credits became the fan favorite, garnering more fan mail that even the title character.  With over 100,000 fans on her FaceBook page and fan clubs across the U.S., her following has remained faithful.

Dawn says that Mary Ann fits today just as she fit two generations ago, because she is timeless. In a world where the industry and society has been celebrating their "Bad girls," Mary Ann continues to be, for many, the breathe of fresh air as the "Good Girl."

Wells will be signing copies of her book at the following two locations:

- Barnes & Noble at the Grove on Monday, Sept. 29 at 6 p.m.

-Vromans Book Store, 695 E. Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena, on Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m.