Miss USA 1956

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Miss USA 1956
Carol Morris (cropped).jpg
Miss USA 1956 Carol Morris
DateJuly 18, 1956
Presenters Bob Russell
VenueLong Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California
Entrants43
Winner Carol Morris
Flag of Iowa.svg Iowa
←  1955
1957  →

Miss USA 1956 was the 5th Miss USA pageant, held on July 18, 1956, at Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California. From the 43 contestants Miss Iowa USA, Carol Morris, won the competition and later became Miss Universe. She became the first contestant from Iowa to win the Miss USA competition. She was crowned by Miss USA 1955, Carlene King Johnson of Vermont.

Contents

One of the runners-up, Charlene Holt of Maryland, became an actress, appearing on television series and in films including El Dorado with John Wayne.

Contestants

43 contestants competed for the title. [1]

State/CityContestantAge [lower-alpha 1] HometownNotes
Flag of Arizona.svg Arizona Maija Bertulson18 Tucson
Flag of Arkansas.svg Arkansas Nancy McCollum19 Stuttgart
Flag of California.svg California Shirlee Witty20Wilmington
Flag of Colorado (1911-1964).svg Colorado Karen Keeler21 Denver
Flag of Connecticut.svg Connecticut Dorothy Bailey19 Bridgeport
Flag of Delaware.svg Delaware Sandra McCabe18 Selbyville
Flag of the District of Columbia.svg District of Columbia Joanne Holler21 Washington
Flag of Florida.svg Florida Kim Meyer26 Oceanway
Flag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia Mary Ruff19 Gainesville
Flag of Illinois.svg Illinois Muriel Blair23 Chicago
Flag of Indiana.svg Indiana Beverly Mattox19 Milroy
Flag of Iowa.svg Iowa Carol Ann Laverne Morris 19 Ottumwa Previously Miss Iowa 1954
Miss Universe 1956
Flag of Louisiana.svg Louisiana Cecile Morris19 Greenwell Springs
Flag of Maryland.svg Maryland Charlene Holt 28 Annapolis
Flag of Massachusetts.svg Massachusetts Elaine Murphy21 Weston
Flag of Miami, Florida.svg Miami Beach, Florida Beverly Rogers20 Miami
Flag of Michigan.svg Michigan Barbara Sias19 Detroit
Flag of Minnesota.svg Minnesota Marilyn Johnson18 Minneapolis
Flag of Missouri.svg Missouri Carol Thrower18Kemmett
Flag of Nebraska.svg Nebraska Shari Lewis19 Lincoln
Flag of Nevada.svg Nevada Marley Sanderson21 Las Vegas
Flag of New Hampshire.svg New Hampshire Rita Leclerc21 Berlin
Flag of New Jersey.svg New Jersey Delores Winfield21 Cranford
Flag of New Mexico.svg New Mexico Jackie Brown21 Albuquerque
Flag of New York.svg New York Kay Douglas18 New York City
Flag of North Carolina.svg North Carolina Shirley Bagwell18 Raleigh
Flag of North Dakota.svg North Dakota Mary Harroun19 Bismarck
Flag of Ohio.svg Ohio Eleanor Wood18 Canton
Flag of Oregon.svg Oregon Maralyn Turner19 Portland
Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Pennsylvania Serena Kifer20 Monaca
Flag of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.svg Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Miriam Uniman18 Philadelphia
Flag of Rhode Island.svg Rhode Island Sandra Vozella18 Point Judith
Flag of South Carolina.svg South Carolina Betty Lane Cherry 20 Orangeburg Later Miss World United States 1956
1st runner-up at Miss World 1956
Flag of St. Louis, Missouri.svg St. Louis, Missouri Diana Stopke18 St. Louis
Flag of Tennessee.svg Tennessee Stella Wilson19 Covington
Flag of Texas.svg Texas Jo Dodson18 Houston
Flag of Utah.svg Utah Cheryl Brown18 Spanish Fork
Flag of Vermont.svg Vermont Delores Wettack21 Westminster
Flag of Virginia.svg Virginia Audra Stark [2] 21 Virginia Beach
Flag of Washington.svg Washington June Svedin20 Seattle
Flag of West Virginia.svg West Virginia Janet Cardi24 Belle
Flag of Wisconsin.svg Wisconsin Priscilla Perkins [3] 20 Milwaukee
Flag of Wyoming.svg Wyoming Marilyn Scott19 Cheyenne

Notes

  1. ↑ Ages at the time of the pageant

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References

  1. ↑ "Globe's Most Beautiful Girls". Long Beach Press-Telegram . Long Beach, California. 15 July 1956. p. 8. Retrieved 15 May 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ "Audra Stark is Miss Universe Entry". The Virginian-Pilot . Norfolk, Virginia. 18 June 1956. p. 1. Retrieved 17 May 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "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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