Miss America 1958

Miss America 1958
Former Miss America 1957 Marian McKnight kisses new Miss America 1958 Marilyn Van Derbur upon her victory
DateSeptember 7, 1957
PresentersBert Parks[1]
VenueBoardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
BroadcasterCBS
Entrants51
Placements10
WinnerMarilyn Van Derbur
Colorado

Miss America 1958, the 31st Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 7, 1957 on CBS.[1]

The winner, Marilyn Van Derbur[2], who was a Phi Beta Kappa scholar at the University of Colorado, performed a medley of the songs "Tenderly" and "Tea for Two" on the organ during the talent competition.[1] She later revealed it was the only thing she knew how to play.[3]

Results

Placements

Placement Contestant
Miss America 1958
1st Runner-Up
2nd Runner-Up
3rd Runner-Up
4th Runner-Up
Top 10

Awards

Preliminary awards

Awards[4] Contestant
Lifestyle and Fitness
Talent

Other awards

Awards Contestant
Miss Congeniality
Non-finalist Talent

Contestants

State Name Hometown Age Talent Placement Awards Notes
Alabama Alabama Anna Stange Birmingham 20 Monologue from Mourning Becomes Electra Non-finalist Talent Award
Arizona Arizona Lynn Freyse Tucson 20 Dramatic Reading from The Country Girl Top 10 Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Later starred in the TV series Hazel
Arkansas Arkansas Suzanne Scudder Hot Springs 18 Vocal
California California Lorna Anderson Sacramento 18 Accordion, "Dark Eyes" 3rd runner-up
Canada Canada Joan May Fitzpatrick Windsor 20 Dramatic Reading
Chicago Chicago Bette Lieb Chicago 18 Dramatic Monologue from Romeo and Juliet
Colorado Colorado Marilyn Van Derbur Denver 20 Organ, "Tea for Two" & "Tenderly" Winner
Connecticut Connecticut Susan Lightbown Fairfield 18 Vocal, "Wouldn't it be Loverly" from My Fair Lady Non-finalist Talent Award
Delaware Delaware Kathleen Ann D'Attillio Wilimington 19 Piano
Washington, D.C. District of Columbia June Cook Arlington, VA 20 Piano, "Rhapsody in Blue"
Florida Florida Dorothy Maria Steiner Boca Raton 20 Dramatic Reading, "Such is Your Heritage" 4th runner-up
Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia Jody Shattuck Atlanta 20 Vocal & Dance, "Namely You" from Li'l Abner 1st runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Hawaii Hawaii Sandra Lei Lauhiwa Forsythe Honolulu 19 Hula
Idaho Idaho Carene Clark Pocatello 20 Classical Vocal from Die Fledermaus Non-finalist Talent Award
Illinois Illinois Jeannie Beacham Downers Grove 20 Drama, "The Great Debates"
Indiana Indiana Gloria Rupprecht Valparaiso 19 Vocal/Comedy Skit, "My Hero" Preliminary Talent Award
Iowa Iowa Carol Fleck Oskaloosa 19 Dance
Kansas Kansas Georgiana Rundle Axtell 21 Vocal, "Habanera" & "Getting to Know You"
Kentucky Kentucky Jane Brock Liberty 19 Piano Non-finalist Talent Award
Louisiana Louisiana Beverly Leigh Norman Shreveport 19 Vocal, "My Own True Love"
Maine Maine Carol Ann Bartels Bath 18 Drama/Art
Maryland Maryland Nancy Elizabeth Norris Silver Spring 18 Dramatic Monologue, "A Letter to my Parents"
Massachusetts Massachusetts Daly Hirsch Boston 20 Drama
Michigan Michigan Valerie Strong Williamsburg 21 Piano, "Brazil"
Minnesota Minnesota Ardyce Gustafson St. Paul 18 Vocal Medley from My Fair Lady
Mississippi Mississippi Mary Allen Yazoo City 19 Dance & Art Presentation
Missouri Missouri Sara Cooper Buckner 18 Charleston Dance Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award Daughter of Major League Baseball player, Walker Cooper
Nebraska Nebraska Catherine "Kay" Nielson Lincoln 20 Dance Non-finalist Talent Award Later Miss Iowa USA 1959
Nevada Nevada Loni Gravelle Reno 19 Piano, "Piano Concerto in A Minor" by Edvard Grieg Top 10
New Hampshire New Hampshire Holly Arnel New London 18 Drama
New Jersey New Jersey Janet Ressler Union 19 Vocal
New Mexico New Mexico Glynnelle Hubbard Farmington 19 Dance Miss Congeniality
New York (state) New York Janet Corrigan Huntington 21 Vocal, "True Love"
New York City New York City Astrid Papamichael New York City 19 Vocal
North Carolina North Carolina Elaine Herndon Durham 18 Vocal & Dance Top 10 Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
North Dakota North Dakota Helen Winje Minot 18 Vocal
Ohio Ohio Linda Hattman Mansfield 18 Ballet
Oklahoma Oklahoma Nancy Denner Alva 21 Poetry Recitation, "The Ballad of the Harp Weaver" by Edna St. Vincent Millay 2nd runner-up
Oregon Oregon Judith Hansen Astoria 19 Classical Vocal, "Mi Chiamano Mimi" from La bohéme Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Jennie Rebecca Blatchford Hollidaysburg 23 Baton Twirling, "St. Louis Blues" & "The Stars and Stripes Forever" Preliminary Talent Award
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Winnie Rodríguez Rio Piedras 18 Mexican Hat Dance
Rhode Island Rhode Island Beatrice Turek Providence 20 Art Display
South Carolina South Carolina Cecilia Colvert Greenwood 19 Pantomime/Vocal, "C'est si bon" by Eartha Kitt Mother of Miss South Carolina 1988, Anna Graham Reynolds
South Dakota South Dakota Patricia Miller Mobridge 18 Vocal
Tennessee Tennessee Amanda Lee Whitman Nashville 18 Trampoline/Tumbling, "The Third Man Theme" Performed the first trampoline talent act in the Miss America competition
Texas Texas Carolyn Calvert Austin 18 Monologue from Medea
Utah Utah Francine Louise Felt Salt Lake City 19 Violin Non-finalist Talent Award
Vermont Vermont Joan Hewitt Brattleboro 21 Art Presentation & Original Skit with original music Non-finalist Talent Award
Virginia Virginia Rebecca Lee Edmunds Roanoke 22 Dance
West Virginia West Virginia Janice Sickle Fairmont 20 Vocal & Dance
Wisconsin Wisconsin Joan Hentschel Wauwatosa 18 Interpretive Dance, "3:00 in the Morning"

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Tall Colorado Blonde Is Chosen New Miss America". The Tampa Tribune. Associated Press. 8 September 1957. p. 16. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  2. ↑ "Marilyn Van Derbur, Miss America 1958, in Fuller's Everglaze cotton satin swimsuit by Cole of California". 2026-04-09. {{cite web}}: Check |archive-url= value (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ↑ "1958 Miss America, Marilyn Van Derbur, speaks at the 12th Annual Lilies on the River benefit". May 19, 2016.
  4. ↑ PageantsHeyDay (2020-04-02). Miss America Pageant 1958 (September 1957). Retrieved 2026-04-09 – via YouTube.
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