Miss Universe 1955

File:LBarena.jpg

Contestants from thirty-three countries and territories were selected to compete in the pageant. The age requirement in this edition was still from eighteen to twenty-eight, where women who were married and had children could also participate.{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Vera |date=23 March 1952 |title=Pageant of Pulchritude |pages=50 |work=Long Beach Press-Telegram |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/long-beach-press-telegram-lb-pt-23-mar-1/78107882/ |access-date=7 July 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}

The 1955 edition saw the debuts of Ceylon, Ecuador, England, Guatemala, Lebanon, and Nicaragua, and the return of Venezuela who last competed in 1953.{{Cite news |date=27 June 1955 |title=Miss Ceylon is Dutch |pages=2 |work=The Straits Times |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19550627-1.2.41 |access-date=18 July 2023 |via=National Library Board}} Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Singapore, and Thailand withdrew after their respective organizations failed to hold a national competition or appoint a delegate.

Expected to compete are Consuelo Díaz of Bolivia,{{Cite web|date=7 April 2017|title=Consuelo Díaz, la primera Miss Bolivia|trans-title=Consuelo Díaz, the first Miss Bolivia|url=https://www.lostiempos.com/oh/tendencias/20170410/consuelo-diaz-primera-miss-bolivia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191113233818/https://www.lostiempos.com/oh/tendencias/20170410/consuelo-diaz-primera-miss-bolivia|archive-date=13 November 2019|access-date=24 March 2025|website=Los Tiempos|language=es}} Karin Rasmussen of Denmark, Gladir Leopardi of Egypt, Angelina Kalkhoven of Holland, and Suna Soley of Turkey. However, these women withdrew due to undisclosed reasons.{{Cite news|date=1 June 1955|title=Miss Holland trok aller aandacht|language=nl|pages=3|work=De Telegraaf|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?query=%22Angelina+Kalkhoven%22&coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:110586384:mpeg21:a0141&resultsidentifier=ddd:110586384:mpeg21:a0141&rowid=2|access-date=18 July 2023|via=Delpher|trans-title=Miss Holland attracted everyone's attention}}{{Cite news|date=4 May 2020|last=Tarihi|first=Güncelleme|title=Güzeller canlı yayında buluştu|trans-title=Beauties met on live broadcast|url=https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/galeri-1929dan-gunumuze-turkiye-guzelleri-41508916|access-date=29 April 2025|website=Hürriyet|language=Turkish|archive-date=2 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102125519/https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/galeri-1929dan-gunumuze-turkiye-guzelleri-41508916|url-status=live}}

File:Miss Universe 1955 Top-5.jpg

From sixteen in the previous edition, fifteen semi-finalists were chosen at the preliminary competition that consists of the swimsuit and evening gown competition. Each of the fifteen semi-finalists gave a short speech during the final telecast using their native languages. Afterwards, the fifteen semi-finalists paraded again in their swimsuits and evening gowns, and the five finalists were eventually chosen.

• Milo Anderson – American movie dress designer{{Cite news|last=Bacon|first=James|date=23 July 1955|title=Miss Sweden named Miss Universe in final judging to pick world's most beautiful|pages=5|work=The Central New Jersey Home News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-central-new-jersey-home-news/145205781/|access-date=20 March 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
• Myrna Hansen – Miss USA 1953 from Illinois{{Cite news|last=Bacon|first=James|date=23 July 1955|title=Judges pick Swedish beauty for '55 Miss Universe title|language=en|pages=1|work=The Day|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8540AAAAIBAJ&sjid=4XEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4202%2C3696144|access-date=25 July 2023|via=Google News Archive}}
• Samuel Heavenrich – from the Long Beach Municipal Arts Center
• Tom Kelley – American photographer
• Robert Palmer – American casting director
• George Rony – American author
• Ginny Simms – American actress and singer
• Vincent Trotta – Artistic director of Paramount Pictures
• Alberto Vargas – Peruvian-American painter of pin-up girls
• Earl Wilson – American columnist and journalist
• Roger Zeiler – Member of the Miss Europe committee

Image:Miss Universe 1955 Map.PNGThirty-three contestants competed for the title.{{Cite news |date=17 July 1955 |title=Here's official list of Miss Universe charmers |pages=8 |work=Long Beach Press-Telegram |location=Long Beach, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/long-beach-press-telegram-july-17-1955/123717567/ |access-date=14 May 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}

|Maureen Hingert{{Cite news |date=14 July 1955 |title=Ceylonese beau-tea |language=en |pages=10 |work=The News-Dispatch |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=679WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-kENAAAAIBAJ&pg=4928%2C815705 |access-date=19 July 2023 |via=Google News Archive}}

|18

|Colombo

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|{{flagicon|Chile|1955}} Chile

|Rosa Merello{{Cite news|date=19 July 1955|title=Two are lucky|language=en|pages=3|work=The Daily News|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/266336868?searchTerm=Miss%20Universe|access-date=28 July 2023|via=Trove|location=Perth, Australia}}

|18

|Santiago

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|{{flagicon|Costa Rica|1906}} Costa Rica

|Clemencia Martínez{{Cite web|last=Herrera|first=Manuel |date=29 October 2016|title=Especial 70 años de moda: Las memorias de las ‘misses’|url=https://www.nacion.com/revista-dominical/especial-70-anos-de-moda-las-memorias-de-las-misses/3OGDS3OYSVGQTJUQTV3RHABCI4/story/|access-date=19 March 2025|website=La Naciónal|language=es}}

|22

|San José

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|{{flagicon|Cuba|1902}} Cuba

|Gilda Marín{{Cite news |date=5 September 1955 |title=Filmará en México la Señorita Cuba 1955, se dijo |language=es |trans-title=Miss Cuba 1955 will be filmed in Mexico, they said |pages=4 |work=La Opinion |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4cdQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GLIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2194%2C4598822 |access-date=25 August 2023 |via=Google News Archive}}

|26

|Havana

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|{{flagicon|Ecuador|1900}} Ecuador

|Leonor Carcache{{Cite news |date=15 July 1955 |title=US and foreign beauties in California for Miss Universe contest |pages=17 |work=Youngstown Vindicator |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=y24_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=llQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=735%2C4082527 |access-date=25 August 2023 |via=Google News Archive}}

|21

|Guayaquil

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|{{flagicon|El Salvador|1923}} El Salvador

|Maribel Arrieta{{Cite web|last=Vargas|first=Andrew S.|date=8 November 2016|title=Remembering Maribel Arrieta, the "Salvadoran Marilyn Monroe" Who Turned Down Hollywood|url=https://remezcla.com/film/tbt-maribel-arrieta-salvadoran-marilyn-monroe/|access-date=25 August 2023|website=Remezcla|language=en-US}}

|19

|San Salvador

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|{{flagicon|England|1417}} England

|Margaret Rowe{{Cite news|date=23 July 1955|title=Miss England and Sweden favoured|language=en|pages=3|work=The Singapore Free Press|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/freepress19550723-1.2.38?ST=1&AT=search&SortBy=Oldest&K=Miss+Universe&P=33&Display=0&filterS=0&QT=miss,universe&oref=article|access-date=25 August 2023|via=National Library Board}}

|19

|London

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|{{flagicon|Finland}} Finland

|Sirkku Talja{{Cite news|date=21 July 1955|title=Beauty queens wilt|language=en|pages=31|work=The Central Queensland Herald|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/79252072?searchTerm=Miss%20Universe|access-date=25 August 2023|via=Trove}}

|19

|Helsinki

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|{{flagicon|France|1830}} France

|Claude Petit{{Cite news|date=28 June 1955|title=Here come the tears|language=en|pages=3|work=The Daily News|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/266322800?searchTerm=Miss%20Universe|access-date=25 August 2023|via=Trove}}

|18

|Aulnay-sous-Bois

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|{{flagicon|Greece|old}} Greece

|Sonia Zoidou{{Cite news |date=18 December 1955 |title=Life's darkest hour; she has to go home |language=en |pages=165 |work=The Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/118613323/ |access-date=19 July 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}

|18

|Athens

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|{{flagicon|Guatemala}} Guatemala

|María del Rosario Molina

|18

|Guatemala City

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|{{flagicon|Honduras|1949}} Honduras

|Pastora Pagán{{Cite web|last=Gámez|first=Sabino|date=20 August 2010|title=Pastora Pagán, 55 años después de la hazaña|url=https://www.laprensa.hn/espectaculos/pastora-pagan-55-anos-despues-de-la-hazana-HQLP489529|access-date=25 August 2023|website=La Prensa|language=es-HN|trans-title=Pastora Pagán, 55 years after the feat}}

|18

|San Pedro Sula

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|{{flagicon|Israel}} Israel

|Ilana Carmel{{Cite news|date=9 September 1955|title=Miss Israel gets 29 marriage bids|language=en|pages=1|work=⁨⁨The American Jewish World|url=https://www.nli.org.il/en/newspapers/amjwld/1955/09/09/01/article/12/?srpos=67&e=-------en-20--61--img-txIN%7ctxTI-Miss+Universe-------------1|access-date=25 August 2023|via=National Library of Israel}}

|19

|Bat Yam

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|{{flagicon|Italy|1946}} Italy

|Elena Fancera{{Cite news|date=8 July 1955|title=Italy's choice|language=en|pages=16|work=Daily Press|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69869622/daily-press/|access-date=25 August 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

|20

|Rome

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|{{flagicon|Japan|1870}} Japan

|Keiko Takahashi{{Cite news|date=24 July 1955|title=Asian misses just miss|language=en|pages=1|work=The Straits Times|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19550724-1.2.13?ST=1&AT=search&SortBy=Oldest&K=Miss+Universe&P=33&Display=0&filterS=0&QT=miss,universe&oref=article|access-date=25 August 2023|via=National Library Board}}

|20

|Tokyo

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|{{flagicon|Lebanon|1943}} Lebanon

|Hanya Beydoun

|18

|Beirut

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|{{flagicon|Mexico|1934}} Mexico

|Yolanda Mayen{{Cite news|date=19 July 1955|title="Miss Universe" beauties on Western film lot|language=en|pages=14|work=The Enid Daily Eagle|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-enid-daily-eagle-1955/123499694/|access-date=25 August 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

|18

|Tijuana

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|{{flagicon|Nicaragua|1908}} Nicaragua

|Rosa Argentina Lacayo{{Cite web|last=Mendoza|first=Tammy Zoad|date=13 January 2013|title=La primera Miss Nicaragua|url=https://www.laprensa.com.ni/magazine/reportaje/la-primera-miss-nicaragua-2/|access-date=25 August 2023|website=La Prensa|language=es|trans-title=The first Miss Nicaragua}}

|19

|Managua

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|{{flagicon|Norway|1900}} Norway

|Solveig Borstad{{Cite news|date=21 July 1955|title=Our secrets–by beauties|language=en|pages=3|work=The Singapore Free Press|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/freepress19550721-1.2.27|access-date=25 August 2023|via=National Library Board}}

|23

|Oslo

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|{{flagicon|Philippines|1936}} Philippines

|Yvonne de los Reyes{{Cite web |last=Lo |first=Ricky |author-link=Ricky Lo |date=12 February 2010 |title=Misses RP for Miss U pageant, 1952-'63 |url=https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2010/02/12/548556/misses-rp-miss-u-pageant-1952-63 |access-date=11 May 2023 |website=Philippine Star}}

|19

|Manila

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|{{flagicon|Puerto Rico|1952}} Puerto Rico

|Carmen Laura Betancourt{{Cite web|title=Reinas de Puerto Rico |url=http://www.arecibo.inter.edu/wp-content/uploads/biblioteca/reinas/reinas_belleza_pr_1932_1970.pdf|access-date=19 March 2025|language=es}}

|20

|Rio Piedras

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|{{flagicon|South Korea|1949}} South Korea

|Kim Mee-chong{{Cite news|date=22 June 1955|title=Meet Miss Korea, 1955|language=en|pages=7|work=The Daily News|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/266324054?searchTerm=Miss%20Universe|access-date=25 August 2023|via=Trove}}

|22

|Busan

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|{{flagicon|Sweden|1906}} Sweden

|Hillevi Rombin

|21

|Uppsala

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|{{flagicon|United States|1912}} United States

|Carlene King Johnson{{Cite news|last=Bacon|first=James|date=21 July 1955|title=Miss Vermont named Miss U.S.A.|pages=1|work=The Boston Globe|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59068082/miss-vermont-named-miss-usa-carlene/|access-date=14 May 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

|22

|Rutland

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|{{flagicon|Uruguay|1830}} Uruguay

|Inge Hoffmann{{Cite news|date=15 July 1955|title=Miss Uruguay cut down to size|language=en|pages=1|work=The Daily News|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/266334618?searchTerm=Miss%20Universe|access-date=25 August 2023|via=Trove}}

|19

|Montevideo

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|{{flagicon|Venezuela|1954}} Venezuela

|Susana Duijm{{Cite web|last=Roterman|first=Natalie|date=19 June 2016|title=Susana Duijm Dead: First Latina To Ever Win Miss Mundo Passes At 79|url=https://www.latintimes.com/susana-duijm-dead-first-latina-ever-win-miss-mundo-passes-79-391264|access-date=25 August 2023|website=Latin Times|language=en}}

|18

|Caracas

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|{{flagicon|West Germany|1949}} West Germany

|Margit Nünke{{Cite web |date=26 February 2015 |title=Feuilleton Kompakt |trans-title=Feuilleton Compact |url=https://www.welt.de/print/die_welt/kultur/article137838899/Feuilleton-Kompakt.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180604103957/https://www.welt.de/print/die_welt/kultur/article137838899/Feuilleton-Kompakt.html |archive-date=4 June 2018 |access-date=25 August 2023 |website=Die Welt |language=de}}

|24

|Cologne

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|{{flagicon|British Trinidad and Tobago|1889}} West Indies

|Noreen Campbell

|18

|Port of Spain

|}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.missuniverse.com/ Miss Universe official website]

{{Miss Universe}}

{{Miss Universe 1955 delegates}}

1955

Category:1955 beauty pageants

Category:Beauty pageants in the United States

Category:1955 in California

Category:July 1955 in the United States