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Miss USA 1953

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Miss USA 1953
Myrna Hansen, Miss USA 1953, in 1957
DateJuly 16, 1953
PresentersBob Russell
VenueLong Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California
Entrants43
Placements20
Debuts
Withdrawals
WinnerMyrna Hansen
 Illinois
CongenialityJeanne Vaughn Thompson
 Louisiana
← 1952
1954 →

Miss USA 1953 was the second Miss USA pageant, held at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California on July 16, 1953.

At the end of the event, Jackie Loughery of New York crowned Myrna Hansen of Illinois as Miss USA 1953.[1][2] It is the first victory of Illinois in the pageant's history.

Contestants from 43 states and cities competed in this year's pageant. The competition was hosted by Bob Russel.

Background

Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, the venue of Miss USA 1953

Selection of participants

Contestants from 43 states/cities have been selected to compete in the competition. The age requirement in this edition is still from 18 to 28, where women who are married and have children can also participate.[3]

Jeanne Vaughn Thompson of Louisiana, who competed last year and placed as first runner-up,[4] competed once again in this edition, making her the first contestant from Miss USA who competed twice.

This edition saw the debuts of Iowa, Maryland, Miami, Myrtle Beach, Nebraska, New Hampshire, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The states of Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, New Mexico, Oregon, and Tennessee withdrew in this edition.

Results

Placements

Placement Contestant
Miss USA 1953
1st runner-up
2nd runner-up
3rd runner-up
  • Washington – Nancy Petraborg[5]
4th runner-up
Top 20

Special awards

Award Contestant
Miss Congeniality
Miss Body Beautiful

Pageant

Format

From ten semi-finalists in 1952, twenty semi-finalists were chosen at the preliminary competition that consists of the swimsuit and evening gown competition.[5] Each of the twenty semi-finalists gave a short speech during the final telecast. Afterwards, the twenty semi-finalists paraded again in their swimsuits and evening gowns, and the five finalists were eventually chosen.[5][6]

Selection committee

Contestants

43 contestants competed for the title.[7]

State/City Contestant Age[a] Hometown Notes
Alabama Doris Edwards 25 Birmingham
Arizona Eleanor Ruth Cross 19 Chandler
Arkansas Jackie Stucker 19 West Helena
California Marcella Roulette[8] 21 Los Angeles
Colorado Jeanie Carroll 18 Denver
Connecticut Beverlee Burlant[9] 21 Bridgeport Previously Miss Connecticut 1951
Idaho Patricia Carter 18 Boise
Illinois Myrna Rae Hansen[10] 17 Chicago 1st runner-up at Miss Universe 1953[11]
Indiana Edith Mae Krumme[12] 19 Seymour
Iowa Marilyn Shonka[13] 18 Sioux City
Kentucky Mary Stice[14] 19 Paducah
Louisiana Jeanne Vaughn Thompson[5] 21 Baton Rouge Previously Miss Louisiana USA 1952
Placed 1st runner-up at Miss USA 1952[4]
Previously Miss Louisiana 1951
Maine Jackie Lee 22 Cape Neddick
Maryland Diane Gale Durham 22 Silver Spring
Massachusetts Joan Daly[15] 20 Somerville
Miami Beach, Florida Kay Duggar[16] 21 Miami
Michigan Jo Ann Page 20 Detroit
Minnesota Mary Ann Papke[17] 20 Minneapolis
Mississippi Jessie Wynn Morgan 20 Newton Previously Miss Mississippi 1951[18]
Top 15 at Miss America 1952
Missouri Donna Gardner[19] 18 Portageville
Montana Billie Jean Tyrell[20] 21 Billings
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Mary Kemp Griffin[21] 23 Florence Later represented the USA at Miss World 1953 and placed 5th runner-up
Nebraska Berneta Nelson[22] 20 Clay Center
Nevada Earlene Whitt 18 Las Vegas
New Hampshire Muriel Roy 24 Nashua
New Jersey Susan Ruth Harris[23] 18 Haddonfield
New York Reta Knapp 23 New York City
North Carolina Libby Walker[24] – Wilton
North Dakota Marilyn Caufield[25] 19 Jamestown
Ohio Eleanore Mack[26] 20 Bellaire
Oklahoma Barbara Bond[24] 21 Oklahoma City
Pennsylvania Jeri Hauer[27] 27 Hatboro[27]
Rhode Island Barbara Rose Deigman 20 Providence
South Carolina Susan Anthony Day[28] 18 Greenville
South Dakota Kathleen Herman 18 Bowdle
Texas Joan Bradshaw 17 Houston
Utah Shauna Wood[29] 22 Salt Lake City
Vermont Kathleen Marie Eugenia Surrel 22 Brooklyn, New York City
Virginia Dorothy Lee Bailey[30] 21 Norfolk
Washington Nancy Petraborg[31] 18 Seattle
West Virginia Fay Higley 18 South Charleston
Wisconsin Jacque Kimmel 24 Milwaukee
Wyoming Nancy Rogers[25] – Cheyenne

Notes

  1. ^ Ages at the time of the pageant

References

  1. ^ Belser, Emily (17 July 1953). "Chicagoan named Miss USA in Miss Universe contest". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 15. Retrieved 16 January 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Curvy Blonde holds U.S. Universe hopes". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. 16 July 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 10 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Williams, Vera (23 March 1952). "Pageant of Pulchritude". Long Beach Press-Telegram. p. 50. Retrieved 7 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b "Brooklyn girl wins U.S. crown; seeks Miss Universe Title tonight". The Plain Speaker. 28 June 1952. p. 1. Retrieved 12 December 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "Miss Illinois wins title as top beauty of the nation". Long Beach Press-Telegram. 16 July 1953. p. 3. Retrieved 16 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Beauties vie for "Miss Universe" title". The Knoxville Journal. 12 July 1953. p. 34. Retrieved 16 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Miss Universe pageant Tableau of Beauty". Long Beach Press-Telegram. Long Beach, California. 12 July 1953. p. 7. Retrieved 8 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Marcella wins title". Spokane Daily Chronicle. 4 July 1953. p. 12. Retrieved 14 June 2023 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "Go great guns in beauty battle". Toledo Blade. 16 July 1953. p. 2. Retrieved June 14, 2023 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ Beck, Joan (February 9, 1953). "Miss Myrna Hansen, 18, Crowned 1953 Queen". Chicago Tribune. Illinois, Chicago. p. Part 3, P 3. Retrieved 1 January 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "'Miss Universe' title is taken by brunette Parisian model". The Ponca City News. Ponca City, Oklahoma. 19 July 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 10 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "How's this?". The Indianapolis News. Indianapolis, Indiana. 3 July 1953. p. 13. Retrieved 20 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Iowa loses to Illinois". The Des Moines Register. 16 July 1953. p. 8. Retrieved 16 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Murray College coed, 19, named Miss Kentucky". The Courier-Journal. 5 July 1953. p. 8. Retrieved 16 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Untitled". The Boston Globe. 12 July 1953. p. 32. Retrieved 6 February 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Daggone! Here's Florida gal who likes it here!". Long Beach Press-Telegram. Long Beach, California. 9 July 1953. p. 3. Retrieved 8 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Minnesota Miss Universe". The Minneapolis Star. Minneapolis, Minnesota. 15 June 1953. p. 42. Retrieved 20 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Helps Dimes Drive". Enterprise-Journal. 27 December 1951. p. 1. Retrieved 8 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "From Missouri and shows 'em". The Daily News-Journal. Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 26 February 1953. p. 8. Retrieved 8 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Miss Montana". Great Falls Tribune. 15 July 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 8 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "South Carolina girl, 'Miss U.S.' finalist, wants to be a cop". The Index-Journal. 22 July 1953. p. 8. Retrieved 16 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Clay Center miss, 20, to represent Nebraska in 'Miss Universe' Contest". The Lincoln Star. Lincoln, Nebraska. 1 July 1953. p. 11. Retrieved 8 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Haddonfield Girl Awarded Title of Miss New Jersey". Courier-Post. 30 May 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 8 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ a b "Untitled". The Charlotte News. 13 July 1953. p. 15. Retrieved 16 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ a b "At the Miss Universe contest". Casper Star-Tribune. 19 July 1953. p. 16. Retrieved 16 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Beauty to represent Ohio". The Springfield Daily News. Springfield, Ohio. 5 July 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 8 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ a b "Delegate from Pennsylvania". The Morning Call. 9 July 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  28. ^ "42 entrants in Miss Universe Beauty Contest". The Robesonian. 14 July 1953. p. 6. Retrieved 17 July 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  29. ^ "Shauna Wood wins diadem of Utah's 'Miss Universe'". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City, Utah. 11 June 1953. p. 21. Retrieved 20 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ "Beauty rewarded at Sand Festival". Norfolk Virginian-Pilot. Norfolk, Virginia. 28 June 1953. p. 19. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  31. ^ "Untitled". The Troy Messenger. Troy, Alabama. 12 July 1953. p. 6. Retrieved 8 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
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