Miss Universe 1955

Last updated
Miss Universe 1955
Hillevi Rombin Miss Universe (cropped).jpg
Hillevi Rombin
Date22 July 1955 (1955-07-22)
Presenters Bob Russell
Venue Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California, United States
Broadcaster CBS
Entrants33
Placements15
Debuts
  • Ceylon
  • Ecuador
  • England
  • Guatemala
  • Lebanon
  • Nicaragua
Withdrawals
  • Australia
  • Hong Kong
  • New Zealand
  • Panama
  • Peru
  • Singapore
  • Thailand
Returns
  • Venezuela
Winner Hillevi Rombin
Sweden
Congeniality Maribel Arrieta (El Salvador)
  1954
1956  

Miss Universe 1955 was the fourth Miss Universe pageant, held at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California, United States on 22 July 1955. [1] This is the first time that the pageant was televised.

Contents

At the end of the event, Miriam Stevenson of the United States crowned Hillevi Rombin of the Sweden as Miss Universe 1955. [2] It is the first victory of Sweden in the history of the pageant. [3]

Contestants from thirty-three countries and territories competed in this edition. The pageant was hosted by Bob Russell.

Background

Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, the venue of Miss Universe 1955 LBarena.jpg
Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, the venue of Miss Universe 1955

Selection of participants

Contestants from thirty-three countries and territories were selected to compete in the pageant. The age requirement in this edition is still from eighteen to twenty-eight, where women who are married and have children can also participate. [4]

Debuts, returns, and withdrawals

The 1955 edition saw the debuts of Ceylon, Ecuador, England, Guatemala, Lebanon, and Nicaragua, and the return of Venezuela who last competed in 1953. [5] Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Singapore, and Thailand withdrew after their respective organizations failed to hold a national competition or appoint a delegate.

Expected to compete are Karin Rasmussen of Denmark, Gladir Leopardi of Egypt, Angelina Kalkhoven of Holland, and Suna Soley of Turkey. However, these women withdrew due to undisclosed reasons. [6]

Results

Miss Universe 1955 and her court (from left to right): Margit Nunke, Maribel Arrieta, Maureen Hingert, and Keiko Takahashi. Miss Universe 1955 Top-5.jpg
Miss Universe 1955 and her court (from left to right): Margit Nünke, Maribel Arrieta, Maureen Hingert, and Keiko Takahashi.

Placements

PlacementContestant
Miss Universe 1955
1st runner-up
2nd runner-up
3rd runner-up
4th runner-up
Top 15

Special awards

AwardContestant
Miss Friendship
Miss Popular Girl
Best Dressed Girl

Pageant

Format

From sixteen in the previous edition, fifteen semi-finalists were chosen at the preliminary competition that consists of the swimsuit and evening gown competition. Each of the fifteen semi-finalists gave a short speech during the final telecast using their native languages. Afterwards, the fifteen semi-finalists paraded again in their swimsuits and evening gowns, and the five finalists were eventually chosen.

Selection committee

Contestants

Miss Universe 1955 participating countries and territories Miss Universe 1955 Map.PNG
Miss Universe 1955 participating countries and territories

Thirty-three contestants competed for the title. [9]

Country/TerritoryContestantAge [lower-alpha 1] Hometown
Flag of Alaska.svg Alaska Lorna McLeod [10] 22 Fairbanks
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Isabel Sarli [11] 25 Buenos Aires
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Nicole De Mayer [12] 19 Ghent
Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg  Brazil Emília Barreto [13] 21 Fortaleza
Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg Canada Cathy Diggles [14] 20 Toronto
Flag of Ceylon (1951-1972).svg  Ceylon Maureen Hingert [15] 18 Colombo
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile Rosa Merello [16] 18 Santiago
Flag of Costa Rica.svg  Costa Rica Clemencia Martínez22 San José
Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba Gilda Marín [17] 26 Havana
Flag of Ecuador (1900-2009).svg  Ecuador Leonor Carcache [18] 21 Guayaquil
Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador Maribel Arrieta [19] 19 San Salvador
Flag of England.svg  England Margaret Rowe [20] 19 London
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland Sirkku Talja [21] 19 Helsinki
Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg  France Claude Petit [22] 18 Aulnay-sous-Bois
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany Margit Nünke [23] 24 Cologne
Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg  Greece Sonia Zoidou [24] 18 Athens
Flag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala María del Rosario Molina [21] 18 Guatemala City
Flag of Honduras (1949-2022).svg  Honduras Pastora Pagán [25] 18 San Pedro Sula
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel Ilana Carmel [26] 19 Bat Yam
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Elena Fancera [27] 20 Rome
Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan Keiko Takahashi [28] 20 Tokyo
Flag of Lebanon.svg  Lebanon Hanya Beydoun [18] 18 Beirut
Flag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg  Mexico Yolanda Mayen [29] 18 Tijuana
Flag of Nicaragua (1908-1971).svg  Nicaragua Rosa Argentina Lacayo [30] 19 Managua
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway Solveig Borstad [31] 23 Oslo
Flag of the Philippines (navy blue).svg  Philippines Yvonne de los Reyes [32] 19 Manila
Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg  Puerto Rico Carmen Laura Betancourt20 Rio Piedras
Flag of South Korea (1948-1949).svg  South Korea Kim Mee-chong [33] 22 Busan
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Hillevi Rombin [10] 21 Uppsala
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Carlene King Johnson [34] 22 Rutland
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay Inge Hoffmann [35] 19 Montevideo
Flag of Venezuela (1954-2006).svg  Venezuela Susana Duijm [36] 18 Caracas
Flag of the West Indies Federation (1958-1962).svg  West Indies Noreen Campbell18 Port of Spain

Notes

  1. Ages at the time of the pageant

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