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Miss USA 1956

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Miss USA 1956
Carol Morris
DateJuly 18, 1956
PresentersBob Russell
VenueLong Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California
Entrants43
WinnerCarol Morris
Iowa
← 1955
1957 →

Miss USA 1956 was the fifth Miss USA pageant, held at Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California on 18 July 1956.

At the end of the event, Carlene King Johnson of Vermont crowned Carol Morris as Miss USA 1956.[1] It is the first victory of Iowa in the pageant's history. Morris later competed at Miss Universe and won.[2]

Contestants from forty-three states and cities competed in the pageant. The competition was hosted by Bob Russell.

Background

Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, the venue of Miss USA 1956

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.[3] This was the final edition where women who are married and have children can participate until the rule was lifted in 2023.[4]

Replacements

Nola Flowers, who originally won Miss Utah USA, relinquished her title after she intends to get married before the Miss Universe contest. She was replaced by her first runner-up, Cheryl Brown, as Miss Utah USA.[5]

Results

Placements

Placement Contestant
Miss USA 1956
1st runner-up
2nd runner-up
3rd runner-up
4th runner-up
Top 15

Contestants

Forty-three contestants competed for the title.[7]

State/City Contestant Age[a] Hometown Notes
Arizona Maija Bertulson 18 Tucson
Arkansas Nancy McCollum 19 Stuttgart
California Shirlee Witty 20 Wilmington
Colorado Karen Keeler 21 Denver
Connecticut Dorothy Bailey[8] 19 Bridgeport
Delaware Sandra McCabe[9] 18 Selbyville
District of Columbia Joanne Holler 21 Washington
Florida Kim Meyer[10] 26 Oceanway
Georgia Mary Ruff 19 Gainesville
Illinois Muriel Blair 23 Chicago
Indiana Beverly Mattox[11] 19 Milroy
Iowa Carol Ann Laverne Morris 19 Ottumwa Previously Miss Iowa 1954
Late won Miss Universe 1956[12]
Louisiana Cecile Morris 19 Greenwell Springs
Maryland Charlene Holt[13] 28 Annapolis
Massachusetts Elaine Murphy[14] 21 Weston
Miami Beach, Florida Beverly Rogers 20 Miami
Michigan Barbara Sias[15] 19 Detroit
Minnesota Marilyn Johnson[16] 18 Minneapolis
Missouri Carol Rhea Thrower[17] 18 Kemmett
Nebraska Shari Lewis[18] 19 Lincoln
Nevada Marley Sanderson 21 Las Vegas
New Hampshire Rita Leclerc 21 Berlin
New Jersey Delores Winfield 21 Cranford
New Mexico Jackie Brown[19] 21 Albuquerque
New York Kay Douglas[20] 18 New York City
North Carolina Shirley Bagwell 18 Raleigh
North Dakota Mary Harroun 19 Bismarck
Ohio Eleanor Wood[21] 18 Canton
Oregon Maralyn Turner[22] 19 Portland
Pennsylvania Serena Kifer 20 Monaca
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Miriam Uniman 18 Philadelphia
Rhode Island Sandra Vozella 18 Point Judith
South Carolina Betty Lane Cherry[23] 20 Orangeburg Later Miss World United States 1956
1st runner-up at Miss World 1956[24]
St. Louis, Missouri Diana Stopke 18 St. Louis
Tennessee Stella Wilson[25] 19 Covington
Texas Jo Dodson[26] 18 Houston
Utah Cheryl Brown 18 Spanish Fork Replaced Nola Flowers as Miss Utah USA
Vermont Delores Wettack 21 Westminster
Virginia Audra Stark[27] 21 Virginia Beach
Washington June Svedin 20 Seattle
West Virginia Janet Cardi 24 Belle
Wisconsin Priscilla Perkins[28] 20 Milwaukee
Wyoming Marilyn Scott 19 Cheyenne

Notes

  1. ^ Ages at the time of the pageant

References

  1. ^ "Iowa beauty wins title of Miss U.S.A." Toledo Blade. Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press. 19 July 1956. p. 2. Retrieved 15 May 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  2. ^ "Carol Morris, Iowa entry, wins Miss Universe title". Youngstown Vindicator. Warren, Ohio. 21 July 1956. p. 2. Retrieved 15 May 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  3. ^ Williams, Vera (23 March 1952). "Pageant of Pulchritude". Long Beach Press-Telegram. p. 50. Retrieved 7 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Miss USA turns out to be a Mrs". Park City Daily News. 19 July 1957. p. 1. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  5. ^ "Will two pretty heads fit in same 'Universe' crown?". The Salt Lake Tribune. June 12, 1956. p. 25. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Minister's daughter is U.S. representative". The Altus Times-Democrat. 19 July 1956. p. 8. Retrieved 10 October 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  7. ^ "Globe's Most Beautiful Girls". Long Beach Press-Telegram. Long Beach, California. 15 July 1956. p. 8. Retrieved 15 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Flabbergasted". Dayton Daily News. May 21, 1956. p. 6. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Roxana girl wins Miss Delaware at Chicken Festival". Delmarva News. Selbyville, Delaware. June 28, 1956. p. 1. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Sosin, Milt (June 26, 1956). "Winsome Kim, 'Miss Florida', is a 'chick' among chickens". The Miami News. p. 20. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Miss Mattox ready for Miss Universe pageant". Rushville Republican. Rushville, Indiana. July 3, 1956. p. 1. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Iowa preacher's daughter wins "Miss Universe"". St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. 22 July 1956. p. 10-A. Retrieved 15 May 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  13. ^ "Charlene Holt awarded Miss Maryland crown". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. July 13, 1956. p. 8. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Welcome to the fold". Springfield Reporter. Springfield, Vermont. June 27, 1956. p. 6. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Miss Michigan is Miss Universe contest". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. July 2, 1956. p. 10. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "First choice on first ballot". The Minneapolis Star. Minneapolis, Minnesota. July 2, 1956. p. 7. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Miss Missouri of 1956". The Memphis Press-Scimitar. September 24, 1955. p. 2. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Shari Lewis is 'Nebraska Miss Universe'". The Fairbury Journal-News. July 5, 1956. p. 1. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Latest Miss Universe entry is well-scaled New Mexican". Independent. Long Beach, California. June 18, 1956. p. 3. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "New York's finest named at Palisades Park". The Record. Hackensack, New Jersey. July 6, 1956. p. 32. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Beauty contest finalists". The Capital-Journal. Salem, Oregon. July 9, 1956. p. 2. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Fake 'Miss Universe' promotion assailed". Independent. Long Beach, California. June 21, 1956. p. 6. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ Jameson, Dot (July 7, 1956). "Orangeburg's Miss Universe off to international contest". The Times and Democrat. p. 8. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ Dale Linder-Altman, " It's happened before: Orangeburg queen also incorrectly labeled winner", The Times and Democrat, 22 December 2015.
  25. ^ "Miss Tennessee selecting her wardrobe". The Memphis Press-Scimitar. Memphis, Tennessee. June 29, 1956. p. 27. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Miss Texas". San Angelo Evening Standard. San Angelo, Texas. June 28, 1956. p. 28. Retrieved January 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Audra Stark is Miss Universe Entry". The Virginian-Pilot. Norfolk, Virginia. 18 June 1956. p. 1. Retrieved 17 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "Wisconsin's Miss Universe". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay, Wisconsin. 18 June 1956. p. 6. Retrieved 17 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
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