Miss Universe 1957

{{Short description|6th Miss Universe pageant}}

{{Infobox beauty pageant

| photo = Gladys Zender Miss Universe 1957.jpg

| caption = Gladys Zender

| date = {{Start date|1957|07|19|df=y}}

| presenters = Bob Russell

| venue = Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California, United States

| broadcaster = CBS

| entrants = 32

| placements = 15

| debuts = {{Hlist|Martinique|Morocco|Paraguay}}

| withdraws = {{Hlist|British Guiana|Chile|Dominican Republic|Holland|United States}}

| returns = {{Hlist|Austria|Ceylon|Hawaii|South Korea}}

| congeniality = Mapita Mercado Cordero, Puerto Rico

| winner = Gladys Zender

| represented = Peru

| photogenic = Gerti Daub, West Germany

| before = 1956

| next = 1958

}}

Miss Universe 1957 was the sixth Miss Universe pageant, held at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California, United States on 19 July 1957.

Gladys Zender of Peru won the contest, and was crowned by Carol Morris of the United States. Zender was the first representative of Peru to win the contest.

After her win, it was revealed that Zender was only seventeen years old, five months under the contest's minimum age requirement of eighteen. Pageant officials decided that she could keep the crown after they were told she was considered to be eighteen in her country due to an old custom explained to them by the then-Peruvian ambassador to the United States, Fernando Berckemeyer Pazos.{{Cite news |date=22 July 1957 |title=Whew! She's crowned, but it sure was work |pages=1 |work=The Montreal Gazette |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5oItAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cJkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2507%2C3736810 |access-date=1 September 2023 |via=Google News Archive}}

Contestants from thirty-two countries and territories competed in the pageant. It was hosted by Bob Russell for the sixth time.

Background

= Selection of participants =

Contestants from thirty-two countries and territories were selected to compete in the pageant. It was the first where women who were married and had children could not compete, which in turn became the reason why one candidate was disqualified after the preliminary competition.{{Cite news |date=19 July 1957 |title=Miss USA turns out to be a Mrs. |pages=1 |work=Park City Daily News |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7wgeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=30UEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5120%2C1553698 |access-date=19 July 2023 |via=Google News Archive}} One contestant was selected to replace the original winner.

== Debuts, returns, and withdrawals ==

This edition saw the debuts of Martinique, Morocco, and Paraguay, and the returns of Austria, Ceylon, Hawaii, and South Korea. Austria and Hawaii last competed in 1953, while Ceylon and South Korea last competed in 1955. British Guiana, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Holland, and the United States withdrew. Corine Rottschäfer of Holland was due to compete, however she had just won another international contest that barred her entry. Rottschäfer competed the following year.{{Cite web|date=24 September 2020|title=Nederlands eerste Miss World Corine Spier-Rottschäfer overleden|url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2349637-nederlands-eerste-miss-world-corine-spier-rottschafer-overleden|access-date=26 August 2023|website=Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|language=nl|trans-title=Dutch first Miss World Corine Spier-Rottschäfer passed away}} British Guiana, Chile, and the Dominican Republic withdrew after their respective organizations failed to hold a national competition or appoint a delegate.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

== Disqualification of Miss USA ==

Leona Gage, Miss USA 1957, was announced as one of the fifteen semi-finalists, but was removed from the contest on the afternoon before the final after it was discovered that she was married and the mother of two young children.{{Cite news|date=19 July 1957|title=Tall beauty revealed as mother of 2|language=en|pages=1|work=Concord Transcript|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103120123/leona-gage-miss-usa/|access-date=1 September 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|date=20 July 1957|title=Ideal miss a missus, so U.S. misses out|language=en|pages=2|work=Star-Phoenix|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86508294/charlotte-sheffield-becomes-miss-usa/|access-date=1 September 2023|via=Newspapers.com}} Miss Argentina, Mónica Lamas, who was sixteenth in the preliminary competition, replaced Gage. Gage was also stripped of her Miss USA title, and was replaced by Charlotte Sheffield of Utah. Sheffield was unable to compete because the preliminary competition had already taken place.{{Cite news|last=Belser|first=Lee|date=20 July 1957|title=Utah Queen wins Miss USA– and Peru gets Universe|language=en|pages=1|work=The Salt Lake Tribune|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85629895/charlotte-sheffield-wins-miss-usa/|access-date=1 September 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|date=19 July 1957|title="Miss" USA, mother of 2, dethroned at beauty show|language=en|pages=1|work=The Vancouver Sun|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86510115/charlotte-sheffield-huge-photo/|access-date=1 September 2023|via=Newspapers.com}} Sheffield competed at Miss World 1957, and was unplaced.{{cite web |title=Former Miss USA Charlotte Sheffield Passes Away |url=http://www.tpnnews.one/2016/04/18/former-miss-usa-charlotte-sheffield-passes-away/#.V6Ja6BJtObN |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817083417/http://www.tpnnews.one/2016/04/18/former-miss-usa-charlotte-sheffield-passes-away/#.V6Ja6BJtObN |archive-date=17 August 2016 |access-date=3 August 2016 |publisher=tpnnews.one}}

Results

=Placements=

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%;"
Placement

! Contestant

Miss Universe 1957

|

  • {{flagu|Peru}} – Gladys Zender{{Cite news |date=21 July 1957 |title=Miss Universe will tour world–With chaperone |pages=3 |work=Democrat and Chronicle |location=Rochester, New York |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle/22499031/ |access-date=15 May 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}
1st runner-up

|

  • {{flagu|Brazil|1889}} – Terezinha Morango
2nd runner-up

|

  • {{flagu|England}} – Sonia Hamilton
3rd runner-up

|

  • {{flagu|Cuba}} – María Gamio
4th runner-up

|

Top 15

|

  • {{flagu|Alaska|1957}} – Martha Lehmann{{Cite news|date=19 July 1957|title=Miss Canada in beauty finals|language=en|page=1|work=Nanaimo Daily News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86542680/charlotte-sheffield-becomes-miss-usa/|access-date=15 May 2023|location=Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada|via=Newspapers.com}}
  • {{flagu|Argentina}} – Mónica Lamas
  • {{flagu|Austria}} – Hannerl Melcher
  • {{flagu|Canada|1921}} – Gloria Noakes
  • {{flagu|Kingdom of Greece|name=Greece}} – Ligia Karavia
  • {{flagu|Italy}} – Valeria Fabrizi
  • {{flagu|Japan|1870}} – Kyoko Otani
  • {{flagu|Morocco}} – Jacqueline Bonilla
  • {{flagu|Sweden}} – Inger Jonsson
  • {{flagu|Uruguay}} – Gabriela Pascal

= Special awards =

class="wikitable sortable unsortable" style="font-size: 95%;"

!Award

!Contestant

Miss Friendship

|

  • {{flagu|Puerto Rico|1952}} – Mapita Mercado{{Cite web|date=31 December 2010|title=Recuerdan a Mapita Cortés|url=https://www.informador.mx/Entretenimiento/Recuerdan-a-Mapita-Cortes-20101231-0076.html|access-date=1 September 2023|website=El Informador|language=es-MX|trans-title=Remember Mapita Cortés}}{{Cite news |date=17 July 1957 |title=15 left to vie for Miss U.S.A. |pages=5A |work=Eugene Register-Guard |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IvlVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sOIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6762%2C2314352 |access-date=1 September 2023 |via=Google News Archive}}
Miss Photogenic

|

  • {{flagu|West Germany}} – Gerti Daub{{Cite news |date=17 July 1957 |title=First winners in Universe contest |pages=1 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IvlVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sOIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6044%2C2296029 |access-date=1 September 2023 |via=Google News Archive}}
Miss Popular Girl

|

  • {{flagu|Canada|1921}} – Gloria Noakes

Pageant

= Format =

As with 1955, fifteen semi-finalists were chosen at the preliminary competition that consisted of a swimsuit and evening gown competition. Each of the fifteen semi-finalists then gave a short speech during the final broadcast in their native language. Afterward, they paraded in their swimsuits and evening gowns, and the five finalists were chosen.

= Selection committee =

  • Earl Wilson – American journalist and columnist{{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Earl |date=16 July 1957 |title=Earl making as beauty expert at contest to pick 'Miss Universe' |pages=15 |work=Beaver Valley Times |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=imAtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NdoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=845%2C2096480 |access-date=1 September 2023 |via=Google News Archive}}
  • Alberto Vargas – Peruvian-American painter known for his "Vargas Girls"
  • Vincent Trotta – American artist
  • Lois J. Swanson
  • Roger Zeiler – French official from the Miss Europe Committee

Contestants

File:Miss_Universe_1957_Map.PNG

Thirty-two contestants competed for the title.{{Cite news |date=14 July 1957 |title=Fairest girls in the universe |language=en |pages=4 |work=Press-Telegram |location=Long Beach, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/114846373/press-telegram/ |access-date=11 July 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;"

!Country/Territory

!Contestant

!Age{{efn|Ages at the time of the pageant}}

!Hometown

{{flagicon|Alaska|1957}} Alaska

|Martha Lehmann{{cite news |date=27 March 1957 |title=Miss Alaska |pages=7 |work=The Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-miss-alaska/129683252/ |access-date=9 August 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}

|18

|Fairbanks

{{flagicon|Argentina|1861}} Argentina

|Mónica Lamas{{Cite news|date=19 July 1957|title=Thirty-three beauties primp for Miss Universe final|language=en|pages=13|work=The Royal Gazette|url=https://bnl.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/BermudaNP02/id/177030/rec/32|access-date=26 August 2023|via=Bermuda National Library}}

|20

|Buenos Aires

{{flagicon|Austria}} Austria

|Hannerl Melcher{{Cite news|date=10 July 1957|title=Beauties surround Gary in real life, too|language=en|page=1|work=Youngstown Vindicator|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k30_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=S1UMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1417%2C2382460|access-date=26 August 2023|via=Google News Archive}}

|19

|Vienna

{{flagicon|Belgium}} Belgium

|Janine Hanotiau{{Cite news|date=11 July 1957|title=Everything's In Good Shape|language=en|pages=7|work=Franklin News-Post|url=https://virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=FNP19570711.1.7&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN--------|access-date=26 August 2023|via=Virginia Chronicle}}

|19

|Brussels

{{flagicon|Brazil|1889}} Brazil

|Terezinha Morango{{Cite web|date=14 March 2021|title=Ex-miss Brasil, Therezinha Morango morre aos 84 anos|url=https://g1.globo.com/am/amazonas/noticia/2021/03/14/ex-miss-brasil-therezinha-morango-morre-aos-84-anos.ghtml|access-date=26 August 2023|website=G1|language=pt-br|trans-title=Former Miss Brazil Therezinha Morango dies at 84}}

|20

|São Paulo de Olivença

{{flagicon|Canada|1921}} Canada

|Gloria Noakes

|18

|Toronto

{{flagicon|Ceylon|1951
} Ceylon

|Camellia Perera

|23

|Colombo

|-

|{{flagicon|Costa Rica}} Costa Rica

|Sonia Cristina Icaza{{Cite news|date=27 July 1957|title=Beauty's treatment|language=en|pages=3|work=The Napa Valley Register|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/36185416/27-jul-1957-miss-costa-rica-visits-napa/|access-date=26 August 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

|18

|San José

|-

|{{flagicon|Cuba}} Cuba

|María Rosa Gamio{{Cite news|date=18 July 1957|title=Meet Miss Cuba|language=en|pages=B-3|work=Franklin News-Post|url=https://virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=FNP19570718.1.9&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN--------|access-date=26 August 2023|via=Virginia Chronicle}}

|19

|Havana

|-

|{{flagicon|Ecuador|1900}} Ecuador

|Patricia Benítez{{Cite web|date=19 October 2020|title=Recuerdos de edificios|url=https://www.eluniverso.com/opinion/2020/10/19/nota/8018992/recuerdos-edificios|access-date=26 August 2023|website=El Universo|language=es|trans-title=Memories of buildings}}

|19

|Guayaquil

|-

|{{flagicon|England|1417}} England

|Sonia Hamilton{{Cite news|date=25 August 1957|title=London beauty plans to make home in U. S.|language=en|pages=9|work=Suffolk News-Herald|url=https://virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=SNH19570825.1.9&srpos=141&e=------195-en-20--141--txt-txIN-Miss+Universe----1957---|access-date=26 August 2023|via=Virginia Chronicle}}

|23

|London

|-

|{{flagicon|France|1830}} France

|Lisa Simon{{Cite news|date=25 July 1957|title=Beauties Pass In Review|language=en|pages=B-3|work=Franklin News-Post|url=https://virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=FNP19570725.1.9&srpos=52&e=------195-en-20--41--txt-txIN-Miss+Universe----1957---|access-date=26 August 2023|via=Virginia Chronicle}}

|22

|Argenteuil

|-

|{{flagicon|Greece|old}} Greece

|Ligia Karavia

|18

|Athens

|-

|{{flagicon|Guatemala}} Guatemala

|Ana Walda Olyslager

|18

|Guatemala City

|-

|{{flagicon|Hawaii|1957}} Hawaii

|Ramona Tong{{Cite news|date=8 July 1957|title=Ramona leaves Thursday for contest|language=en|page=3|work=The Honolulu Advertiser|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/50328313/the-honolulu-advertiser/|access-date=26 August 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

|19

|Honolulu

|-

|{{flagicon|Iceland}} Iceland

|Bryndís Schram{{Cite news|last=Guðjónsdóttir|first=Guðrún Ósk|date=13 May 2020|title=Fegurðardrottningar sem leituðu á önnur mið|trans-title=Beauty queens who sought other paths|url=https://www.dv.is/fokus/2020/05/13/fegurdardrottningar-sem-leitudu-onnur-mid/|access-date=27 April 2025|website=DV - Frjáls og óháður miðill|language=is|archive-date=15 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615122641/https://www.dv.is/fokus/2020/05/13/fegurdardrottningar-sem-leitudu-onnur-mid/|url-status=live}}

|19

|Reykjavik

|-

|{{flagicon|Israel}} Israel

|Atara Barzilay{{Cite news|date=12 July 1957|title=Miss Israel here to compete for "Miss Universe" title|language=en|pages=14|work=⁨⁨B'nai B'rith Messenger⁩|url=https://www.nli.org.il/en/newspapers/bbh/1957/07/12/01/article/77/?srpos=22&e=-------en-20--21--img-txIN%7ctxTI-Miss+Universe-------------1|access-date=26 August 2023|via=National Library of Israel}}

|18

|Tel Aviv

|-

|{{flagicon|Italy|1946}} Italy

|Valeria Fabrizi{{Cite news|date=12 July 1957|title=Introduction to America|language=en|page=5|work=The Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6449464/the-times/|access-date=26 August 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

|21

|Bologna

|-

|{{flagicon|Japan|1870}} Japan

|Kyoko Otani{{Cite news |date=8 July 1957 |title=Miss Japan welcomed |pages=1 |work=Toledo Blade |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WLhOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zAAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7178%2C740104 |access-date=11 July 2023 |via=Google News Archive}}

|21

|Tokyo

|-

|{{flagicon|Martinique|1766}} Martinique

|Ginette Cidalise-Montaise{{Cite web|last=Burnett|first=Claudine |date=19 July 2019|title=The First Black Miss Universe Contestant Hardly Anyone Knows About|url=https://claudineburnettbooks.com/journal/the-first-black-miss-universe-contestant-hardly-anyone-knows-about|access-date=19 March 2025|website=Claudine Burnett Books|language=en}}

|18

|Fort-de-France

|-

|{{flagicon|Mexico|1934}} Mexico

|Irma Arévalo{{Cite news |date=28 July 1957 |title=Importante junta de la Cámara |language=es |trans-title=Important meeting of the chamber |pages=1B |work=La Opinion |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eYFEAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VrUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1356%2C3967994 |access-date=1 September 2023 |via=Google News Archive}}

|19

|Mexico City

|-

|{{flagicon|Morocco}} Morocco

|Jacqueline Bonilla{{Cite news|date=28 July 1957|title=Personals|language=en|pages=7|work=Suffolk News-Herald|url=https://virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=SNH19570728.1.7&srpos=14&e=------195-en-20--1--txt-txIN-Miss+Universe----1957---|access-date=1 September 2023|via=Virginia Chronicle}}

|19

|Casablanca

|-

|{{flagicon|Paraguay|1954}} Paraguay

|Lucy Montanero{{Cite web|last=Coronel|first=Raul|date=15 October 2021|title=Te presentamos a todas nuestras representantes en Miss Universe|url=http://www.epa.com.py/2021/10/15/te-presentamos-a-todas-nuestras-representantes-en-miss-universe/|access-date=1 September 2023|website=Epa!|language=es|trans-title=We introduce you to all our representatives in Miss Universe}}

|19

|Asuncion

|-

|{{flagicon|Peru}} Peru

|Gladys Zender{{Cite web|last=Vaquero|first=Natalia|date=27 April 2014|title=Gladys Zender: "Un jeque árabe me ofreció convertirse al catolicismo para casarse conmigo"|url=https://www.farodevigo.es/vida-y-estilo/gente/2014/09/27/gladys-zender-jeque-arabe-ofrecio-17108732.html|access-date=1 September 2023|website=Faro de Vigo|language=es|trans-title=Gladys Zender: "An Arab sheikh offered to convert to Catholicism to marry me"}}

|17

|Lima

|-

|{{flagicon|Philippines|1936}} Philippines

|Mary Ann Corrales{{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}}

|21

|Manila

|-

|File:Flag_of_Puerto_Rico_(1952-1995).svg Puerto Rico

|Mapita Mercado

|18

|Santurce

|-

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

|Park Hyun-ok{{Cite news|date=12 July 1957|title=Long Beach|language=en|pages=15|work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117270011/miss-universe-1957-clipping/|access-date=1 September 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

|21

|Seoul

|-

|{{flagicon|Sweden|1906}} Sweden

|Inger Jonsson

|20

|Malmö

|-

|{{flagicon|Turkey}} Turkey

|Güler Sirmen{{Cite web |date=21 July 2022|title=Onlar Türkiye’nin en güzel kadınları! İşte 1929'dan günümüze Miss Turkey birincileri|url=https://www.yenicaggazetesi.com.tr/iste-1929dan-gunumuze-miss-turkey-birincileri-onlar-turkiyenin-en-guzel-kadinlari-562994h.htm|access-date=19 March 2025|website=Yeniçağ |language=turkish}}{{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}}

|18

|Istanbul

|-

|{{flagicon|Uruguay}} Uruguay

|Gabriela Pascal

|18

|Montevideo

|-

|{{flagicon|Venezuela|1954}} Venezuela

|Consuelo Nouel{{Cite web|last=Suárez|first=Orlando|date=27 July 2022|title=Misses venezolanas de sangre azul|url=https://eldiario.com/2022/07/27/misses-venezolanas-de-sangre-azul/|access-date=1 September 2023|website=El Diario|language=es|trans-title=Venezuelan blue blood misses}}

|20

|Caracas

|-

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

|Gerti Daub{{Cite news|date=17 July 1957|title=First winners|language=en|page=2|work=Fort Lauderdale News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22500861/fort-lauderdale-news/|access-date=26 August 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

|19

|Hamburg

|}

Notes

{{Notelist}}

References

{{reflist}}