Miss USA 1955 was the fourth Miss USA pageant, held at Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California on July 20, 1955.
| Miss USA 1955 | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Winner Carlene Johnson combing hair before first day of Miss Universe 1955 | |
| Date | July 20, 1955 |
| Presenters | Bob Russell |
| Venue | Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California |
| Entrants | 43 |
| Placements | 15 |
| Winner | Carlene King Johnson† Vermont |
At the end of the event, Miriam Stevenson of South Carolina crowned Carlene King Johnson of Vermont as Miss USA 1955.[1] It is the first victory of Vermont in the pageant's history. Johnson later competed at Miss Universe and was named one of the 15 semi-finalists.
Contestants from 43 states and cities competed in the pageant. The competition was hosted by Bob Russell.
Results
Placements
| Placement | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Miss USA 1955 | |
| 1st runner-up | |
| 2nd runner-up | |
| 3rd runner-up |
|
| 4th runner-up | |
| Top 15 |
Contestants
43 contestants competed for the title.[4]
| State/City | Contestant | Age[a] | Hometown | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Patti Alexandria Marks | 19 | Glendale | |
| Arkansas | Margaret Anne Haywood | 19 | Jonesboro | Later Miss World United States 1955 1st runner-up at Miss World 1955 |
| California | Donna Schurr | 18 | Garden Grove | |
| Colorado | Dorothy Jean Bewley | 19 | Denver | |
| Connecticut | Jane Louise Bartolotta | 23 | Middletown | |
| Delaware | Helen Denise Blackwell[5] | 21 | Wilmington | Previously Miss Delaware 1952 |
| Florida | Mariles Gessler | 20 | Tallahassee | |
| Georgia | Carolann Connor | 19 | Atlanta | |
| Illinois | Betty Diane Daniggelis | 18 | Chicago | Winner of the 1955 National Press Photographers Pageant |
| Indiana | Mary Ann Wasick | 19 | Gary | |
| Iowa | Jerri Jean Cole | – | Holstein | |
| Louisiana | Merlin Grace Garcia | 19 | Gretna | |
| Maryland | Gloria Ruth King[6] | 19 | Baltimore | |
| Massachusetts | Jean Dernago | 18 | Springfield | |
| Miami Beach, Florida | Beverly Masters | 18 | Miami Beach | |
| Michigan | Martha Smith | 18 | Detroit | |
| Minnesota | Sally Ann Colombo | 18 | Stillwater | |
| Missouri | Janet Coker | 18 | Caruthersville | |
| Nebraska | Donna Jo Streever | 21 | Grand Island | |
| New Hampshire | Patricia Ann Mowry | 22 | Manchester | |
| New Jersey | Beverly Rogers[7] | 19 | Maywood | |
| New Mexico | Joan Schwartz | 19 | Albuquerque | |
| New York | Janet Kadlecik[8] | 18 | Johnson City | |
| New York City, New York | Patricia Anne O'Kane | 19 | Valley Stream | |
| North Carolina | Mary Grace Ratliffe | 18 | Wadesboro | |
| North Dakota | Joan Roberta Smith | 19 | Bismarck | |
| Ohio | Carol Hagerman | 20 | Columbus | |
| Oregon | Rose Karcha | 20 | Salem | |
| Pennsylvania | Marianne Marcus | – | McKees Rocks | |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Doris Sommer Klein | 21 | Philadelphia | |
| Rhode Island | Beverly Jansen | 20 | Providence | |
| South Carolina | Sara Ella Stone | 20 | Florence | |
| South Dakota | Phyllis Elaine Choquette | 19 | Jefferson | |
| St. Louis, Missouri | Bennie Joan Pritchard | 20 | University City | |
| Tennessee | Barbara Gurley[9] | 24 | Memphis | |
| Texas | Mary Miles Daughters | 19 | Kingsville | |
| Utah | Myrna Joy Rasmussen | 21 | Salt Lake City | |
| Vermont | Carlene King Johnson | 22 | Rutland | Top 15 at Miss Universe 1955 Previously Miss Vermont 1953 |
| Virginia | Jeannie Asble | 19 | Portsmouth | |
| Washington | Shirley Jean Givins | 20 | Seattle | |
| West Virginia | Barbara Jean Tucker | 19 | St. Albans | |
| Wisconsin | Jeanne Marianne Bouley[10] | 19 | Fond du Lac | |
| Wyoming | Barbara Kaye Latta[11] | 18 | Casper |
Notes
- ^ Ages at the time of the pageant
References
- ^ "Miss Vermont named Miss U.S.A." The Boston Globe. 21 July 1955. p. 1. Retrieved 5 September 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e "Blond Vermont jewelry maker named Miss U.S.A." St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 21 July 1955. p. 25. Retrieved 5 September 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "JC girls Miss U.S.A. finalist, Miss New Mexico is favorite". Press and Sun-Bulletin. 20 July 1955. p. 1. Retrieved 5 September 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Here's official list of Miss Universe charmers". Long Beach Press-Telegram. Long Beach, California. 17 July 1955. p. 8. Retrieved 10 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Helen Blackwell vies for "Miss Universe"". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. 12 July 1955. p. 1. Retrieved 10 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "2 Baltimoreans win beauty titles". The Evening Sun. Baltimore, Maryland. 30 June 1955. p. 34. Retrieved 17 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Maywood beauty to represent NJ in Miss Universe contest". The News. Paterson, New Jersey. July 1, 1955. p. 27. Retrieved 17 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "JC Girl crowned state queen in Miss Universe beauty test". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. 6 June 1955. p. 1. Retrieved 17 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Barbara Gurley winner over 20 for beauty title". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tennessee. July 2, 1955. p. 11. Retrieved May 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Contestant visits here". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay, Wisconsin. June 30, 1955. p. 14. Retrieved 17 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Salutes oil show". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyoming. 23 June 1955. p. 1. Retrieved 17 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.