Miss Universe 1952

Miss Universe 1952 was the first Miss Universe pageant, held at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California, United States on 28 June 1952.^[2][3]

Miss Universe 1952
Armi Kuusela
Date	28 June 1952 (1952-06-28)
Presenters	Bob Russell
Venue	Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California, United States
Entrants	30[1]
Placements	10
Debuts	Alaska Australia Belgium Canada Chile Cuba Denmark Finland France Great Britain Greece Hawaii Hong Kong India Israel Italy Japan Mexico Norway Panama Peru Philippines Puerto Rico South Africa Sweden Turkey United States Uruguay Venezuela West Germany
Winner	Armi Kuusela Finland
Congeniality	Myriam Lynn (Belgium) Valerie Johnson (Montana)
1953 →

At the end of the event, actress Piper Laurie crowned Armi Kuusela of Finland as Miss Universe 1952.^[2][4] It was the first victory of Finland in the history of the pageant.

Contestants from 30 countries and territories participated in this year's pageant. The pageant was hosted by Bob Russell. The competition featured the Romanov Imperial Nuptial Crown, which was previously owned by a Russian czar. The crown was said to have 1,535 diamonds, 300 carats, and was valued at $500,000.^[5]

Background

Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, the venue of Miss Universe 1952

Location and date

After Miss America 1951 Yolande Betbeze refused to pose for a publicity picture wearing a swimsuit from Catalina Swimwear,^[6][7] then-Miss Universe executive producer Oliver Reinhardt negotiated in with the officials of Pan American World Airways and Catalina Swimwear to sponsor the Miss Universe pageant, which will be held in Long Beach, California.^[8] The city of Long Beach provided $30,000 USD for the competition to be held from June 23 to June 30, 1952.^[9][10]

Selection of participants

From all countries and territories invited to participate, thirty competed in the competition for the first time. The age requirement in this edition is from eighteen to twenty-eight, where women who are married and have children can also participate.^[8] This year, Indrani Rahman of India becomes the first contestant to be married with children, with her first daughter, Sukanya Rahman, born in 1946.^[11][12]

This policy was changed in 1957 where the participation of women who are married or already have children was prohibited.^[13] This policy was then reinstated in 2023.^[14][15] One contestant was selected to replace the original dethroned winner.

Replacements

Runner-up of Miss Uruguay 1952, Gladys Rubio Fajardo was appointed to represent Uruguay after Miss Uruguay 1952, Rosa Adela Prunell withdrew from the competition as her mother wanted to accompany her.^[16]

Debuts

This edition saw the debuts of Alaska, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, Greece, Hawaii, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Sweden, Turkey, the United States, Uruguay, Venezuela and West Germany.^[17]

Elisabeth van Proosdij of Holland was set to compete for the first time but withdrew because she was already married during her reign, even though Miss Universe allows married women to participate.^[18][19] Leila Teresa Tuma of Syria also withdrew from this edition due to political tensions in her country.^[20] Meanwhile, Brazil and the Republic of China were invited to participate but had to withdraw due to insufficient preparations for organizing a national pageant.^[8]

Results

Miss Universe 1952 participating countries and territories

Placements

Placement	Contestant
Miss Universe 1952	Finland – Armi Kuusela[21]
1st runner-up	Hawaii – Elza Kananionapua Edsman[21]
2nd runner-up	Greece – Ntaizy Mavraki[21]
3rd runner-up	Hong Kong – Judy Dan[21]
4th runner-up	West Germany – Renate Hoy[21]
Top 10	Mexico – Olga Llorens Pérez[21] South Africa – Catherine Higgins[21] Sweden – Anne Marie Thistler[21] United States – Jackie Loughery[21] Uruguay – Gladys Rubio Fajardo[21]

Special awards

Award	Contestant
Miss Amity	Belgium – Myriam Lynn[21]
Miss Friendship	Montana – Valerie Johnson[21]
Most Popular Girl in Parade	Chile – Esther Saavedra[21]
Miss Welcome to Long Beach	Jeri Miller

Contestants

Thirty contestants competed for the title.^[22]

Country/Territory	Contestant	Age[a]	Hometown
Alaska	Shirley Burnett[23]	19	Fairbanks
Australia	Leah MacCartney[24]	19	Melbourne
Belgium	Myriam Lynn[25]	25	Brussels
Canada	Ruth Carrier[1]	21	Ontario
Chile	Esther Saavedra[22]	23	Santiago
Cuba	Gladys López[22]	20	Havana
Denmark	Hanne Sørensen[26]	20	Copenhagen
Finland	Armi Kuusela[27]	17	Muhos
France	Claude Goddart[28]	22	Paris
Great Britain	Aileen P. Chase	21	London
Greece	Ntaizy Mavraki[29]	18	Athens
Hawaii	Elza Kananionapua Edsman[30]	20	Honolulu
Hong Kong	Judy Dan[31]	21	Hong Kong
India	Indrani Rahman[32]	21	Chennai
Israel	Ora Vered[33]	18	Tel Aviv
Italy	Giovanna Mazzotti[34]	19	Lombardy
Japan	Himeko Kojima	20	Osaka
Mexico	Olga Llorens Pérez[35]	21	Ciudad Juárez
Norway	Eva Røine	24	Oslo
Panama	Elzibir Gisela Malek[36]	18	Coclé
Peru	Ada Gabriela Bueno[37]	18	Apurímac
Philippines	Teresita Sanchez[38]	19	Malolos
Puerto Rico	Marilia Levy Bernal[39]	20	Lares
South Africa	Catherine Higgins[40]	19	Transvaal
Sweden	Anne Marie Thistler	19	Stockholm
Turkey	Gelengül Tayfuroğlu[41]	18	Ankara
United States	Jacqueline Loughery[42]	21	Brooklyn
Uruguay	Gladys Rubio Fajardo	21	Montevideo
Venezuela	Sofía Silva[43]	23	Tumeremo
West Germany	Renate Hoy	21	Ludwigshafen

Notes

1. Ages at the time of the pageant