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A new Miss USA will be crowned Sunday night. Sixty-five women have worn the crown, including one for just a few days (disqualification) and four others for less than a year because they went on to greater glories (Miss Universe). The first Miss USA was crowned in 1952; she was Jackie Loughery, 21, a 5-foot-4 redhead from Brooklyn, N.Y. The pageant was created when the Miss America pageant objected to the styles offered by a swimwear sponsor; the miffed sponsor started its own pageant and housed it in Long Beach, Calif. It simultaneously created the Miss Universe contest, which began the day after the Miss USA pageant in those early days. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Myrna Hansen of Chicago was just 17 when she was named Miss USA 1953; during judging she donned a green dress she wore at her high school prom. She'd be too young to be in today's pageant.
Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Miriam Stevenson, Miss USA 1954, from South Carolina, was the first Miss USA to become Miss Universe. It wasn't until 1967 that Miss USA winners who ascended to the Miss Universe title passed on their national crown to the first runner-up.
Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Carlene King Johnson, Miss USA 1955, from Vermont, was 22 at the time. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Carol Morris, 1956 Miss USA and Miss Universe, wearing one of her prizes, a William Cahill coronation ball gown. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Charlotte Sheffield, Miss USA 1957, of Utah, is crowned by Carol Morris, Miss Universe 1956. Sheffield took the crown when the original winner, Leona Gage of Maryland, was quickly disqualified. Turned out, Gage, 18, was not only married but had two children, thus breaking two rules at once. (Sorry, we don't have a photo of Gage.) And so began the pageant's reputation for controversy.
Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Eurlyne Howell, Miss USA 1958, is captured for posterity in this picture from July 23, 1958, the night she became Miss USA. Part of the original caption on this photo by the Associated Press read, "She is 18 and a sophomore at Centenary College in Louisiana. The new American beauty will face 34 foreign entrants in the Miss Universe judging beginning the following night." Photo: Associated Press -
Terry Lynn Huntingdon, Miss USA 1959, of California, was the first of six Miss USAs from California. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Linda Bement of Utah was Miss Universe 1960 after winning Miss USA 1960. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Sharon Brown, Miss USA 1961, from Louisiana, poses for an official photo. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Macel Wilson, Miss USA 1962, was from Honolulu. She was the first of four women from Hawaii to have worn the crown. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Marite Ozers, Miss USA 1963, was from Chicago. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
On July 30, 1964, Bobbie Johnson, of Washington, D.C., became Miss USA 1964. Nineteen when she won, Johnson was the first and only woman from Washington, D.C. to win the title of Miss USA until 2002. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Sue Downey, Miss USA 1965, of Columbus, Ohio, poses immediately after winning her title. Downey was the first of two delegates from Ohio who became Miss USA. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Maria Remenyi, Miss USA 1966, of El Cerrito, Calif., poses for a photograph immediately after being named Miss USA. The text on the trophy next to her feet reads, "Miss U.S.A. Beauty Pageant Miami Beach, Florida." Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Sylvia Hitchcock won the title of Miss USA 1967, and then went on to be crowned Miss Universe 1967. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Cheryl Ann Patton, Miss USA 1967, smiles at the camera. Originally named first runner-up to Sylvia Hitchcock, Patton was the first woman to be promoted to the title of Miss USA, which she did when Hitchcock became Miss Universe 1967. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Before winning the title of Miss USA 1968, Didi Anstett was Miss Washington USA. Originally from Kirkland, Anstett is still the only Miss Washington to win the national crown. She gained even more notoriety later when she married basketball legend Bill Russell, from whom she has since been divorced.
Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Minutes after becoming Miss USA 1969, Wendy Dascomb sits for some photos. The 19-year-old Dascomb won as the delegate from Virginia. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Debbie Shelton, Miss USA 1970, takes the traditional "day after" photo. Shelton went on to act in the TV series "Dallas" and in the Brian De Palma thriller "Body Double."
Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Newly crowned Miss USA 1971, Michele McDonald was 18 years old and the first high school student to be named Miss USA. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Tanya Wilson, Miss USA 1972 from Hawaii, poses in her Catalina Swimwear swimsuit. Catalina Swimwear started the Miss USA Pageant in 1952 as a product promotion. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Amanda Jones, Miss USA 1973, poses for an official portrait. Jones, 22, was the first of two back-to-back delegates from Illinois to become Miss USA. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Karen Morrison, Miss USA 1974, poses in the evening gown she wore during the pageant. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Summer Bartholomew of California was Miss USA 1975. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Barbara Peterson of Minnesota was Miss USA 1976. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
It took 25 years before a Miss Texas won the national title, but Kim Tomes, Miss USA 1977, became just the first of nine to do so. No other state has provided more than six (California).
Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Now, inexplicably, blondes became favored. Judi Anderson, Miss USA 1978, was from Honolulu. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Mary Therese Friel of New York, Miss USA 1979, was 20 when she became Miss USA. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Shawn Weatherly of South Carolina, Miss USA 1980, poses in the swimsuit she wore during the 1980 Miss USA Pageant in Miami Beach, Fla. Weatherly went on to become Miss Universe 1980 and then a starring role in the TV series "Baywatch." Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Jineane Ford, Miss USA 1980, poses in an evening gown. Ford took over the crown when Weatherly was named Miss Universe; oddly enough, she is the only Miss Arizona ever to wear the Miss USA sash. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
After winning five of the first 29 Miss Universe crowns, it would be 15 years before another American would do it after Weatherly. Posing for a photo for her portfolio, Kim Seelbrede, Miss USA 1981, was Miss Ohio. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
One of the official headshots of Terri Utley, Miss USA 1982. Utley was 20 years old and from Arkansas. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Californian Julie Hayek, Miss USA 1983, poses for one of her official swimsuit photos. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Mai Shanley, Miss USA 1984, was the first delegate from New Mexico to become Miss USA. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Laura Martinez-Herring, Miss USA 1985, was 21 years old when she won her title. Martinez-Herring was the first of five straight delegates from Texas to win the Miss USA title; later, she would change her name to Laura Harring and start a productive acting career which continues presently. She is perhaps best known for a role opposite Naomi Watts in "Mulholland Drive."
Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Christy Fichtner, Miss USA 1986, of Dallas. Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Michelle Royer, Miss USA 1987, the third of five back-to-back delegates from Texas to win the Miss USA pageant. Photo: Harry Langdon -
One of many official headshots of Courtney Gibbs, Miss USA 1988. Photo: Harry Langdon -
Looking like the epitome of the business woman of the 80's, Gretchen Polhemus, Miss USA 1989, poses for another picture. Photo: Harry Langdon -
An official headshot of Carole Gist, Miss USA 1990, who broke up the Texas monopoly. She was from Detroit and was believed to be the tallest winner ever at 6 feet.
Photo: EJ Camp -
Kelli McCarty, Miss USA 1991, was the 40th Miss USA. She was also the first and only delegate from Kansas to win the title of Miss USA. After a spotty career in acting, McCarty became the first Miss USA to star in a pornographic film, in 2008 when she was nearly 40.
Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Striking a sultry pose, Shannon Marketic, Miss USA 1992, represented California.
Photo: Jeff Kauck -
Kenya Moore, Miss USA 1993, came from Michigan. She went on to a career in acting
Photo: Keith Major -
In a contemporary evening gown, Lu Parker, Miss USA 1994, represented South Carolina.
Photo: J. Katz -
Chelsi Smith of Texas, Miss USA 1995, poses for an official photo. A few weeks after winning her title, Smith won the the title of Miss Universe 1995 in Windhoek, Namibia. Photo: J. Katz -
Shanna Moakler became Miss USA 1995 after Smith's win at Miss Universe. Moakler later became known for various acting roles and her personal life, which included relationships with rocker Billy Idol, boxer Oscar de la Hoya and actor Dennis Quaid.
Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Ali Landry, Miss USA 1996, poses for an official photograph. Landry, from Louisiana, followed up her reign with a spotty acting career; she is better known for a Doritos commercial that aired during a Super Bowl.
Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Brook Lee, Miss USA 1997, was the last Miss USA to go on to become Miss Universe. Photo: Kimo Lauer -
In Lee's place, Brandi Sherwood of Idaho became Miss USA 1997. She was the first from Idaho to wear the crown and the oldest, to that point, at 26.
Photo: Kimo Lauer -
Shawnae Jebbia, Miss Massachusetts USA, also was 26 when she won the title. She went on to modest fame as a fitness show host on ESPN.
Photo: Miss Universe L.P., LLLP -
Kimberly Pressler of New York was Miss USA 1999. She's been hosting TV shows ever since, mostly in the extreme sports field.
Photo: HO -
Lynnette Cole of Tennessee, Miss USA 2000. Photo: Patrick Prather, HO -
Kandace Krueger, Miss USA 2001, onstage moments after winning the crown. She became the eighth of nine Texans to win the crown.
Photo: Patrick Prather, Ho -
Shauntay Hinton, Miss USA 2002, represented Washington, D.C.
Photo: Fadil Berisha, Ho -
Susie Castillo, Miss Massachusetts, won the Miss USA crown in San Antonio. She went on to a brief career as an MTV host.
Photo: TODD WAWRYCHUK, HO -
Shandi Finnessey of Missouri looked like a lock to break the Miss Universe drought after becoming Miss USA 2004, but she finished first runner-up to Jennifer Hawkins of Australia. Hawkins is a mega-star worth millions Down Under, while Finnessey has done modeling, game-show hosting an acted in such fare as "Sharktopus." She was also an outspoken supporter of President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq, and also authored a children's book.
Photo: DARREN DECKER, HO -
Miss USA 2005, Chelsea Cooley, hailed from Charlotte, N.C. Photo: DARREN DECKER, HO -
Tara Conner of Kentucky, Miss USA 2006 and just 20 when she won, was at the center of the biggest controversy the pageant has endured when allegations of drug and alcohol abuse and other misbehavior surfaced past the halfway point of her reign. Pageant owner Donald Trump decided to give her a second chance, and she served out the remainder of her time as Miss USA in rehab and counseling.
Photo: DARREN DECKER, HO -
Rachel Smith of Tennessee, Miss USA 2007, had hoped to avoid the sort of negative publicity that Conner courted. But during the Miss Universe finals in Mexico City, she was booed by the partisan crowd for advancing to the final five when Miss Mexico did not, and she slipped and fell during the evening gown portion of the program. She finished fourth runner-up.
Photo: Fadil Berisha, Miss Universe Organization -
Texan Crystle Stewart, Miss USA 2008, repeated Smith's feat at Miss Universe when she, too, slipped and fell during the evening gown competition. She didn't make it out of the top 10.
Photo: Darren Decker, HO -
Finally, no controversy as Kristen Dalton, Miss North Carolina, was named USA 2009. Apart from that, her reign was completely forgettable.
Photo: Matt Petit, HO -
It didn't take long for controversy to return. Rima Fakih, 24, of Dearborn, Mich., was crowned Miss USA 2010; she was believed to be the first Arab-American and Muslim to win. Not long after the victory, photos surfaced of her dancing in a skimpy outfit in a bar contest. She survived that, but not a DUI bust in Michigan that occurred after her reign.
Photo: Darren Decker, Miss Universe Organization -
A Jersey Girl who dyed her naturally blonde hair red and moved to California in search of greater visibility, Alyssa Campanella of Los Angeles has been a favorite of pageant followers since being named Miss USA 2011 a year ago. Campanella has endeared herself to fans with a quirky wholesomeness that includes fangirl status of her own, for such things as HBO's "Game of Thrones," the Vancouver Canucks hockey team, cooking (especially desserts) and voluminous use of social media, including two Twitter accounts. As her reign comes to an end, we have to wonder: Who's next? And how long will this pageant survive?
Photo: Darren Decker, Miss Universe Organization
© 2013 Hearst Communications Inc.
© 2013 Hearst Communications Inc.
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