Miss America 1974

Miss America 1974
Rebecca Ann King as Miss America 1974
DateSeptember 8, 1973
PresentersBert Parks[1]
VenueBoardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
BroadcasterNBC
WinnerRebecca Ann King
Colorado Colorado
← 1973
1975 →

Miss America 1974, the 47th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 8, 1973, and broadcast on NBC.[2]

The winner was Rebecca Ann King, whose daughter Diana Dreman would become Miss Colorado and a contender for Miss America 2012, the first daughter of a victorious Miss America to compete in the pageant.

Suzanne Plummer, second runner-up, is known today as Sue Lowden, who became chairperson of the Republican Party in Nevada and a 2010 U.S. Senate candidate there. Another contestant, Michelle Marshall of Missouri, is now the political analyst and blogger Taylor Marsh.

Results

Placements

Placement Contestant
Miss America 1974
  •  Colorado – Rebecca Ann King[2]
1st Runner-Up
2nd Runner-Up
3rd Runner-Up
4th Runner-Up
Top 10

Order of announcements

Top 10

  1.  Wisconsin
  2.  Oklahoma
  3.  Illinois
  4.  Louisiana
  5.  New Jersey
  6.  Pennsylvania
  7.  California
  8.  Washington
  9.  Colorado
  10.  Texas


Awards

Preliminary awards

Awards Contestant
Lifestyle and Fitness
Talent

Other awards

Awards Contestant
Non-finalist Talent
Miss Congeniality
Neat as a Pin

Judges

Contestants

State Name Hometown Age Talent Placement Awards Notes
Alabama Alabama Jane Rice Huntsville 21 Vocal, "Tapestry" & "I Will Never Pass This Way Again"
Alaska Alaska Virginia Adams Anchorage 21 Classical Vocal, "Adele's Laughing Song"
Arizona Arizona Susan May Kingman 19 Piano Medley, "The Glory of Love", "Laura", & "On the Sunny Side of the Street"
Arkansas Arkansas Becky Hume Jonesboro 23 Free Floor Exercise & Balance Beam Routine
California California Susan Shipley Hillsborough 21 Piano, "Malagueña" Top 10
Colorado Colorado Rebecca Ann King Sterling 23 Vocal, "If I Ruled the World" Winner Mother of Miss Colorado 2011, Diana Dremen
Connecticut Connecticut Deborah Blanchard North Haven 21 Modern Jazz Dance
Delaware Delaware Jackie LaGuardia Milford 19 Vocal from Irma La Douce
Florida Florida Ellen Meade Bradenton 20 Ballet Roller Skating, "The Black Swan" Non-finalist Talent Award
Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia Gail Bullock Thomasville 19 Ballet to the theme from Summer of '42
Hawaii Hawaii Kanoelehua Kaumeheiwa Hawaii Kai 19 Hula Miss Congeniality
Idaho Idaho Sharon Davis Jerome 21 Vocal, "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" from Fiddler on the Roof
Illinois Illinois Colleen Metternich Carthage 23 Piano, "Variations on a Twelve Note Theme" Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award
Indiana Indiana Karen Rodgers Indianapolis 22 Popular Vocal, "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"
Iowa Iowa Lynette Henninger Bettendorf 19 Ballet, "Colour My World" & "Make No Sound"
Kansas Kansas Jane Schulte Hays 21 Vocal Medley, "Happiest Girl in the Whole USA" & "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"
Kentucky Kentucky Lyda Lewis Louisville 24 Vocal, "Sweet Inspiration" & "Where You Lead" First African American Miss Kentucky
Louisiana Louisiana Debbie Ward Baton Rouge 20 Vocal Medley, "I Enjoy Being a Girl" & "I Could Have Danced All Night" 3rd runner-up Preliminary Talent Award Featured performer & co-host of the Miss America Pageants from 1975-1977
Maine Maine Carlene Quimby Auburn 20 Vocal, "I Cain't Say No" from Oklahoma!
Maryland Maryland Kristi Maurine Reindl LaVale 19 Tympani, "The Champ" Former mayor of O'Fallon, Illinois
Massachusetts Massachusetts Rena Walmsley North Attleboro 20 Dramatic Soliloquy from Funny Girl Non-finalist Talent Award
Michigan Michigan Sherry Agnello St. Clair Shores 19 Vocal, "I'd Rather Be Blue"
Minnesota Minnesota Joleen Benoit Farmington 19 Vocal/Guitar, "Danny's Song"
Mississippi Mississippi Kathleen Coole Gulfport 19 Vocal Medley, "Everything's Alright" & "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar
Missouri Missouri Terri Dodson Fulton 22 Piano, "Dizzy Fingers"
Montana Montana Debbie Reber Helena 22 Vocal Medley & Guitar Non-finalist Talent Award
Nebraska Nebraska Sandy Cramer Omaha 18 Acrobatic Jazz Dance, "I'm an Ordinary Man"
Nevada Nevada Echo Rost Sparks 20 Modern Jazz Dance, "I Feel the Earth Move" Neat as a Pin Award
New Hampshire New Hampshire Michelle Cote Manchester 22 Classical Vocal, "Steal Me, Sweet Thief" from The Old Maid and the Thief Non-finalist Talent Award
New Jersey New Jersey Suzanne Plummer Wildwood 21 Piano, "Stardust" 2nd runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Previously Miss District of Columbia USA 1971

Top 12 at Miss USA 1971


Former leader of Nevada State Republican Party and 2010 Senate candidate

New Mexico New Mexico Patti Elaine Nelms Roswell 21 Vocal/Dance, "Basin Street Blues" & "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody"
New York (state) New York Joann Miller Cheektowaga 20 Jazz Dance
North Carolina North Carolina Heather Walker Hendersonville 19 Popular Vocal, "The Other Man's Grass is Always Greener"
North Dakota North Dakota Linda Joyce Cole Lisbon 19 Classical Vocal, "Winds in the South"
Ohio Ohio Cheryl Yourkvitch Lorain 21 Vocal Medley Non-finalist Talent Award
Oklahoma Oklahoma Andrea Hanson Tahlequah 21 Piano/Vocal, "The Homeland Aria" from Die Fledermaus Top 10
Oregon Oregon Nancy Jean Jackson Nyssa 20 Dramatic Interpretation from The Taming of the Shrew
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Tina Louise Thomas Lancaster 18 Gospel Vocal, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" 4th runner-up Preliminary Talent Award
Rhode Island Rhode Island Patricia Garrahy North Providence 19 Ballet, "Scarborough Fair"
South Carolina South Carolina Fran Riggins Easley 21 Vocal, "All the Things You Are"
South Dakota South Dakota Gwen Resick Clark 20 Dramatic Skit, "Aldonza" from Don Quixote
Tennessee Tennessee Anne Randle Galloway Knoxville 20 Piano, Rhapsody in Blue
Texas Texas Judy Mallett Beaumont Fiddle, "Csárdás" & "Orange Blossom Special" Top 10 Performed in the halftime show of Super Bowl VIII
Utah Utah Brenda Richardson Provo 20 Vocal Medley Non-finalist Talent Award
Vermont Vermont Joylynn McCraw Barre 22 Popular Vocal & Sign Language, "I am Woman" Non-finalist Talent Award
Virginia Virginia Elinda Gail Vandeventer Pulaski 20 Classical Vocal, "The Telephone Aria"
Washington (state) Washington Leslie Mays Mercer Island 23 Jazz Dance, "The 'In' Crowd" Top 10 Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
West Virginia West Virginia Myra Elizabeth "Beth" McVey Huntington 20 Classical Vocal, "Quando me'n vo'"
Wisconsin Wisconsin Judith Hieke Menomonee Falls 19 Flute Medley including "Cuanto le Gusta" 1st runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Wyoming Wyoming Pamela Hill Casper 20 Vocal, "I Can Love"

References

  1. ^ a b Lilleband, Eleanor; Seider, Gale; Long, William (9 Sep 1973). "Colorado Beauty New Miss America". Press of Atlantic City. p. 10. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Lilleband, Eleanor; Seider, Gale; Long, William (9 Sep 1973). "Colorado Beauty Miss America". Press of Atlantic City. p. 1. Retrieved 12 December 2023.

External links

  • Miss America official website