Miss America 1946, the 20th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 7, 1946.[1]

Miss America 1946
DateSeptember 7, 1946
PresentersBob Russell
VenueBoardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Entrants50
Placements16
WinnerMarilyn Buferd
 California
← 1945
1947 →

The winner, Marilyn Buferd, later became an actress, as did fourth runner-up Carol Ohmart and one of the 16 finalists, future Oscar and Emmy Award winner Cloris Leachman.

Results edit

Placements edit

Placement Contestant
Miss America 1946
1st Runner-Up
2nd Runner-Up
3rd Runner-Up
  •   Louisiana – Marguerite Eileen McClelland
4th Runner-Up
Top 16

Awards edit

Preliminary awards edit

Awards Contestant
Lifestyle and Fitness
Talent

Other awards edit

Awards Contestant
Miss Congeniality

Contestants edit

Title Name Hometown Age Talent Placement Awards Notes
  Alabama Emma Dale Nunnally Preliminary Talent Award
  Arkansas Rebecca McCall Blytheville Vocal, "Put the Blame on Mame" 1st Runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
  Atlanta Janey Miller Atlanta Classical Vocal, "Vissi d'arte" 2nd Runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award


Preliminary Talent Award

Baltimore Virginia Martin Baltimore
Baton Rouge Marguerite McClelland Baton Rouge Classical Vocal, "Frühlingsstimmen" 3rd Runner-up
Birmingham Sue Donegan Birmingham
  Boston Paula C. Jerome Boston
  California Marilyn Buferd Los Angeles 21 Dramatic Monologue from Accent on Youth Winner Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
  Chicago Cloris Leachman Chicago Comic Sketch, "One Man Radio Program" Top 16 Later an Oscar and Emmy Award winning actress
  Cincinnati LaVonne Bond Cincinnati Vocal, "Thine Alone" from Eileen Top 16
  Cleveland Mary Eileen Kelly Cleveland
  Colorado Raye Donnelly Colorado Springs
Columbus Mary Lou Henderson Columbus
  Connecticut Joan Turner West Haven Vocal, "Coax Me a Little Bit" Top 16
Detroit Constance Liddicoat Detroit
  District of Columbia Jeanne Carlson 19 Vocal, "Doin' What Comes Natur'lly"
  Florida Jacquelyn Jennings Miami Pantomime, "Just a Square in a Social Circle" Top 16
Greater Philadelphia Virginia Brown Philadelphia
  Illinois Patricia Frye Pekin Vocal/Tap Dance, "I Don't Know Why I Love You Like I Do" Top 16
  Indiana Lois Chitwood Helmsburg Piano & Speech
  Iowa Jacqueline Means Des Moines 19 Acrobatic Dance
  Kansas Joyce Blakemore Liberal
Kansas City Nadine LaVerne Fugett Kansas City
  Kentucky Mary Madonna Smith Jenkins
Louisville Patricia Alden Fenton Louisville Artistic Exhibition & Sketch Top 16
  Maryland Dorothy Crockett Baltimore Original Poetry Recitiation
  Massachusetts Urania "Rae" Nichols Malden
Miami Beach Jini Boyd Miami
  Michigan Ruth Margaret Lenfestey New Baltimore 20
  Minnesota Rosemarie Gregg St. Paul
  Mississippi Lennie Nobles Greenwood Dance Non-finalist Talent Award


Best Dancer Award

Later Known as Josephine Nobles Giacketti
  Nebraska Marjorie Ann Hanson Omaha
  New Jersey Helen Sprinitis Kearny
  New Mexico Martha Cooper Albuquerque Speech, "Career as a Newspaper Reporter"
  New Orleans Joyce Josephine Frink New Orleans
  New York Violet Mellar White Plains Recitation "True to the End" Top 16 Miss Congeniality
  New York City Eileen Henry New York City Dramatic Monologue from Saint Joan Top 16 Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
  North Carolina Trudy Riley Wilson
  Pennsylvania Eleanor Kramer Lebanon Vocal, "My Hero" from The Chocolate Soldier Top 16 Preliminary Talent Award
  Rhode Island Marilyn Tripp Westenly
  South Carolina Anne Mae Morse
  Tennessee Wilda Bowman Chattanooga
  Texas D. Anne Wisener University Park Vocal, "Embraceable You"
  Utah Armelia Carol Ohmart Salt Lake City Vocal, "I Won't Tell a Soul" 4th Runner-up Later a well-known film & TV actress
  Vermont Lola Sundberg Burlington
  Virginia Bette Cannon Alexandria Monologue, "The Waltz" by Dorothy Parker
  West Virginia Norma Lee Salisbury Parkersburg Top 16
  Wisconsin Antoine Lunde Milwaukee/Westby 20 Top 16

References edit

  1. ^ Associated Press (1946-09-08). "Los Angeles Girl Is Miss America". Port Arthur News. p. 1.

Secondary sources edit

  • Saulino Osborne, Angela (1995). "Miss Americas and their Courts". Miss America The Dream Lives On. Taylor Publishing Company. ISBN 0-87833-110-7.

External links edit