Miss America 1983, the 56th Miss America pageant, was from on the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 11, 1982 on NBC Network.

Miss America 1983
DateSeptember 11, 1982
PresentersGary Collins
VenueBoardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
BroadcasterNBC
WinnerDebra Maffett
California California
← 1982
1984 →

Pageant winner Debra Maffett later became a television personality and producer.[1][2][3]

Results

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Placements

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Placement Contestant
Miss America 1983
1st Runner-Up
2nd Runner-Up
3rd Runner-Up
4th Runner-Up
Top 10

Order of announcements

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Awards

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Preliminary awards

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Award Contestant
Lifestyle and Fitness
Talent

Non-finalist awards

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Award Contestant
Talent

Judges

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Contestants

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State Name Hometown Age Talent Placement Special Awards Notes
  Alabama Yolanda Fernandez Troy 19 Classical Piano, Fantaisie-Impromptu 3rd runner-up Previously Florida's Junior Miss 1980
  Alaska Kristan Sapp Wasilla 20 Sac-Jazz Dance
  Arizona Debra Daniels Yuma 20 Free Form Gymnastics, "Chariots of Fire" Top 10
  Arkansas Mary Stuart Little Rock 20 Vocal/Broadway Jazz, "The Birth of the Blues" Top 10 Later cast as Frannie Hughes on As the World Turns from 1990 to 1993
  California Debra Maffett Anaheim 25 Popular Vocal, "Come in From the Rain" Winner Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award


Preliminary Talent Award

  Colorado Deborah Davids Denver 22 Harp, "Introduction et Allegro" by Maurice Ravel Non-finalist Talent Award
  Connecticut Kelly Slater Woodbury 21 Popular Vocal, "Blue Champagne"
  Delaware Nancy Ellen Farley Elsmere 21 Comedy Monologue, "Report of the Nominating Committee"
  Florida Deanna Pitman Apopka 22 Lyrical Dance, "I Hope I Get It" from A Chorus Line
  Georgia Bobbie Eakes Warner Robins 21 Vocal, "Let's Hear it for Me" from Funny Lady Top 10 Sister of Miss Georgia 1979, Sandra Eakes


Later starred as Macy Alexander on The Bold and the Beautiful

  Hawaii Gale Lee Thomas Honolulu 21 Baton Twirling, Theme from Magnum, P.I. & "Hawaiian War Chant"
  Idaho Lisa Eaton Shelley 22 Vocal, "It's My Turn"
  Illinois Jaleigh Jeffers Mount Carmel 21 Piano, "Bumble Boogie"
  Indiana Ilona Conway Bunker Hill 25 Popular Vocal, "Mister Melody"
  Iowa Linda Simon DeWitt 23 Baton Twirling Non-finalist Talent Award
  Kansas Lisa Marie Berwick Valley Center 21 Vocal, "Battle Hymn of the Republic"
  Kentucky Gwendolyn Witten Vine Grove 23 Semi-classical Vocal, "And This is My Beloved" Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award
  Louisiana Bobbie Candler Baton Rouge 25 Semi-classical Vocal, "With a Song in My Heart" Non-finalist Talent Award Previously National Sweetheart 1979
  Maine Rebecca Beck Brunswick 21 Classical Vocal, "Adele's Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus
  Maryland Lynne Carol Graham Bethesda 23 Popular Vocal, "Alfie" Mother of Miss Kentucky 2007, Kaitlynne Postel
  Massachusetts Lisa Scorgie North Attleboro 23 Violin, "Fantasy of Russian Folk Songs"
  Michigan Kathy Lou Pennington Jackson 25 Vocal, "God Bless the Child"
  Minnesota Laurie Saarinen Osage 21 Vocal, "My Man" Top 10 Previously Miss North Dakota USA 1981
  Mississippi Dianne Evans Taylorsville 22 Vocal, "Stormy Weather" 2nd runner-up Preliminary Talent Award
  Missouri Julie Phillips Ava 18 Classical/Jazz Piano
  Montana Kimberly Knauf Billings 21 Piano Medley, "Jump Shout Boogie" & "Sonata Pathétique"
  Nebraska Sandra Haschke Humphrey 20 Popular Vocal, "All I Ever Need is You"
  Nevada Kim King Las Vegas 21 Banjo, "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee"
  New Hampshire Amy Bowker Amherst 21 Jazz Dance, "The Music and the Mirror" from A Chorus Line
  New Jersey Christina Shone Pequannock 22 Classical Vocal, "Non Piu Mesta" from La Cenerentola
  New Mexico Cyndi Ann Friesen Carlsbad 19 Vocal, "Carnival"
  New York Eileen Clark Syracuse 23 Classical Vocal, "Glitter and Be Gay" from Candide Non-finalist Talent Award
  North Carolina Elizabeth Williams Shelby 22 Semi-classical Vocal, "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" from The Sound of Music Non-finalist Talent Award


Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award

  North Dakota Jeana Wolf Rugby 21 Tap Dance, "You're a Grand Old Flag" & "Give My Regards to Broadway"
  Ohio Debra Gombert Bexley 22 Semi-classical Vocal, "Love is Where You Find It"
  Oklahoma Nancy Chapman Altus 21 Piano, "Fireworks" by Debussy 4th runner-up
  Oregon Laura Matthys Salem 21 Rifle Twirling Routine, "Herzegovinian March"
  Pennsylvania Laurie Ann Hixenbaugh Belle Vernon 22 Baton Twirling, "Pop Goes to the Movies"
  Rhode Island Cynthia Crook Warwick 22 Vocal/Dance, Theme from New York, New York
  South Carolina Julia Hill Florence 26 Classical Piano, "Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2, 3rd Movement" Non-finalist Talent Award Mother of Miss South Carolina 2008, Anna Perry
  South Dakota Tara Meyerink Platte 19 Classical Piano, "Polichinelle" by Sergei Rachmaninoff
  Tennessee Desiree Daniels Chattanooga 22 Popular Vocal, "Don't Cry Out Loud" 1st runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Later Miss Tennessee USA 1984

2nd runner-up at Miss USA 1984

  Texas Gloria Gilbert Millsap 20 Ventriloquism & Vocal, "I've Been Everywhere" Non-finalist Talent Award Previously National Sweetheart 1981


Longtime hostess of the Miss Texas pageant television broadcast

  Utah Cindy Quinn Provo 21 Classical Vocal, "Habanera" from Carmen
  Vermont Jill Wyckoff South Burlington 20 Gymnastics Dance, Theme from CHiPs
  Virginia Beverly Cooke Richmond 24 Vocal Medley, "Smile" & "Happy Days are Here Again" Mother of Miss Virginia's Outstanding Teen 2006, Brittany Young
  Washington Monica Hard Bellevue 23 Vocal Medley, "Sweet Inspiration" & "Where You Lead"
  West Virginia Kelly Lea Anderson Clarksburg 21 Stylized Can-Can Later Miss West Virginia USA 1984

1st runner-up at Miss USA 1984


Later Miss World USA 1984

Top 5 finalist at Miss World 1984

  Wisconsin Gail Marie Soller La Crosse 24 Classical Vocal, "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" Non-finalist Talent Award
  Wyoming Janie Hertzler Cheyenne 23 Vocal, "Everything"

References

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  1. ^ "CALIFORNIAN WINS MISS AMERICA". NY Times. September 12, 1982. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  2. ^ "Miss California Debra Sue Maffett a blonde Texan who..." UPI. September 11, 1982. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  3. ^ "Debra Sue Maffett: Miss America 1983". UPI. September 12, 1982. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
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