Miss USA 1955 was the fourth Miss USA pageant, held at Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California on July 20, 1955.
At the end of the event, Miriam Stevenson of South Carolina crowned Carlene King Johnson of Vermont as Miss USA 1955. It is the first victory of Vermont in the pageant's history. Johnson later competed at Miss Universe and was named one of the fifteen semi-finalists.
Contestants from forty-three states and cities competed in the pageant. The competition was hosted by Bob Russell.
Background
Selection of participants Contestants from forty-three states and cities were selected to compete in the pageant. The age requirement in this edition is still from 18 to 28, where women who are married and have children can also participate.
Marianne Marcus of Pennsylvania was initially disqualified by her local organizers after competing in the wrong type of swimsuit, as a swimsuit company was sponsoring the Miss Pennsylvania USA contest. However, the decision was reversed, and Marcus was allowed to compete at Miss USA after Don D'Carlo, promoter for the Miss Pennsylvania USA contest, consulted then-executive director of the Miss Universe contest Oscar Minehardt regarding the situation, which resulted in the rule being waived.
Results
Placements PlacementContestantMiss USA 1955 Vermont – Carlene King Johnson1st runner-up Arkansas – Margaret Anne Haywood2nd runner-up Nebraska – Donna Streever3rd runner-up California – Donna Schurr4th runner-up Georgia – Carolann ConnorTop 15 Colorado – Dorothy Bewley Florida – Marlies Gessler Illinois – Diane Daniggelis New Mexico – Joan Schwartz New York – Janet Kadlecik New York City – Patricia O'Kane South Carolina – Sara Stone Texas – Mary Daughters Washington – Shirley Givins Wisconsin – Jeanne Boulay
Pageant
Format From twenty-one semi-finalists in 1954, fifteen semi-finalists were chosen at the preliminary competition that consists of the swimsuit and evening gown competition. Each of the fifteen semi-finalists gave a short speech during the final telecast. Afterwards, the fifteen semi-finalists paraded again in their swimsuits and evening gowns, and the five finalists were eventually chosen.
Selection committee
Ginny Simms – American actress and singer
Contestants Forty-three contestants competed for the title. State/CityContestantAgeHometownNotesArizonaPatti Alexandria Marks19GlendaleArkansasMargaret Anne Haywood19JonesboroLater Miss World United States 19551st runner-up at Miss World 1955CaliforniaDonna Schurr18Santa AnaColoradoDorothy Jean Bewley19DenverConnecticutJane Louise Bartolotta23MiddletownDelawareHelen Denise Blackwell21WilmingtonPreviously Miss Delaware 1952FloridaMariles Gessler20TallahasseeGeorgiaCarolann Connor19AtlantaIllinoisBetty Diane Daniggelis18ChicagoWinner of the 1955 National Press Photographers PageantIndianaMary Ann Wasick19GaryIowaJerri Jean Cole18HolsteinLouisianaMerlin Grace Garcia19GretnaMarylandGloria Ruth King19BaltimoreMassachusettsJean Dernago18SpringfieldMiami Beach, FloridaBeverly Masters18Miami BeachMichiganMartha Smith18DetroitMinnesotaSally Ann Colombo18StillwaterMissouriJanet Coker18CaruthersvilleNebraskaDonna Jo Streever21Grand IslandNew HampshirePatricia Ann Mowry22ManchesterNew JerseyBeverly Rogers19MaywoodNew MexicoJoan Schwartz19AlbuquerqueNew YorkJanet Kadlecik18Johnson CityNew York City, New YorkPatricia Anne O'Kane19Valley StreamNorth CarolinaMary Grace Ratliffe18WadesboroNorth DakotaJoan Roberta Smith19BismarckOhioCarol Hagerman20ColumbusOregonRose Karcha20SalemPennsylvaniaMarianne Marcus18McKees RocksPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaDoris Sommer Klein21PhiladelphiaRhode IslandBeverly Jansen20ProvidenceSouth CarolinaSara Ella Stone20FlorenceSouth DakotaPhyllis Elaine Choquette19JeffersonSt. Louis, MissouriBennie Joan Pritchard20University CityTennesseeBarbara Gurley24MemphisTexasMary Miles Daughters19KingsvilleUtahMyrna Joy Rasmussen21Salt Lake CityVermontCarlene King Johnson22RutlandTop 15 at Miss Universe 1955Previously Miss Vermont 1953VirginiaJeannie Asble19PortsmouthWashingtonShirley Jean Givins20SeattleWest VirginiaBarbara Jean Tucker19St. AlbansWisconsinJeanne Marianne Bouley19Fond du LacWyomingBarbara Kaye Latta18Casper
Notes
References
External links