Miss USA 1965

Miss USA 1965, the 14th Miss USA pageant, took place in Miami Beach, Florida on June 4, 1965. This was the first Miss USA pageant to be televised live (on the CBS network), and the first to be a self-contained production, held several weeks before, and independent of, the Miss Universe pageant.

Miss USA 1965
Date	June 4, 1965
Venue	Miami Beach, Florida
Broadcaster	CBS
Entrants	47
Placements	15
Winner	Sue Downey Ohio
Congeniality	Elizabeth Carroll Bonnie Perkins
Best State Costume	Carla Sullivan
Photogenic	Cheryl Semrad

The pageant was won by Sue Downey of Ohio, who was crowned by outgoing titleholder Bobbi Johnson of the District of Columbia. Downey went on to place as 2nd runner-up to Apasra Hongsakula of Thailand at Miss Universe 1965. Pageant finalist Dianna Lynn Batts (better known as Dian Parkinson from The Price Is Right) later won the 1965 Miss World USA title, and placed 1st runner-up to Lesley Langley of the United Kingdom at Miss World 1965.

Results

Final results	Contestant
Miss USA 1965	Ohio – Sue Downey
1st runner-up	Arizona – Jane Nelson
2nd runner-up	New Mexico – Judy Baldwin
3rd runner-up	Kentucky – Julie Andrus
4th runner-up	District of Columbia - Dianna Lynn Batts
Top 15	Alabama – Leigh Sanford California – Kathryn Hage Hawaii – Elithe Aguiar Michigan – Susan Pill Nevada – Denyse Turner New York – Gloria Jon Oklahoma – Cheryl Semrad South Carolina – Vickie Harrison Texas – Phyllis Johnson Utah – Janice Sadler

Special awards

Award	Contestant
Miss Congeniality	Minnesota – Elizabeth Carroll Tennessee – Bonnie Perkins
Miss Photogenic	Oklahoma – Cheryl Semrad
Best State Costume	Alaska – Carla Sullivan

Historical significance

• Ohio wins competition for the first time. Also becoming in the 12th state who does it for the first time.
• Arizona earns the 1st runner-up position for the first time.
• New Mexico earns the 2nd runner-up position for the first time.
• Kentucky earns the 3rd runner-up position for the first time.
• District of Columbia earns the 4th runner-up position for the first time.
• States that placed in semifinals the previous year were Alabama, California, District of Columbia, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.
• California and New York placed for the ninth consecutive year.
• District of Columbia placed for the fourth consecutive year.
• Alabama and Oklahoma placed for the third consecutive year.
• Kentucky, Ohio, Texas and Utah made their second consecutive placement.
• Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico and South Carolina last placed in 1963.
• Hawaii last placed in 1962.

Delegates

The Miss USA 1965 delegates were:

Alabama - Leigh Sanford Alaska - Carla Sullivan Arizona - Jane Nelson Arkansas - Jeri Haynie California - Kathryn Hage Colorado - Cathy McPherson Connecticut - Elizabeth Matsuko Delaware - Shirl Chappell District of Columbia - Diana Lynn Batts Florida - Karol Kelly Georgia - Judy Simpson Hawaii - Elithe Aguiar Illinois - Diane Gortz Indiana - Lora Starr Iowa - Mari Hardy Kansas - Linda Bergsten Kentucky - Julie Andrus Louisiana - Terri Sommers Maine - Georgia Wilson Maryland - Barbara Keifer Massachusetts - Mary Lou Volpe Michigan - Susan Pill Minnesota - Elizabeth Carroll Mississippi - Madeline Scarbrough

Missouri - Barbara Brooks Montana - Patricia Bradford Nebraska - Constance Kellogg Nevada - Denyse Turner New Hampshire - Judy Morrison New Jersey - Kay Franzen New Mexico - Judy Baldwin New York - Gloria Jon North Carolina - Sandra Farmer North Dakota - Patricia Dodge Ohio - Sue Downey Oklahoma - Cheryl Semrad Oregon - Leslie Bruchner Pennsylvania - Beverly Rudolph Rhode Island - Paula Farrow South Carolina - Vickie Harrison Tennessee - Bonnie Perkins Texas - Phyllis Johnson Utah - Janice Sadler Vermont - Andrea Kenyon Virginia - Mary Montgomery Wisconsin - Judith Achtor Wyoming - Linda Peck

No state delegate: Idaho, South Dakota, Washington, West Virginia

External links

• Miss USA official website