Famous Pageant Winners

From Halle Berry to Oprah Winfrey - Famous Pageant Winners and Losers

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Halle Berry - Miss Ohio USA 1986

Halle Berry's pageant titles include: Miss Teen All American 1985, Miss Ohio-USA 1986, first runner-up to Miss USA 1986 (Christie Fitchner, Miss Texas), and 6th at the 1986 Miss World Pageant.

She won the coveted role of Queen in the Alex Hailey mini-series, Queen, on the TV series Knots Landing and Living Dolls, and starred in the movies Jungle Fever and The Flintstones. 

She is the first African-American woman ever to win an Academy Award for her performance in the film, Monster's ball in 2002.

 

 

 

 

Lindsay Bloom 

Bloom, the 4th runner-up at the Miss International Pageant, achieved fame playing sexy blonds on TV sitcoms: Daisy on The Dukes of Hazards, Ray Krebb's girlfriend on Dallas, and Vega$.

Later, she dyed her trademark blond tresses brunette to play Stacy Keach's sidekick, Velda, on Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer.

Delta Burke - Miss Florida 1973

One of the best known "losers" at the Miss America Pageant, Delta competed as Miss Florida in the 1974 contest. She failed to make the top ten after performing her British dramatic recital about soon-to-be-executed Queen Anne Boleyn, with a Southern accent.

Later, she trademarked the role of former beauty queen as Suzanne Sugarbaker on the hit series, Designing Women, and starred in Filthy Rich and Love and Curses and All That Jazz.

Delta's other pageant titles included Miss Florida Flame, Miss Veteran's Day, Miss Orlando Action Princess, and Miss All-American Girl.

Gretchen Carlson - Miss America 1989

This high school valedictorian and Stanford University student who had also studied at Oxford University in England, Carlson was chosen as Miss American 1989.  Competing as Miss Minnesota, she is the only classical violinist to win and is credited with being one of the brightest titleholders ever. 
Carlson began her broadcasting career as a political reporter for WRIC-TV in Richmond, Virginia. She then served as a weekend anchor and reporter for KXAS-TV in Dallas, TX, was an anchor and reporter at WOIO-TV in Cleveland, OH, and for WCPO-TV in Cincinnati. She went on to serve as a news correspondent for the CBS News and co-anchor of  the CBS Saturday Early Show.

Gretchen joined FOX News (FNC) as an anchor in June 2005. She serves as co-anchor of Fox's live morning show, "FOX & Friends," which is rated as cable's number one morning program.

Gretchen's work as a television journalist has been honored by three American Women in Radio and Television National Awards (Gracie Awards), including awards for her coverage of domestic violence, daycare security, and best network feature. 

• More about Gretchen Carlson
• Gretchen Carlson Bio - Fox News
• Gretchen Carlson - YouTube.com clip

Leanza Cornett - Miss America 1992   

Leanza Cornett, Miss America 1992, who was the first Miss Florida to win the Miss America title, has appeared as a reporter on Entertainment Tonight, co-hosted numerous shows including Lifetime Network's New Attitudes, and starred in Barefoot in the Park.

She is married to Mark Stienes, reporter for Entertainment Tonight.

Jamie Nicole Dudney - Miss Tennessee 1993

Miss Tennessee 1993 now appears as Georgia in the daytime soap, As the World Turns.

Lara Dutta - Miss Universe 2002

The elegant Miss Universe 2002 from India has gone on to enjoy film success in her native countries famous Bollywood.
• View Lara Dutta movies

Bobbie Eakes - Miss Georgia 1981

Eakes, who competed as Miss Georgia in the 1982 Miss America Pageant, won the role of Macy on The Bold and the Beautiful.

Mary Frann - America's Junior Miss 1961

Mary Frann won the 1961 America's Junior Miss title before going on to star as Joanna Loudon on the hit sitcom Newhart.

She attended Northwestern University and founded the America's Junior Miss Council in 1995.  Frann died in 1998.

Phyllis George - Miss America 1971

Phyllis, who won the 1971 Miss America title as Miss Texas, was the only winner to drop her crown on live television. 

She went on to become the first successful female sports anchor (NFL Today) and starred on Candid Camera, People, and CBS's The Morning News. She later served as First Lady of Kentucky with (now ex-) husband, John Y. Brown.

Kathie Lee Gifford - Maryland's Junior Miss

Before rising to TV fame as star of Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, Kathie Lee Gifford represented Maryland in the America's Junior Miss Pageant.

She was quietly disqualified when she inadvertently broke the rules by chatting with a man in public. Reeeeege?!

Kathie Lee Gifford music CDs

Karen Morris Gowdy - America's Junior Miss 1974

Karen Morris was crowned America's Junior Miss of 1974.  She graduated from the University of Wyoming and married Curt Gowdy Jr.  Karen's career in acting has included playing Dr. Faith Coleridge for almost a decade on the Emmy-winning Ryan's Hope.

Nancy Stafford

After winning the Miss Florida title in 1976, Stafford won roles on The Doctors and St. Elsewhere, and as Andy Griffith’s junior law partner, Michelle Thomas, on the series, Matlock.

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