Miss USA 1953

Miss USA 1953 was the second Miss USA pageant, held at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California on July 16, 1953.

Miss USA 1953
Myrna Hansen
Date	July 16, 1953
Presenters	Bob Russell
Venue	Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California
Entrants	43
Placements	20
Debuts	Iowa Maryland Miami Myrtle Beach Nebraska New Hampshire West Virginia Wyoming
Withdrawals	Delaware Florida Georgia Kansas New Mexico Oregon Tennessee
Winner	Myrna Hansen Illinois
Congeniality	Jeanne Vaughn Thompson Louisiana
← 1952 1954 →

At the end of the event, Jackie Loughery of New York crowned Myrna Hansen of Illinois as Miss USA 1953.^[1][2] It is the first victory of Illinois in the pageant's history.

Contestants from forty-three states and cities competed in this year's pageant. The competition was hosted by Bob Russel.

Background

Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, the venue of Miss USA 1953

Selection of participants

Contestants from forty-three states and cities have been selected to compete in the competition. The age requirement in this edition is still from 18 to 28, where women who are married and have children can also participate.^[3]

Jeanne Vaughn Thompson of Louisiana, who competed last year and placed as first runner-up,^[4] competed once again in this edition, making her the first contestant from Miss USA who competed twice.

This edition saw the debuts of Iowa, Maryland, Miami, Myrtle Beach, Nebraska, New Hampshire, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The states of Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, New Mexico, Oregon, and Tennessee withdrew in this edition.

Results

From left to right, Shauna Wood (Utah), Nancy Petraborg (Washington), Myrna Hansen (Illinois, Miss USA), Doris Edwards (Alabama), Mary Kemp Griffin (Myrtle Beach)

Placements

Placement	Contestant
Miss USA 1953	Illinois – Myrna Hansen[5]
1st runner-up	Myrtle Beach, South Carolina – Mary Kemp Griffin[5]
2nd runner-up	Alabama – Doris Edwards[5]
3rd runner-up	Washington – Nancy Petraborg[5]
4th runner-up	Utah – Shauna Wood[5]
Top 20	California – Marcella Roulette[5] Colorado – Jeanie Carroll[5] Iowa – Marilyn Shonka[5] Kentucky – Mary Ann Stice[5] Louisiana – Jeanne Thompson[5] Maine – Jackie Lee[5] Miami Beach, Florida – Kay Duggar[5] Minnesota – Mary Ann Papke[5] Nebraska – Berneta Nelson[5] Nevada – Earlene Whitt[5] New York – Reta Knapp[5] Ohio – Eleanor Mack[5] Pennsylvania – Jeri Bauer[5] South Carolina – Susan Day[5] Texas – Joan Bradshaw[5]

Special awards

Award	Contestant
Miss Congeniality	Louisiana – Jeanne Vaughn Thompson[5]
Miss Body Beautiful	Kentucky – Mary Stice[5]

Pageant

Format

From ten semi-finalists in 1952, twenty semi-finalists were chosen at the preliminary competition that consists of the swimsuit and evening gown competition.^[5] Each of the twenty semi-finalists gave a short speech during the final telecast. Afterwards, the twenty semi-finalists paraded again in their swimsuits and evening gowns, and the five finalists were eventually chosen.^[5][6]

Selection committee

• Jeff Chandler – American actor^[6]
• Rhonda Fleming – American actress and singer^[6]
• Arlene Dahl – American actress^[6]
• Constance Moore – American actress and singer^[6]
• Buddy Westmore – American moviemaker^[6]
• Varga – Artist^[6]

Contestants

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

State/City	Contestant	Age[a]	Hometown	Notes
Alabama	Doris Edwards	25	Birmingham
Arizona	Eleanor Ruth Cross	19	Chandler
Arkansas	Jackie Stucker	19	West Helena
California	Marcella Roulette[8]	21	Los Angeles
Colorado	Jeanie Carroll	18	Denver
Connecticut	Beverlee Burlant[9]	21	Bridgeport	Previously Miss Connecticut 1951
Idaho	Patricia Carter	18	Boise
Illinois	Myrna Rae Hansen[10]	17	Chicago	1st runner-up at Miss Universe 1953[11]
Indiana	Edith Mae Krumme[12]	19	Seymour
Iowa	Marilyn Shonka[13]	18	Sioux City
Kentucky	Mary Stice[14]	19	Paducah
Louisiana	Jeanne Vaughn Thompson[5]	21	Baton Rouge	Previously Miss Louisiana USA 1952 Placed 1st runner-up at Miss USA 1952[4] Previously Miss Louisiana 1951
Maine	Jackie Lee	22	Cape Neddick
Maryland	Diane Gale Durham	22	Silver Spring
Massachusetts	Joan Daly[15]	20	Somerville
Miami Beach, Florida	Kay Duggar[16]	21	Miami
Michigan	Jo Ann Page	20	Detroit
Minnesota	Mary Ann Papke[17]	20	Minneapolis
Mississippi	Jessie Wynn Morgan	20	Newton	Previously Miss Mississippi 1951[18] Top 15 at Miss America 1952
Missouri	Donna Gardner[19]	18	Portageville
Montana	Billie Jean Tyrell[20]	21	Billings
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina	Mary Kemp Griffin[21]	23	Florence	Later represented the USA at Miss World 1953 and placed 5th runner-up
Nebraska	Berneta Nelson[22]	20	Clay Center
Nevada	Earlene Whitt	18	Las Vegas
New Hampshire	Muriel Roy	24	Nashua
New Jersey	Susan Ruth Harris[23]	18	Haddonfield
New York	Reta Knapp	23	New York City
North Carolina	Libby Walker[24]	–	Wilton
North Dakota	Marilyn Caufield[25]	19	Jamestown
Ohio	Eleanore Mack[26]	20	Bellaire
Oklahoma	Barbara Bond[24]	21	Oklahoma City
Pennsylvania	Jeri Hauer[27]	27	Hatboro[27]
Rhode Island	Barbara Rose Deigman	20	Providence
South Carolina	Susan Anthony Day[28]	18	Greenville
South Dakota	Kathleen Herman	18	Bowdle
Texas	Joan Bradshaw	17	Houston
Utah	Shauna Wood[29]	22	Salt Lake City
Vermont	Kathleen Marie Eugenia Surrel	22	Brooklyn, New York City
Virginia	Dorothy Lee Bailey[30]	21	Norfolk
Washington	Nancy Petraborg[31]	18	Seattle
West Virginia	Fay Higley	18	South Charleston
Wisconsin	Jacque Kimmel	24	Milwaukee
Wyoming	Nancy Rogers[25]	–	Cheyenne

Notes

1. Ages at the time of the pageant