Miss Universe 1961
Miss Universe 1961 was the 10th Miss Universe pageant, held at the Miami Beach Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida, the United States, on 15 July 1961.
At the conclusion of the event, Linda Bement of the United States crowned Marlene Schmidt of the West Germany as Miss Universe 1961. Schmidt was the first representative of the West Germany to win the contest.
Contestants from forty-eight countries and territories competed in this year's pageant. The pageant was hosted by Johnny Carson.
Background
Selection of participants
Contestants from forty-eight countries and territories were selected to compete in the pageant. Two candidates were appointed to replace the original winner.Replacements
Both, Ana Griselda Vegas of Venezuela and Pilar Ramos of Spain replaced Gloria Lilue and María del Carmen Cervera, respectively, as the latter chose to compete at Miss International 1961.Debuts, returns, and withdrawals
This edition saw the debuts of Ireland, Jamaica, Madagascar, the Republic of China, Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Scotland, the United States Virgin Islands, and Wales, and the returns of Ceylon, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, and Turkey. Ceylon and Puerto Rico last competed in 1957, while the others last competed in 1959. Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Jordan, New Zealand, Portugal, Suriname, and Tunisia withdrew after their respective organizations failed to hold a national competition or appoint a delegate.Helen Tan of Malaya and Julie Koh of Singapore were supposed to compete in the pageant. However, they chose to compete at Miss International in Long Beach, California instead. Koh eventually competed at Miss Universe the following year.
Pageant
Format
Same with 1955, 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.Selection committee
- Peter Demaerel – Director of the Belgian-American Tourist Office in the United States
- Gustavo Lorca Rojas – Former mayor of Viña del Mar
- Raul Manteola – Argentinian painter
- Russell Patterson – American cartoonist
- Michel Tapié – French painter
- Earl Wilson – American journalist and columnist
- Miyoko Yanagita – Japanese fashion designer
Contestants
Forty-eight contestants competed for the title.| Country/Territory | Contestant | Age | Hometown |
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