Miss America 1956 , the 29th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 10, 1955 and was broadcast of the competition on ABC .
Sharon Ritchie became the first Miss Colorado to be the winner. As she was crowned, master of ceremonies Bert Parks performed the song "There She Is..." for the first time.
Results [ ]
Final results
Contestant
Miss America 1956
1st runner-up
2nd runner-up
3rd runner-up
4th runner-up
Top 10
Awards [ ]
Preliminary awards [ ]
Awards
Contestant
Lifestyle and Fitness
Talent
Other awards [ ]
Awards
Contestant
Miss Congeniality
Hawaii - Barbara Mamo Vieira
Non-finalist Talent
Contestants [ ]
State
Name
Hometown
Age
Talent
Placement
Awards
Notes
Alabama
Patricia Huddleston
Clanton
21
Classical Vocal, "Pace, Pace Mio Dio!" from La Forza del Destinó
Top 10
Preliminary Talent Award
Arizona
Beth Andre
Phoenix
Comic Monologue, "What Do I Do Now, Mr. McLeod?"
Top 10
Arkansas
Charlene Bowers
Helena
Vocal, "I Want to be Evil "
California
Barbara Harris
Santa Cruz
Vocal, "Over the Rainbow "
Canada
Dalyce Gail Smith
Whitehorse
Chicago
Florence Gallagher
Chicago
Semi-classical Vocal, "Love is Where You Find it"
2nd runner-up
Colorado
Sharon Ritchie
Denver
18
Recitation, "The Murder of Lidice" by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Winner
Connecticut
Audrey Figlar
Hartford
Charleston Dance
Delaware
Joanne Sakowski
Wilmington
Vocal
District of Columbia
Judith Dunkle
Washington, D.C.
19
Vocal
Florida
Sandra Wirth
Miami
Fire Baton, "Jazz Medley"
Top 10
Preliminary Talent Award
Georgia
Jeanine Parris
Atlanta
22
Dramatic Monologue
Hawaii
Barbara Mamo Vieria
Honolulu
Vocal/Hula, "The Night is Young"
Top 10
Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Miss Congeniality
Idaho
Judy Voiten
Boise
19
Vocal/Guitar, "Western Folk Song Medley"
Illinois
Marian Elizabeth Cox
Oak Park
Vocal, "If I Loved You "
Indiana
Carolyn Turner
Indianapolis
Chalk Talk & Poetry
Iowa
Kay Taylor
Iowa City
20
Tap Dance, "French Maids Dreaming of Marriage"
Kansas
Gail White
Arkansas City
Piano
Kentucky
Ann Shirley Gillock
Carrollton
Organ
Louisiana
Jan Aline Johnston
Ruston
Drama
Maine
Janice Vaughn
Waterville
Dramatic Monologue
Maryland
Carol Jeanette
Westminster
Fashion Display & Speech, "How to Pack a Suitcase"
Massachusetts
Virginia Maffucci
Watertown
Dramatic Monologue, "Solitary Confinement"
Top 10
Preliminary Talent Award
Michigan
Margaret Devereaux
Howell
Piano, "Flight of the Bumblebee "
Minnesota
Marlyse Reed
Fairmont
Dramatic Monologue from L'Aiglon
Mississippi
Carolyn Cochran
Lucedale
Dramatic Monologue
Missouri
Sharon Knickmeyer
St. Louis
Synchronized Swimming
Non-finalist Talent Award
Montana
Bertha Mae Huebl
Glendive
Vocal
Nebraska
Sandra Spiecher
Omaha
Speech, "Teaching Handicapped Students"
Nevada
Vivienne Potter
Reno
Dramatic Monologue, "An Address to the Jury"
New Hampshire
Margaret Johnson
Dover
Dramatic Monologue
New Jersey
Patricia Campbell
Camden
Dance
New York City
Diana Deutsch
New York City
Art Sketching
North Carolina
Clara Faye Arnold
Raleigh
Monologue, "Sabrina Fair"
3rd runner-up
Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
North Dakota
MaryAnn Gibbs
Williston
Vocal
Ohio
Marguerite Garr
Cincinnati
Vocal & Zither, "Old Black Joe "
Oklahoma
Ann Campbell
Oklahoma City
Speech & Furniture Design Display
4th runner-up
Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Oregon
Dorothy Mae Johnson
Portland
Dramatic Monologue from Macbeth
1st runner-up
Pennsylvania
Pam Ulrich
Sinking Spring
Drama, "Proper Recitation"
Puerto Rico
Gladys Rodríguez
Rhode Island
Claire Mae Emerson
Pawtucket
Dramatic Monologue
South Carolina
Martha Chestnut
Conway
Piano
South Dakota
Connie White
Canistota
Piano
Tennessee
Patty Williams
Jackson
Vocal, "The Student Prince"
Texas
June Prichard
Seymour
Horseback Riding
1st runner-up at Miss Dixie 1957
Utah
Suzanne Storrs Poulton
Salt Lake City
Non-finalist Talent Award
Vermont
Phyllis Reich
Bennington
Vocal & Dance
Virginia
Betty Sue Matthews
Norfolk
Vocal, "There's No Business Like Show Business "
West Virginia
Mary Fryman
Madison
Vocal
Wisconsin
Margaret Walls
Milwaukee
18
Ballet, "Dying Swan"
References [ ]
External links [ ]