Miss America 1955

Last updated

Miss America 1955
DateSeptember 11, 1954
Presenters Bob Russell
Venue Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Broadcaster ABC
Entrants50
Placements10
Winner Lee Ann Meriwether
Flag of California.svg California
  1954
1956  

Miss America 1955, the 28th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 11, 1954, and marked the first live nationally televised broadcast of the competition on ABC. [1] [2]

Contents

Crowned the winner was Lee Meriwether, who later came to fame as co-star of the television series Barnaby Jones and as the character Catwoman in the 1966 film version of Batman , and later, Lily Munster on the television series The Munsters Today .

Results

Placements

PlacementContestant
Miss America 1955
1st runner-up
2nd runner-up
3rd runner-up
4th runner-up
Top 10

Awards

Preliminary awards

AwardsContestant
Lifestyle and Fitness
Talent

Other awards

AwardsContestant
Miss Congeniality
Non-finalist Talent
  • Flag of Hawaii.svg Hawaii - Gertrude Kapi'olani Miller

Judges

Contestants

StateNameHometownAgeTalentPlacementAwardsNotes
Flag of Alabama.svg Alabama Marilyn Tate Haleyville 21Ventriloquism/Classical VocalTop 10
Flag of Arizona.svg Arizona Marjorie Nylund Phoenix Dramatic Reading, "A Marine's Conversation"
Flag of Arkansas.svg Arkansas Sarah Martin Little Rock Classical Vocal
Flag of California.svg California Lee Merriwether San Francisco 19Dramatic Monologue from Riders to the Sea WinnerPreliminary Lifestyle & Fitness AwardActress best known as Betty Jones in the 1970's TV series Barnaby Jones
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada Barbara Joan Markham Cornwall
Flag of Chicago, Illinois.svg Chicago Regina Dombeck Chicago Dramatic Monologue from Mary of Scotland by Maxwell Anderson Top 10
Flag of Colorado.svg Colorado Barbara Busey Denver Vocal/Dance
Flag of Connecticut.svg Connecticut Dorothy Hopkins Storrs Piano
Flag of Delaware.svg Delaware Barbara Woodall Claymont Piano
Flag of the District of Columbia.svg District of Columbia Linda Weisbrod Washington, D.C. 21Classical Vocal, "O Mio Fernando" from La favorite Top 10Preliminary Talent Award
Flag of Florida.svg Florida Ann Gloria Daniel Dade City 18Accordion, "Lady of Spain"1st runner-upPreliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Flag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia Mary Jane Doar Macon 19Vocal Medley of songs by George Gershwin
Flag of Hawaii.svg Hawaii Gertrude Kapi'olani Miller Honolulu HulaNon-finalist Talent Award
Flag of Idaho.svg Idaho LaVonne Skalsky Nampa Dramatic Monologue, "Children of God"
Flag of Illinois.svg Illinois Patsy Bruce Carbondale Dramatic ReadingMiss Congeniality
Flag of Indiana.svg Indiana Sue Eaton Monticello Art/Photo Display & Hula
Flag of Iowa.svg Iowa Carol Morris Ottumwa 18ViolinLater Miss Iowa USA 1956, Miss USA 1956 , & Miss Universe 1956
Flag of Kansas.svg Kansas Phyllis Danielson Wichita Vocal
Flag of Kentucky.svg Kentucky Margaret Diane Hunt Lexington Dance
Flag of Louisiana.svg Louisiana Gail Gleason Shreveport Piano & Art
Flag of Maine.svg Maine Mary Ellen St. John Old Town Drama
Flag of Maryland.svg Maryland Phyllis Yvonne Leftwich Dundalk Vocal
Flag of Massachusetts.svg Massachusetts Judith Drake Fairhaven
Flag of Michigan.svg Michigan Janice Hutton Somers Lansing Vocal, "You Made Me Love You"4th runner-upPreliminary Talent Award
Flag of Minnesota.svg Minnesota Jeanne Reince Winona Classical Vocal
Flag of Mississippi.svg Mississippi Celeste Luckett Clarksdale Drama
Flag of Missouri.svg Missouri Carole Wilkinson Maplewood Vocal
Flag of Nebraska.svg Nebraska Sue Welch Fisher Kearney Classical Vocal, "Un bel dì vedremo" from Madama Butterfly
Flag of Nevada.svg Nevada Janice Babcock Reno Ballet, "Blues"
Flag of New Hampshire.svg New Hampshire Mae Allen Epping Drama
Flag of New Jersey.svg New Jersey Joan Waller West Orange Vocal/Dance, "Singin' in the Rain"
Flag of New York City.svg New York City Heather Taferner New York City Classical Vocal, "L'Air des clochettes" from Lakmé Preliminary Talent Award
Flag of North Carolina.svg North Carolina Betty Ring Lexington Dramatic Monologue, "The Sleepwalking Scene" from Macbeth
Flag of North Dakota.svg North Dakota Delores Paulson Bismarck Violin, "Méditation" from Thaïs
Flag of Ohio.svg Ohio Barbara Quinlin Alliance Classical Vocal, "Habanera"Top 10Preliminary Talent Award
Flag of Oklahoma.svg Oklahoma Charlavan Baker Oklahoma City Dress Design
Flag of Oregon.svg Oregon Diane Carman Milwaukie Drama, "This is America"
Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Pennsylvania Barbara Sue Nager Philadelphia Egyptian Ballet Dance, "Egyptian Suite"3rd runner-up
Flag of Puerto Rico.svg Puerto Rico María del Carmen Mejías
Flag of Rhode Island.svg Rhode Island Virginia Gregory Pawtucket Speech
Flag of South Carolina.svg South Carolina Polly Suber Greenville Monologue, "Air Corps"2nd runner-upPreliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Flag of South Dakota.svg South Dakota Cleo Ann Harrington Colman Classical Vocal
Flag of Tennessee.svg Tennessee Gerry Johnson Nashville Vocal/Character Pantomime, "The Deadwood Stage"Top 10
Flag of Texas.svg Texas Yvonne Erwin Dallas Piano & Art
Flag of Utah.svg Utah Maurine Parker Ogden Drama, "Anne of the Thousand Days"
Flag of Vermont.svg Vermont Annabelle Pinkham Brattleboro Drama
Flag of Virginia.svg Virginia Julie Ann Bruening Swoope Charcoal Sketch of "The Statue of Liberty"
Flag of Washington.svg Washington Frances Graham Spokane Vocal
Flag of West Virginia.svg West Virginia Miriam Reep Clarksburg Dance
Flag of Wisconsin.svg Wisconsin Dixie Sarchet Stevens Point 19Modern Dance, "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue"

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References

  1. Associated Press and United Press (1954-09-12). "'I Hope My Daddy Knows'". Ogden Standard-Examiner. p. 1.
  2. United Press (1954-09-13). "Bay City Plans Welcome For Miss America". Bakersfield Californian. p. 1, 2.