Miss Universe 1963

Last updated
Miss Universe 1963
Ieda Maria Vargas, Miss Universe, breakfast in bed (cropped).jpg
Iêda Maria Vargas
Date20 July 1963
Hosts
Venue Miami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida, United States
Broadcaster CBS
Entrants50
Placements15
Debuts
  • Bahamas
  • Curaçao
  • Okinawa
  • Trinidad and Tobago
Withdrawals
  • Dahomey
  • England
  • Haiti
  • Hong Kong
  • Lebanon
  • Malaya
  • Portugal
  • Republic of China
  • Singapore
  • Tahiti
  • United States Virgin Islands
Returns
  • British Guiana
  • Denmark
  • Jamaica
  • Nicaragua
  • Suriname
Winner Iêda Maria Vargas
Brazil
CongenialityGrace Taylor (Scotland)
Best National CostumeSherin Ibrahim (Israel)
PhotogenicMarlene McKeown (Ireland)
←  1962
1964  →

Miss Universe 1963 was the 12th Miss Universe pageant, held at the Miami Beach Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida, United States on 20 July 1963.

Contents

At the end of the event, Norma Nolan of Argentina crowned Iêda Maria Vargas of Brazil as Miss Universe 1963. It is the first victory of Brazil in the history of the pageant.

Contestants from fifty countries and territories competed in this edition. The pageant was hosted by John Charles Daly, while Arlene Francis and Gene Rayburn served as backstage correspondents. [1]

Background

Selection of participants

Contestants from fifty countries and territories were selected to compete in the pageant. Two candidates were appointed to represent their countries after being a runner-up at their respective national pageants, while one candidate was appointed to represent her country to replace the original dethroned winner. [2]

Replacements

Maureen Thomas, first runner-up of Miss Wales 1963, was appointed to represent Wales because Miss Wales 1963 Pat Finch was not "Welsh enough" according to pageant organizers. [2] Miss Turkey 1963, Gülseren Esen Kocaman, did not participate for unknown reasons, she was replaced by Miss Turkey 1961, Güler Samuray. [3]

Debuts, returns, and withdrawals

This edition saw the debuts of the Bahamas, Curaçao, Okinawa, and Trinidad and Tobago, and the returns of Nicaragua who last competed in 1955; British Guiana who last competed in 1958; Suriname who last competed in 1960; and Denmark and Suriname who last competed in 1961.

Francine Marcos of Dahomey withdrew after arriving late to the competition. [4] Susan Pratt of England on the other hand, withdrew after being involved in a car accident which left her with a broken leg. [5] [6]

Nik Azizah Yahya of Malaysia withdrew after not reaching the minimum age requirement. [7] Cheung Yen Ping of Hong Kong, Mona Slim of Lebanon, Maria Penedo of Portugal, and Noela Bernardino of Tahiti withdrew for undisclosed reasons. Haiti, the Republic of China, Singapore, and the United States Virgin Islands withdrew after their respective organizations failed to hold a national competition or appoint a delegate.

Beatriz Martinez Solorzano of Mexico was supposed to compete but withdrew after not reaching the minimum age requirement. [8] Enid Marugg of Aruba, Hazel Eastmond of Barbados, Ying Yun Hiu of Macau, Ana Cecilia Maruri of Panama, and Ruby Thelma Bacot of the Panama Canal Zone were all set compete, but withdrew for undisclosed reasons. [9] [10]

Results

Miss Universe 1963 participating countries and territories Miss Universe 1963 Map.PNG
Miss Universe 1963 participating countries and territories

Placements

PlacementContestant
Miss Universe 1963
1st runner-up
2nd runner-up
3rd runner-up
4th runner-up
Top 15

Special awards

AwardContestant
Miss Amity
Miss Photogenic
Best National Costume

Pageant

Format

Same with 1955, 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. [12]

Contestants

Fifty contestants competed for the title.

Country/TerritoryContestantAge [a] Hometown
Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina Olga Galuzzi [15] 23 Buenos Aires
Flag of Austria.svg Austria Gertrude Bergner [16] 19 Vienna
Flag of the Bahamas (1953-1964).svg Bahamas Sandra Young19 Nassau
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium Irene Godin [17] 19 Liège
Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia Ana María Velasco [18] – Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Flag of Brazil (1960-1968).svg Brazil Iêda Maria Vargas [15] 18 Porto Alegre
Flag of British Guiana (1955-1966).svg British Guiana Gloria Blackman-Miller [19] – Georgetown
Canadian Red Ensign (1957-1965).svg Canada Jane Kmita24 Regina
Flag of Ceylon 1951-1972.svg Ceylon Manel De Silva [20] 24 Kandy
Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia María Cristina Álvarez [21] 18 Bogotá
Flag of Costa Rica.svg Costa Rica Sandra Chrysopulos Morúa18 San José
Flag of Cuba.svg Cuba Alicia Margit Chia19 Havana
Flag of the Netherlands Antilles (1986-2010).svg Curaçao Philomena Zielinski18 Willemstad
Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark Aino Korva [22] 20 Copenhagen
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Dominican Republic Carmen Abinader– Santiago de los Caballeros
Flag of Ecuador (1900-2009).svg Ecuador Patricia Córdova [23] 19 Quito
Flag of Finland.svg Finland Riitta Kautiainen [24] 18 Helsinki
Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg France Monique Lemaire [25] 18 Paris
Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg Greece Despina Orgeta20 Athens
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Holland Else Onstenk [26] 21 Arnhem
Flag of Iceland.svg Iceland Theódóra Þórðardóttir [27] 18 Reykjanesbær
Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland Marlene McKeown18 Belfast
Flag of Israel.svg Israel Sherin Ibrahim [28] 19 Tel Aviv
Flag of Italy.svg Italy Gianna Serra [29] 19 Rome
Flag of Jamaica.svg Jamaica June Maxine Bowman– Kingston
Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg Japan Noriko Ando [30] 23 Tokyo
Flag of Luxembourg.svg Luxembourg Mia Dahm [31] – Luxembourg City
Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco Selma Rahal [32] – Casablanca
Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand Regina Scandrett [33] 18 Christchurch
Flag of Nicaragua (1908-1971).svg Nicaragua Leda Sánchez [34] 20 Carazo
Flag of Norway.svg Norway Eva Carlberg [35] 20 Oslo
USCAR flag of the Ryukyu Islands, 1954 (unofficial).svg OkinawaReiko Uehara25 Okinawa
Flag of Paraguay (1954-1988).svg Paraguay Amelia Benítez [36] – Asunción
Flag of Peru.svg Peru Dora Toledano [37] 18 Iquitos
Flag of the Philippines (navy blue).svg PhilippinesLalaine Bennett [38] 19 Quezon City
Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg Puerto Rico Jeanette Blascoechea [39] 18 San Juan
Flag of Scotland.svg Scotland Grace Taylor [40] 20 Motherwell
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg South Africa Ellen Liebenberg [41] 20 Cape Town
Flag of South Korea (1949-1984).svg South Korea Kim Myoung-ja [33] 20 Seoul
Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Spain María Rosa Pérez [42] 18 Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Flag of Suriname (1959-1975).svg Suriname Brigida Hagens18 Paramaribo
Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden Kerstin Margareta Jonsson [43] 21 Stockholm
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland Diane Tanner25 Geneva
Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg Trinidad and Tobago Jean Stoddart [44] 18 San Fernando
Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey Güler Samuray [3] 22 Istanbul
Flag of the United States.svg United States Marite Ozers [45] 19 Chicago
Flag of Uruguay.svg Uruguay Graciela Pintos– Montevideo
Flag of Venezuela (1954-2006).svg Venezuela Irene Morales [46] 18 Achaguas
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales Maureen Thomas [2] 22 Pontypool
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany Helga Ziesemer19 Nuremberg

Notes

  1. ↑ Ages at the time of the pageant

References

  1. ↑ "Universe Pageant will be "a beauty"". The Miami News. 23 June 1963. p. 45. Retrieved 4 June 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 3 "'Miss Wales' No. 2 in mix-up over rules". The People. 9 June 1963. p. 9. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 Tarihi, Güncelleme (4 May 2020). "Güzeller canlı yayında buluştu" [Beauties met on live broadcast]. Hürriyet (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  4. ↑ "Brazilian girl wins title of Miss Universe". Chicago Tribune. 21 July 1963. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Miss Brazil wins title". The Daily News Leader. 21 July 1963. p. 1. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Miss England". The Minneapolis Star. 12 July 1963. p. 19. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Yeung, Yeu-Gynn (22 December 2020). "Miss Plus World Malaysia uncertain after sponsors bail under religious uproar". Coconuts KL. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Yahoo! News.
  8. ↑ "Ana Martín sorprende con inéditas fotografías de su juventud: "Así nací"". La Republica (in Spanish). 9 January 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  9. ↑ "Carnaval 1963 ta pertenece na pasado". Observador (in Spanish). 27 February 1963. p. 6. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  10. ↑ ""Miss Universe"– How judges will pick her". The Progress-Index. 10 July 1963. p. 15. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Miss Brazil Is Miss Universe Contest Winner". The Troy Messenger . United Press International. 21 Jul 1963. p. 1. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Miss Universe beauties". The Tampa Tribune. 21 July 1963. p. 15. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Miss Illinois, who fled reds, new Miss U.S.A." The Los Angeles Times. 18 July 1963. p. 3. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Miss Israel wins Best Costume award". Youngstown Vindicator. 21 July 1963. pp. 12–A. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Google News Archive.
  15. 1 2 "Aspiro a triunfar pero no me hago muchas illusiones". El Tiempo (in Spanish). 20 July 1963. p. 8. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Google News Archive.
  16. ↑ "Poise and porpoise". The Tuscaloosa News. 14 July 1963. p. 2. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Google News Archive.
  17. ↑ "Universe contestants at pool table". The High Point Enterprise. 13 July 1963. p. 10. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "El título les dio alegrías, trabajo y fama que aún saborean". El Deber (in European Spanish). 29 July 2017. Archived from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  19. ↑ "Tan touch". Jet. 15 August 1963. p. 37. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  20. ↑ "34-25-34 teacher is Miss Ceylon". The Straits Times . 15 May 1963. p. 2. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via National Library Board.
  21. ↑ "María Cristina Álvarez". Semana (in Spanish). 7 August 2010. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  22. ↑ "Frægar stulkúr" [Famous girls' watches]. Tíminn (in Icelandic). 1 August 1963. p. 2. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Tímarit.is.
  23. ↑ "Mañana escogen las finalistas para el titulo de Miss Universo". La Nacion (in Spanish). 17 July 1963. p. 33. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  24. ↑ "Helsinkiläinen pankkivirkailija valittiin Miss Suomeksi". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 8 April 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  25. ↑ Alcaraz, Mathias (14 December 2018). "VIDEO Miss France 2019 : le concours en chiffres". Voici (in French). Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  26. ↑ "Laatste Nieuws". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 1 May 1963. p. 1. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Delpher.
  27. ↑ "Thelma Ingvarsdottir: Miss Iceland of 1963". The White Falcon. 1 June 1963. p. 1. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Tímarit.is.
  28. ↑ "Moslem girl honored as Miss Israel of 1963 by Miami Zionists". The American Jewish World. 19 July 1963. p. 1. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via National Library of Israel.
  29. ↑ "A dog's life's not so bad". The Tuscaloosa News. 16 July 1963. p. 1. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Google News Archive.
  30. ↑ "Marite picked Miss Universe semi-finalist". Chicago Tribune. 19 July 1963. p. 19. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  31. ↑ "Beauties in Miami, seek title". The Tampa Times. 11 July 1963. p. 8. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  32. ↑ "Le Maroc sera représenté au concours Miss Univers prévu en Israël". Article19 (in French). 28 October 1961. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  33. 1 2 "Will one of them be Miss Universe?". The Evening Independent. 9 July 1963. p. 1. Retrieved 12 April 2025– via Google News Archive.
  34. ↑ "Escogidas anoche las 15 finalistas para Miss Universo". La Nacion (in Spanish). 19 July 1963. p. 35. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Google News Archive.
  35. ↑ Hansen, Camilla Berg (24 May 2010). "1963 versus 2010: To misser fra dalen". Gudbrandsdølen Dagningen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  36. ↑ Coronel, Raul (15 October 2021). "Te presentamos a todas nuestras representantes en Miss Universe". Epa! (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  37. ↑ "Miss Perú: las peruanas más bellas de las últimas décadas". El Comercio Perú (in Spanish). 12 November 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  38. ↑ Dolor, Danny (19 September 2015). "Lalaine B. Bennett: Miss U '63 finalist". Philippine Star . Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  39. ↑ "Intercambia la fama por los estudios". Fundación Nacional para la Cultura Popular (in Spanish). 27 July 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  40. ↑ "Miss Universe beauties can't compete with heat". The Evening Independent. 15 July 1963. pp. 3–A. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  41. ↑ Maughan, Karyn (27 May 2004). "Ex-Bok in ugly family row over trust". Independent Online. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  42. ↑ Medina, Esther R. (16 October 2016). "Una Miss España cede a La Cosmológica el dossier de prensa de su 'reinado'". El Diario (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  43. ↑ "Fairest of all". The Journal Times. 13 May 1963. p. 26. Retrieved 13 April 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  44. ↑ Blood, Peter Ray (19 April 2012). "Fifty years of Carnival - Back to the Future". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian . Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  45. ↑ "Miss Illinois Wins Miss U.S.A. Title". Tri-City Herald . Associated Press. July 18, 1963. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  46. ↑ "El calor principal problema de las candidatas a Miss Universo". La Nacion (in Spanish). 16 July 1963. p. 22. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
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