Surprising Stories from the Set of Gilligan’s Island

Believe it or not, Raquel Welch once auditioned for the role of Mary Ann. Long before she became a Hollywood bombshell, she was vying for the part of the sweet, down-to-earth Kansas farm girl. It’s one of those “what if” moments that fans love imagining.

Producers ultimately chose Dawn Wells, whose wholesome charm fit the role perfectly. Still, the idea of Welch in pigtails on the island is a fun alternate-universe thought. It just shows how wildly different Gilligan’s Island could have looked with one casting change.