Miss USA 1953

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DateJuly 16, 1953
PresentersBob Russell
VenueLong Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California
Entrants43
Miss USA 1953
Myrna Hansen
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 forty-three states and cities competed in this year's pageant. The competition was hosted by Bob Russel.

Selection of participants

Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, the venue of Miss USA 1953

Contestants from forty-three states and 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

From left to right, Shauna Wood (Utah), Nancy Petraborg (Washington), Myrna Hansen (Illinois, Miss USA), Doris Edwards (Alabama), Mary Kemp Griffin (Myrtle Beach)

Placements

Placement Contestant
Miss USA 1953
1st runner-up
  • Myrtle Beach, South Carolina – Mary Kemp Griffin[5]
2nd runner-up
  • Alabama – Doris Edwards[5]
3rd runner-up
  • Washington – Nancy Petraborg[5]
4th runner-up
  • Utah – Shauna Wood[5]
Top 20
  • California – Marcella Roulette[5]
  • Colorado – Jeanie Carroll[5]
  • Iowa – Marilyn Shonka[5]
  • Kentucky – Mary Ann Stice[5]
  • Louisiana – Jeanne Thompson[5]
  • Maine – Jackie Lee[5]
  • Miami Beach, Florida – Kay Duggar[5]
  • Minnesota – Mary Ann Papke[5]
  • Nebraska – Berneta Nelson[5]
  • Nevada – Earlene Whitt[5]
  • New York – Reta Knapp[5]
  • Ohio – Eleanor Mack[5]
  • Pennsylvania – Jeri Bauer[5]
  • South Carolina – Susan Day[5]
  • Texas – Joan Bradshaw[5]

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

Forty-three 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

References

External links

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