Miss USA 1966
| Miss USA 1966 | |
|---|---|
 Maria Remenyi wearing the Miss USA 1966 crown | |
| Date | May 21, 1966 |
| Presenters | Jack Linkletter Pat Boone June Lockhart |
| Venue | Miami Beach, Florida |
| Broadcaster | CBS, WTVJ |
| Entrants | 49 |
| Placements | 15 |
| Withdrawals | Idaho, South Dakota |
| Winner | Maria Remenyi California |
Miss USA 1966 was the 15th Miss USA pageant, televised live from Miami Beach, Florida, on May 21, 1966, co-hosted by Pat Boone and June Lockhart with Jack Linkletter as the emcee. This was the first-ever color telecast of the Miss USA pageant.[1]
The pageant was won by Maria Remenyi of California, who was crowned by outgoing titleholder Sue Downey of Ohio.[2] Remenyi was the second woman from California to win the Miss USA title, and went on to Top 15 at Miss Universe 1966.
Idaho and South Dakota did not send a delegate in 1966, making this the last Miss USA pageant in which not all states were represented The only subsequent pageant with fewer than 51 delegates in the live telecast – 1981 – resulted from a state representative being disqualified during the preliminary judging.
Results
| Final results | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Miss USA 1966 | |
| 1st Runner-Up |
|
| 2nd Runner-Up | |
| 3rd Runner-Up |
|
| 4th Runner-Up |
Delegates
The Miss USA 1966 delegates were:
Alabama – Susan Scott
Alaska – Elrita Blankensop
Arizona – Roxanne Neeley.svg.png)
Arkansas – Peggy Jones- California - Maria Remenyi
Colorado – Rosemary Barnwell
Connecticut – Pat Denne
Delaware – Jacqueline Kalazinskas
District of Columbia – Sue Counts.svg.png)
Florida – Randy Beard.svg.png)
Georgia – Flora Goddard
Hawaii – Judith Anne Wolski
Idaho – N/A
Illinois – Cheryl Setser
Indiana – Elaine Richards
Iowa – Janis Mieras
Kansas – Pat Ravenscroft
Kentucky – Jennifer Burcham.svg.png)
Louisiana – Tanya Becnel
Maine – Susan Bartash
Maryland – Roselaine Zetter
Massachusetts – Nancy Brackett
Michigan – Kathlene Blascak.svg.png)
Minnesota – Patricia Thatcher.png)
Mississippi – Jane Sutherland
Missouri – Martha Taylor
Montana – Carol Boetcher
Nebraska – Karen Weinfurtner.svg.png)
Nevada – Mary Martin
New Hampshire – Elaine Brandt
New Jersey – Jo Ann Franchi
New Mexico – Susan Franz
New York – Nancy Self.svg.png)
North Carolina – Brenda Moye
North Dakota – Judy Slayton
Ohio – Karen Dietz.svg.png)
Oklahoma – Melva Brown
Oregon – Sharon Gerritz
Pennsylvania – Barbara Levitt
Rhode Island – Barbara Williams
South Carolina – Joselyn Alarie.svg.png)
South Dakota – N/A
Tennessee – Mary Margaret Smith
Texas – Dorothy Pickens.png)
Utah – Denice Blair
Vermont – Peggy Eckert
Virginia – Dev Johnson
Washington – Sandra Carlile
West Virginia – Annette Peery
Wisconsin – Janet Driscoll
Wyoming – Linda Leafdale
Judges
- Frank Sutton[3] – actor
- George Lindsey – actor, comedian
- Hy Gardner – columnist
- Bert Bacharach – columnist
- Robert Cummings – actor
- Jon Whitcomb – magazine artist
- Brian Kelly – actor
- Allen Reisner – television director
- Gloria DeHaven – actress
References
- ↑ "Today on TV High Spots". The Boston Globe. May 21, 1966. p. 16. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Bay Girl New Miss USA". San Francisco Examiner. United Press International. May 22, 1966. p. 1. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ↑ Bea Hoelder (May 21, 1966). "Beauty on Parade to Name Miss USA". The Berkshire Eagle. p. 37. Retrieved 6 July 2026.