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Miss America 1959
Mary Ann Mobley, Brandon. (Miss Miss. '58,) (Miss America, '58-'59,) (Photo at WLBT)..png
Mary Ann Mobley, Miss America 1959
Date September 6, 1958
Presenters Bert Parks
Venue Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Broadcaster CBS
Entrants 52
Placements 10
Winner Mary Ann Mobley
Mississippi Mississippi
← 1958
1960 →

Miss America 1959, the 32nd Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 6, 1958 on CBS.

Mary Ann Mobley, the first winner from Mississippi, became an actress, featured in two Elvis Presley films and many television series. Second runner-up Anita Bryant later gained fame as a singer and television spokesperson.

Results

Placements

Placement Contestant
Miss America 1959
1st Runner-Up
  •  Iowa – Joanne Lucille MacDonald
2nd Runner-Up
3rd Runner-Up
4th Runner-Up
Top 10

Awards

Preliminary awards

Awards Contestant
Lifestyle and Fitness
  • CaliforniaCalifornia - Sandra Lee Jennings
  • Indiana Indiana - Anita Marie Hursh
  • North Carolina North Carolina - Betty Lane Evans
Talent
  • Alabama Alabama - Lee Thornberry
  • Connecticut Connecticut - Billie June Turner
  • Mississippi Mississippi - Mary Ann Mobley

Other awards

Awards Contestant
Miss Congeniality
  • Rhode Island Rhode Island - Ann Louise Willis
Non Finalist Classical/Semi Classical Vocalist Talent
  • South Carolina South Carolina - Gene Lenoir Wilson
Non Finalist Instrumental Talent
  • Idaho Idaho - Bonnie Baird
Non Finalist Dancer
  • Chicago Chicago - Audra Deckmann
Non Finalist Popular Vocal Talent
  • New Jersey New Jersey - Marilyn Beryl Rockafellow
Overall Non Finalist Talent
  • Nebraska Nebraska - Sherry Johnson
  • New Hampshire New Hampshire - Mary Morin

Contestants

State Name Hometown Age Talent Placement Awards Notes
Alabama Alabama Lee Thornberry Birmingham Vocal/Dance, "Honey Bun" from South Pacific Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award
Alaska Alaska Stuart Johnson Douglas City Piano, "Alaska's Flag"
Arizona Arizona Donna Riggs Phoenix Vocal/Dance, "Teacher's Pet" Unspecified Special Scholarship
Arkansas Arkansas Sally Miller Pine Bluff Classical Vocal, "Caro Nome" from Rigoletto Top 10
California California Sandra Jennings Riverside Piano, "Clair de Lune" 3rd runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Canada Canada Danica d'Hondt Vancouver 19
Chicago Chicago Audra Deckmann Chicago Dance Non-finalist Talent Award
Colorado Colorado Cynthia Cullen Boulder Drama, "Queen on Being Sentenced to Death"
Connecticut Connecticut Billie June Turner New Canaan 20 Ballet en Pointe from Les Sylphides Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award
Delaware Delaware Nancy M. Williams Wilmington Dance to musical selections from Gone with the Wind
Washington, D.C. District of Columbia Lee Berkow Washington, D.C. 21 Vocal, "Come Rain or Come Shine"
Florida Florida Dianne Tauscher Orlando Ballet, "Canadian Sunset"
Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia Jeanette Ardell Marietta 18 Archery
Hawaii Hawaii Georgietta Kahalelaukoa Parker Honolulu Hula
Idaho Idaho Bonnie Baird Heyburn Clarinet Non-finalist Talent Award
Illinois Illinois Anita Ruth Olson River Forest Piano, "Rhapsody in G Minor" by Johannes Brahms
Indiana Indiana Anita Hursh Goshen Piano, "Polonaise" by Frédéric Chopin Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Iowa Iowa Joanne MacDonald Ames 20 Dramatic Recitation from The White Cliffs of Dover 1st runner-up
Kansas Kansas Sharon Whitacre Mission 18 Accordion, "3rd Movement of Concerto in A" by Pietro Deiro
Kentucky Kentucky Sandra Sue Smith Harlan Pantomime/Dance, "Tweedle Dee"
Louisiana Louisiana Alberta Louise Futch Hammond Fire Baton Twirling
Maine Maine Terry Suzanne Tripp Lewiston Ballet
Maryland Maryland Mary Roberta Page Bethesda Chalk Sketch
Massachusetts Massachusetts Patricia Nordling Lexington Vocal/Piano, "Exactly Like You"
Michigan Michigan Patience Pierce Detroit Drama, "Meet Christobel"
Minnesota Minnesota Diane Albers St. Paul Piano, "Allegro de Concierto" by Enrique Granados
Mississippi Mississippi Mary Ann Mobley Brandon 21 Vocal Medley & Dance, "Un Bel Di" & "There'll be Some Changes Made" Winner Preliminary Talent Award
Missouri Missouri Marjorie Critten Kansas City Tap Dance, "Opus No. 1"
Nebraska Nebraska Sherry Johnson Omaha Monologue Non-finalist Talent Award
Nevada Nevada Judy Wadsworth Sparks Dramatic Monologue from The Lark
New Hampshire New Hampshire Mary Morin Manchester Pantomime Routine Non-finalist Talent Award
New Jersey New Jersey Marilyn Beryl Rockafellow New Monmouth Vocal Non-finalist Talent Award
New Mexico New Mexico Lois Wilson Hobbs 18 Vocal
New York (state) New York Miriam Sanderson Rensselaer French Vocal, "Serenade" by Sigmund Romberg
New York City New York City Bette June Piller New York City Speech on Art
North Carolina North Carolina Betty Evans Greenville Vocal, Piano, Skit, & Dance, "Wait 'til You See Her" 4th runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
North Dakota North Dakota Helen Korfhage Grand Forks Classical Vocal, "If Thou Lov'st Me"
Ohio Ohio Margaret Putman Ada Dramatic Sketch, "Student Nurse"
Oklahoma Oklahoma Anita Bryant Tulsa 18 Vocal, "When the Boys Talk About the Girls" 2nd runner-up Popular singing star
Oregon Oregon Mary Ellen Vinton McMinnville Piano & Tap Dance, "I Won't Dance"
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Rosalie Samley Bethlehem Ballet, "I Won't Dance"
Rhode Island Rhode Island Ann Willis Cranston Miss Congeniality
South Carolina South Carolina Gene Wilson Charleston 18 Vocal, "If I Loved You" Non-finalist Talent Award
South Dakota South Dakota Carolee Nelson Irene Drama
Tennessee Tennessee Patricia Eaves Cookeville Dramatic Monologue, "Viola's Ring Scene" from Twelfth Night
Texas Texas Mary Nell Hendricks Arlington Vocal, "Getting to Know You" Top 10
Utah Utah Janet Carolyn Secor Salt Lake City Classical Ballet, "The Waltz" from The Sleeping Beauty Top 10
Vermont Vermont Sandra Sinclair South Burlington Vocal & Dance, "Getting to Know You"
Virginia Virginia Barbara Guthrie Martinsville Drama
Washington (state) Washington Anne Henderson Spokane Pantomime & Charleston Dance
West Virginia West Virginia Sandra Boyd Fairmont Vocal, "Money Honey"
Wisconsin Wisconsin Kay Ross West Allis 24 Art Presentation with Vocal & Dance
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