Miss USA 1976
| Miss USA 1976 | |
|---|---|
.jpg) US President Gerald Ford meets with Peterson in 1976 | |
| Date | May 15, 1976 |
| Presenters | Bob Barker |
| Entertainment | Engelbert Humperdinck |
| Venue | Niagara Falls, New York |
| Entrants | 51 |
| Placements | 12 |
| Winner | Barbara Peterson Minnesota |
| Photogenic | Liz Wickersham Georgia |
Miss USA 1976 was the 25th Miss USA pageant, televised live by CBS from Niagara Falls, New York, on May 15, 1976.
The pageant was won by Barbara Peterson of Minnesota, who succeeded outgoing titleholder Summer Bartholomew of California.[1] Peterson was the first – and to date only – woman from Minnesota to win the Miss USA title, and went on to participate at Miss Universe 1976, where she became the first Miss USA titleholder to fail to advance to the semi-final stage of the pageant.
Results
| Final Results | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Miss USA 1976 | |
| 1st Runner-Up | |
| 2nd Runner-Up | |
| 3rd Runner-Up |
|
| 4th Runner-Up | |
| Top 12 |
|
Delegates
The Miss USA 1976 delegates were:
Alabama – Kyle Ellis
Alaska – Liz Staib
Arizona – Curvey Walters
Arkansas – Sonia Kay Jines
California - Joan Pennock
Colorado – Patricia Sweany
Connecticut – Roslyn Ralph
Delaware – Debbie Kucher
District of Columbia – Nancy Stitt
Florida – Leigh Walsh
Georgia – Liz Wickersham
Hawaii – Brenda Texeira
Idaho – Cheryl Gilbert
Illinois – Kathy Schmalen
Indiana – Annette Anderson
Iowa – Sheri Lynn Davenport
Kansas – Deborah Vitera
Kentucky – Connie Clark
Louisiana – Robyn Sanders
Maine – Dawn St. Clair
Maryland – Linda Lee Potter
Massachusetts – Holly Ann Hoyle
Michigan – Kevin Gale
Minnesota – Barbara Peterson
Mississippi – Teresa Camp
Missouri – Donna Hibbits
Montana – Teresa Jane Klaus
Nebraska – Catherine Fricke
Nevada – Janice Carrell
New Hampshire – Sinceree "Peggy" Rowlette
New Jersey – Ginger Hagaman
New Mexico – Jonelle Bergquist
New York – Carol Doerr
North Carolina – Dianne Bowen
North Dakota – Linda Faye Paulson
Ohio – Karen Myers
Oklahoma – Lori Hansen
Oregon – Gail Atchison
Pennsylvania – Marcy Zambelli
Rhode Island – Kathleen Confreda
South Carolina – Virginia Murray
South Dakota – Dorothy Kay Westphal
Tennessee – Jana Kerr
Texas – Candace Gray
Utah – Debbie Drecksel
Vermont – Susan Parsons
Virginia – Donna Dixon
Washington – Norene Gilbert
West Virginia – Cheryl Plants
Wisconsin – Susan Femrite
Wyoming – Murlie Colosky
Judges
- Richard Adler – Broadway producer
- Mr. Blackwell – fashion critic
- Ernest Borgnine – actor
- Maggie Daly – Chicago Tribune gossip columnist
- Sue Ann Downey – Miss USA 1965
- Barry Farber – radio talk show host, author
- Alice Faye – actress, singer
- Melanie Kahane – interior designer
- Claudia McNeil – actress
- Derek Sanderson – NHL centre
- Zoli – fashion designer
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "It's All a Dream World for the New Miss U.S.A." The Kansas City Times. Associated Press. May 17, 1976. p. 9. Retrieved 25 July 2023.