Miss America 1955, the 28th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 11, 1954, and marked the first live nationally televised broadcast of the competition on ABC.[1][2]

Miss America 1955
DateSeptember 11, 1954
PresentersBob Russell
VenueBoardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
BroadcasterABC
Entrants50
Placements10
WinnerLee Ann Meriwether
California California
← 1954
1956 →

Crowned the winner was Lee Meriwether, who later came to fame as co-star of the television series Barnaby Jones and as the character Catwoman in the 1966 film version of Batman, and later, Lily Munster on the television series The Munsters Today.

Results

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Placements

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Placement Contestant
Miss America 1955
1st runner-up
2nd runner-up
3rd runner-up
4th runner-up
Top 10

Awards

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Preliminary awards

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Awards Contestant
Lifestyle and Fitness
Talent

Other awards

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Awards Contestant
Miss Congeniality
Non-finalist Talent

Judges

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Contestants

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State Name Hometown Age Talent Placement Awards Notes
  Alabama Marilyn Tate Haleyville 21 Ventriloquism/Classical Vocal Top 10
  Arizona Marjorie Nylund Phoenix Dramatic Reading, "A Marine's Conversation"
  Arkansas Sarah Martin Little Rock Classical Vocal
  California Lee Merriwether San Francisco 19 Dramatic Monologue from Riders to the Sea Winner Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Actress best known as Betty Jones in the 1970's TV series Barnaby Jones
  Canada Barbara Joan Markham Cornwall
  Chicago Regina Dombeck Chicago Dramatic Monologue from Mary of Scotland by Maxwell Anderson Top 10
  Colorado Barbara Busey Denver Vocal/Dance
  Connecticut Dorothy Hopkins Storrs Piano
  Delaware Barbara Woodall Claymont Piano
  District of Columbia Linda Weisbrod Washington, D.C. 21 Classical Vocal, "O Mio Fernando" from La favorite Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award
  Florida Ann Gloria Daniel Dade City 18 Accordion, "Lady of Spain" 1st runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
  Georgia Mary Jane Doar Macon 19 Vocal Medley of songs by George Gershwin
  Hawaii Gertrude Kapi'olani Miller Honolulu Hula Non-finalist Talent Award
  Idaho LaVonne Skalsky Nampa Dramatic Monologue, "Children of God"
  Illinois Patsy Bruce Carbondale Dramatic Reading Miss Congeniality
  Indiana Sue Eaton Monticello Art/Photo Display & Hula
  Iowa Carol Morris Ottumwa 18 Violin Later Miss Iowa USA 1956, Miss USA 1956, & Miss Universe 1956
  Kansas Phyllis Danielson Wichita Vocal
  Kentucky Margaret Diane Hunt Lexington Dance
  Louisiana Gail Gleason Shreveport Piano & Art
  Maine Mary Ellen St. John Old Town Drama
  Maryland Phyllis Yvonne Leftwich Dundalk Vocal
  Massachusetts Judith Drake Fairhaven
  Michigan Janice Hutton Somers Lansing Vocal, "You Made Me Love You" 4th runner-up Preliminary Talent Award
  Minnesota Jeanne Reince Winona Classical Vocal
  Mississippi Celeste Luckett Clarksdale Drama
  Missouri Carole Wilkinson Maplewood Vocal
  Nebraska Sue Welch Fisher Kearney Classical Vocal, "Un bel dì vedremo" from Madama Butterfly
  Nevada Janice Babcock Reno Ballet, "Blues"
  New Hampshire Mae Allen Epping Drama
  New Jersey Joan Waller West Orange Vocal/Dance, "Singin' in the Rain"
  New York City Heather Taferner New York City Classical Vocal, "L'Air des clochettes" from Lakmé Preliminary Talent Award
  North Carolina Betty Ring Lexington Dramatic Monologue, "The Sleepwalking Scene" from Macbeth
  North Dakota Delores Paulson Bismarck Violin, "Méditation" from Thaïs
  Ohio Barbara Quinlin Alliance Classical Vocal, "Habanera" Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award
  Oklahoma Charlavan Baker Oklahoma City Dress Design
  Oregon Diane Carman Milwaukie Drama, "This is America"
  Pennsylvania Barbara Sue Nager Philadelphia Egyptian Ballet Dance, "Egyptian Suite" 3rd runner-up
  Puerto Rico María del Carmen Mejías
  Rhode Island Virginia Gregory Pawtucket Speech
  South Carolina Polly Suber Greenville Monologue, "Air Corps" 2nd runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
  South Dakota Cleo Ann Harrington Colman Classical Vocal
  Tennessee Gerry Johnson Nashville Vocal/Character Pantomime, "The Deadwood Stage" Top 10
  Texas Yvonne Erwin Dallas Piano & Art
  Utah Maurine Parker Ogden Drama, "Anne of the Thousand Days"
  Vermont Annabelle Pinkham Brattleboro Drama
  Virginia Julie Ann Bruening Swoope Charcoal Sketch of "The Statue of Liberty"
  Washington Frances Graham Spokane Vocal
  West Virginia Miriam Reep Clarksburg Dance
  Wisconsin Dixie Sarchet Stevens Point 19 Modern Dance, "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue"

References

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  1. ^ Associated Press and United Press (1954-09-12). "'I Hope My Daddy Knows'". Ogden Standard-Examiner. p. 1.
  2. ^ United Press (1954-09-13). "Bay City Plans Welcome For Miss America". Bakersfield Californian. p. 1, 2.
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