Miss America 1947, the 21st Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 6, 1947.[1] Barbara Jo Walker was the last Miss America to be crowned in her swimsuit, as well as the last contestant to represent just a city, rather than her state.[2] Margaret Marshall, representing Canada, captured the swimsuit competition and placed third overall in the pageant.[3] The judges for the Miss America pagenat were Win Barron (Paramount's representative in Canada), Vincent Trotta (head of National Screen Service art department), Walter Thornton (head of the Walter Thornton Model Agency), and Arthur William Brown (noted illustrator).[4]

Miss America 1947
DateSeptember 6, 1947
VenueBoardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Entrants54
Placements15
WinnerBarbara Jo Walker
Memphis
← 1946
1948 →

Results

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Placements

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Placement Contestant
Miss America 1947
1st Runner-Up
2nd Runner-Up
  •   Canada – Margaret Marshall
3rd Runner-Up
4th Runner-Up
Top 15

Awards

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Preliminary awards

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Awards Contestant
Lifestyle and Fitness
Talent

Other awards

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Awards Contestant
Miss Congeniality

Contestants

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Title Name Hometown Age Talent Placement Awards Notes
  Alabama Peggy June Elder Gadsden Vocal, "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now" 3rd runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Peggy June Elder Butler died at age 93 on April 30, 2023 at home in Gadsden, Alabama.
  Arizona Wanda Law Tempe Top 15
  Arkansas Pam Camp Little Rock Sketching
  Atlanta Joy Elizabeth Smith Atlanta Vocal, "Eccentric Dance"
Brooklyn Lynn Faune Brooklyn Vocal, "I Come from Brooklyn"
  California Laura Emery Salinas 18 Vocal, "So Long for so Long" 4th Runner-up
  Canada Margaret Marshall Toronto 2nd Runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Chattanooga Dorothy Cunningham Tap Dance
  Chicago Joan Hiatt Chicago Vocal, "Kiss in the Dark"
  Colorado Joyce Haycock Pueblo Vocal, "Chi-Baba"
  Connecticut Louise Bienvenu Waterbury Vocal, "On the Sunny Side of the Street"
Detroit Jane Rose Foster Detroit Vocal, "My Dream Came True"
  District of Columbia Margaret Wilson 19 Dance, "Mexican Hat Dance"
  Florida Eula Ann McGehee St. Petersburg Magic Act
  Georgia Robbie Sauls Cuthbert Vocal, "Smilin' Through"
Greater Philadelphia Kay McClane Philadelphia Vocal, "Sketching"
  Idaho Norma Briggs Pocatello Drama, Romeo & Juliet
  Illinois Marce Evans Joliet Dress Design & Art
  Indiana Beverly Trenary Gary Vocal, "I'll Close my Eyes"
  Iowa Ruth Janet Anderson Oelwein 19 Vocal, "You Made Me Love You"
  Kansas Ruth Ellen Richmond Fort Scott Vocal, "Wonderful One"
  Kentucky Evelyn L. Murray Louisville Samba Top 15 Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Los Angeles County Marilyn Davidson Los Angeles Vocal/Dress Design, "A Sunday Kind of Love"
  Louisiana Ruth Mary Blust New Orleans Vocal, "This Song is You"
Louisville Margaret Allen Hill Louisville Vocal/Piano, "It Had to be You"
  Maryland Carolyn Jean Dixon Cumberland Vocal, "It Had to be You"
Memphis Barbara Jo Walker Memphis 21 Art Display & Vocal Medley, "One Kiss" & "Un Bel Di" from Madama Butterfly Winner Preliminary Talent Award
Miami Beach Pepper Shore Miami Interpretive Dance of the South Seas Top 15 Preliminary Talent Award
  Michigan Peggy Ellsworth Reed City Vocal, "She's Funny That Way"
  Minnesota Elaine Campbell Minneapolis Classical Vocal, "Je Veux Vivre" from Roméo et Juliette 1st Runner-up Preliminary Talent Award
  Mississippi Kitty Bailey Oxford Painting
  Missouri Mary Jean Burke Kansas City Vocal, "I'm a Big Girl Now"
  Montana Carol Chaffen Corvallis Classical Vocal, "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" from Samson and Delilah
  New Hampshire Bernice Loiselle Manchester Rumba Dance
  New Jersey Delores Mendes Newark Vocal & Guitar Medley, "I Close my Eyes" & "Siboney" Top 15
  New York Carol Fredericks Harrison Tap Dance
  New York City Raven Malone New York City Vocal, "Put the Blame on Mame" Top 15 Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
  North Carolina Alice White Fayetteville Vocal, "That's My Desire"
  Ohio Nancy Nesbitt Cleveland Vocal, "I Don't Know Enough About You"
Omaha Madalyn Joyce King Omaha Tap Dance Non-finalist Talent Award
  Oregon Jo Ann Amorde Sutherlin Vocal, "Alice Blue Gown" from Irene Top 15 Mother of Miss Oregon 1974, Juli Ann Berg
  Pennsylvania Dorothy Gresh Williamsport Vocal, "Lover, Come to Me"
Pittsburg Lillian Handford Pittsburg Painting Display Top 15
  Rhode Island Ellen DiCenzo Providence Vocal
  South Carolina Margaret Griffin Spartanburg Classical Vocal
  South Dakota Roselyn Lea Anderson Saint Onge Piano, "'O Sole Mio"
  Tennessee Georgia Cunningham Tap Dance Top 15
  Texas Luna McClain Lufkin Vocal, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" & "Cowboy Boogie" Miss Congeniality
  Utah Donna Southwck Cedar City Drama, Piano, Vocal, & Dance
  Vermont Barbara Campbell Montpelier Vocal, "Blue Skies"
  Virginia Ruth Ellen Mears Cape Charles Speech
  West Virginia Joan Elizabeth Estep Wheeling Piano, "Rhapsody in Blue" Top 15
  Wisconsin Gladys Elaine Berkley Baraboo 19 Monologue Gladys Elaine Berkley Stracy died of a brief illness in Madison, Wisconsin at age 38 on September 10, 1965.
  Wyoming Dorothy McKay Cheyenne Painting Exhibition Top 15

References

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  1. ^ United Press (1947-09-08). "New Miss America Planning Return To College". Toledo Blade. p. 3.
  2. ^ "1947 Barbara Walker". Archived from the original on 2010-09-30. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
  3. ^ Associated Press (1947-09-08). "Miss Canada Nearly Miss America Wins Third Place At Atlantic City". Montreal Gazette. p. 1.
  4. ^ Nichols, Dudley (Jul–Sep 1947). Boxoffice. Kansas City Associated Publications: 817. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

Secondary sources

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