Miss America 1972, the 45th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on September 11, 1971, and broadcast on NBC.

Miss America 1972
DateSeptember 11, 1971
PresentersBert Parks
VenueBoardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
BroadcasterNBC
WinnerLaurie Lea Schaefer
Ohio Ohio
← 1971
1973 →

Laurie Lea Schaefer, representing Ohio, was crowned Miss America 1972.[1] She became an actress, featured on TV series such as Falcon Crest, and later a casting director and talent scout.

Results edit

Placements edit

Placement Contestant
Miss America 1972
1st Runner-Up
2nd Runner-Up
3rd Runner-Up
4th Runner-Up
  •   Maine – Allyn E. Warner
Top 10

Order of announcements edit

Awards edit

Preliminary edit

Awards Contestant
Lifestyle and Fitness
Talent

Non-finalist awards edit

Awards Contestant
Talent
Special Judges/Talent Award

Other edit

Awards Contestant
Neat as a Pin[2]
Miss Congeniality

Judges edit

Contestants edit

State Name Hometown Age Talent Placement Awards Notes
  Alabama Ceil Jenkins Birmingham 21 Vocal/Dance, "But Alive" from Applause
  Alaska Linda Smith Anchorage 19 Dramatic Interpretation, "The Seagull" Special Judge's Award
  Arizona Celia Sklan Scottsdale 22 Dramatic Skit & Song, "English Pub"
  Arkansas Marilyn Morgan Clarksville 20 Popular Vocal, "Something" Non-finalist Talent Award
  California Carolyn Stoner Belmont 18 Gymnastic Ballet, "Malagueña" Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
  Colorado Cathy Glau Denver 20 Modern Jazz Dance, "Up, Up and Away" Non-finalist Talent Award
  Connecticut Priscilla Doyle Rockville 23 Flamenco Dance
  Delaware Paula Kusmer Wilmington 19 Dramatic Reading from The Diary of Anne Frank Miss Congeniality
  Florida Barbara Jo Ivey Winter Park 19 Piano, "Toccata" Non-finalist Talent Award
  Georgia Cynthia Cook Smyrna 20 Ventriloquist Act, Singing, & Interpretations Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award
  Hawaii Aurora Joan Ka'awa Makakilo City 19 Silhouette Hula Dance & Speech, "In the Islands" Non-finalist Talent Award
  Idaho Karen Herd Idaho Falls 20 Organ, "Ebb Tide" & "España cañi" 1st runner-up
  Illinois Anita Pankratz Chicago 21 Vocal/Piano, "Someone to Watch Over Me"
  Indiana Pat Patterson Gary 22 Vocal, "My Funny Valentine" Special Judge's Award


Neat as a Pin Award

First African American Miss Indiana


Performed as a recording artist under the name "Kellee Patterson"

  Iowa Judith Stephens Clarinda 21 Piano, Rhapsody in Blue
  Kansas Sandy Rings Topeka 20 Vocal/Ventriloquism, "Toyland" Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award
  Kentucky Robbie Halcomb Scottsville 19 Semi-classical Vocal, "Italian Street Song" Contestant at Miss Teenage America 1968
  Louisiana Avis Cochran Shreveport 19 Acrobatic Dance to the theme from Exodus
  Maine Allyn Warner Falmouth 21 Semi-classical Vocal, "Mira" from Carnival 4th runner-up Preliminary Talent Award
  Maryland Joan Michele Ehrgott Avondale 21 Vocal/Dance, "If My Friends Could See Me Now"
  Massachusetts Deborah O'Brien Foxboro 22 Classical Vocal, "Je Veux Vivre" from Romèo et Juliette 2nd runner-up
  Michigan Linda Susan Kish Allen Park 19 Vocal, "As Long as He Needs Me" Non-finalist Talent Award
  Minnesota Sheila Bernhagen Bloomington 19 Acrobatic Jazz Ballet, "Flim Flam Man" Top 10 Older sister of Miss Minnesota 1974, Pam Bernhagen
  Mississippi Jennifer Blair Tupelo 21 Popular Vocal, "I Wish You Love"
  Missouri Deborah Duff Kansas City 19 Modern Jazz Dance, "Big Noise from Winnetka"
  Montana Nancy Harper Helena 18 Vocal, "I'm the Greatest Star" from Funny Girl
  Nebraska Sally Lou Warner Bushnell 19 Vocal, "Big Spender"
  Nevada Joan Burachio Las Vegas 21 Accordion, "Csárdás" Top 10
  New Hampshire Kristi Carlson Nashua 19 Vocal, "What About Today?" Neat as a Pin Award
  New Jersey Lynn Hackerman Mount Laurel 18 Pantomime Dance Formerly served on the Miss America Board of Directors with Sam Haskell
  New Mexico Michele Cornali Silver City 22 Semi-classical Vocal, "Love is Where You Find It"
  New York Elisabeth Condon Angola 21 Acro Jazz Ballet from Applause
  North Carolina Patsy Wood Benson 24 Vocal, "I Believe it All"
  North Dakota Lana Herreid Williston 20 Original Vocal Composition, "From Life"
  Ohio Laurie Lea Schaefer Bexley 22 Semi-classical Vocal, "And This is My Beloved" Winner Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
  Oklahoma Susan Supernaw Tulsa 20 Acrobatic Jazz Ballet Special Judge's Award
  Oregon Lynn Dee Grenz Milwaukie 20 Vocal, "Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here" from On a Clear Day You Can See Forever Non-finalist Talent Award Former Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives & past House Majority Leader


Judge at Miss America 1999

  Pennsylvania Maureen Wimmer Perkasie 20 Classical Vocal, "Quando me'n vo'" from La bohème 3rd runner-up Preliminary Talent Award
  Rhode Island Annette Charpentier Cumberland 21 Semi-classical Vocal, "Eli's Comin'"
  South Carolina Pamela Inabinet Swansea 21 Tap Dance, "Puttin' on the Ritz" Featured performer on the Miss America 1973 telecast
  South Dakota Susan Inman Hot Springs 19 Original Dramatic Skit, "Ecology" Previously Miss Teenage South Dakota 1969

Top 8 at Miss Teenage America 1969

  Tennessee Marsha McDonald Nashville 21 Ballet, "Over and Over Again"
  Texas Janice Bain San Antonio 21 Classical Vocal, "Il Bacio" by Luigi Arditi
  Utah Janis Gentry Vernal 19 Vocal, "Shy" from Once Upon a Mattress
  Vermont Sue Glover Brattleboro 18 Gymnastics Routine on the Uneven Parallel Bars Non-finalist Talent Award
  Virginia Linda Moyer Norfolk 20 Vocal & Dance Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
  Washington Susan Buckner Burien 19 Gymnastics Dance, "The Joker" Top 10 Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Played Patty Simcox in the film Grease
  West Virginia Deborah Lambert Morgantown 19 Piano, "What the World Needs Now is Love"
  Wisconsin Patricia Jacobs Wauwatosa 19 Vocal & Dance, "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" Toured with the Miss America USO Troupe
  Wyoming Marsha Crandall Rock Springs 20 Vocal Medley, "What the World Needs Now is Love" & "The Look of Love"

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Miss America Winners Through The Years".
  2. ^ ""Miss Indiana's" Boosters on hand in Atlantic City". Indianapolis Recorder. September 18, 1971. p. 1.

External links edit