Miss Universe 1953

Miss Universe 1953
Date	17 July 1953
Presenters	Bob Russell
Venue	Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California, USA
Entrants	26
Placements	16
Debuts	Austria, Switzerland
Withdrawals	Chile, Cuba, Great Britain, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Morocco
Winner	Christiane Martel  France
Congeniality	Jeanne Thompson Louisiana

Miss Universe 1953, the 2nd Miss Universe pageant, was held on 17 July 1953 at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California, USA. 27 contestants from 24 countries competed in the pageant, which was held concurrently with the Miss USA 1953 event. 18-year-old^[1] Christiane Martel from France won the competition, becoming the second Miss Universe. The previous titleholder, Armi Kuusela, resigned before her reign ended, and therefore she was crowned by actress Julie Adams.^[2]

Martel made history as she and then-Miss World 1953 Denise Perrier won both major beauty pageants (by that time) for their country solely.

Results

Participating nations and results

Miss Universe contestants in Long Beach

Placements

Final results	Contestant
Miss Universe 1953	France - Christiane Martel
1st runner-up	USA - Myrna Hansen
2nd runner-up	Japan - Kinuko Ito
3rd runner-up	Mexico - Ana Bertha Lepe
4th runner-up	Australia - Maxine Morgan
Semi-finalists	Austria - Lore Felger  Canada - Thelma Brewis  Denmark - Jytte Olsen  Germany - Christel Schaack  Italy - Rita Stazzi  Norway - Synnøve Gulbrandsen  Panama - Emita Arosemena  Peru - Mary Ann Sarmiento  Turkey - Ayten Akyol  South Africa - Ingrid Mills  Uruguay - Alicia Ibáñez

Special awards

Awards	Contestant
Miss Congeniality	Louisiana - Jeanne Thompson

Order of announcements

Top 16 Austria Australia Mexico Japan France Turkey South Africa Uruguay Peru Panama Norway Italy USA Denmark Germany Canada

Top 5 Mexico USA Japan Australia France

Judges

Jeff Chandler Arlene Dahl

Rhonda Flemming Constance Moore

Contestants

Alaska - Muriel Hagberg  Australia - Maxine Morgan  Austria - Lore Felger  Belgium - Elayne Cortois  Canada - Thelma Elizabeth Brewis  Denmark - Jytte Olsen  Finland - Teija Anneli Sopanen  France - Christiane Martel  Germany - Christel Schaack  Greece - Doreta Xirou Hawaii - Aileen Lauwae Stone  Italy - Rita Stazzi  Japan - Kinuko Ito

Mexico - Ana Bertha Lepe Jiménez †  Norway - Synnøve Gulbrandsen  Panama - Emita Arosemena Zubieta  Peru - Mary Ann Sarmiento  Philippines - Cristina Monson Pacheco  Puerto Rico - Wanda Irizarry  Sweden - Ulla Sandkler   Switzerland - Danielle Oudinet  Turkey - Ayten Akyol  South Africa - Ingrid Rita Mills  Uruguay - Ada Alicia Ibáñez Amengual  USA - Myrna Rae Hansen  Venezuela - Gisela Bolaños Scarton †

Notes

Debuts

•  Austria
•   Switzerland

Withdrawals

Chile  Cuba

Great Britain  Hong Kong

India  Israel

Did not compete

•  Morocco - Colette Ribes

Crossovers

Miss Europe

• 1953:  Austria - Lore Felger
• 1954:  Germany - Christel Schaack (winner)

References

1. "French beauty new Miss Universe". The Day. Associated Press. July 18, 1953. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
2. Mihaela, Dima (September 13, 2009). "Miss Universe: Finnish Armi Kuusela first beauty queen". Adevărul. Retrieved October 7, 2010.

External links

• Pageantopolis - Miss Universe 1953