60th – Miriam Stevenson, USA (1954)
(Our judges are: Greg Borowski, Willian Prendiz de Jurado, Edwin Toledo (Times of Beauty), Ricardo Guiraldes (Chilean Charm), Julio Rodriguez (Belleza Venezolana), Alberto Dubal (Miss Memorabilia), Jimmy Harris (Beauty School), Pepe Medel, Jean-Marie Vandecasteele, Andre Sleigh, Rose Foulger, Luis Trujillo. From GB, Ed Dominguez, Henrique Fontes, and Chris Kuntz)
Miriam Jacqueline Stevenson, from South Carolina, USA, competed in the 3rd edition of Miss Universe, in 1954. She edged out the big favorite and still the most talked about Miss Brazil of all times, Martha Rocha.
The American and the Brazilian beauties tied after the judges’ final voting. As Catalina was the major sponsor of the pageant in its early years, the tie-breaking judgment finally came down to who had the better physical figure, which went to Miriam’s favor, for she had the “fitter” hips over Martha Rocha.
Stevenson gave the car she won in her Miss Universe Prize package to Martha Rocha as a consolatory prize.
Thirty-three countries competed in Miss Universe 1954, and the other finalists were Virginia Lee Wai-Chun of Hong Kong (3rd place), Regina Ernst of Germany (4th place), and Ragnhild Olausson (5th place).
Miriam conquered the first of so far 7 American titles, and it remains one of the most controversial ones ever. She became a television presenter and enjoy relative success as a tv commercials actress and model until the mid 1970′s.
Miriam Stevenson, Miss Universe 1954
The top 5 of Miss Universe 1954
Martha Rocha: 2nd place for Brazil
Gorgeous winner! However, Miriam reminds me so much of Kirsten Dunst.
haha…I wonder if she’s 60th because Miss Brazil Martha Rocha was 2nd?
Irene Saez: VENEZUELA
Barbara Palacios: VENEZUELA
Angela Visser: HOLLAND
Dayanara Torres: PUERTO RICO
Michelle McLean: NAMIBIA
Alicia Machado: VENEZUELA
Oxana Federova: RUSSIA
Jennifer Hawkins: AUSTRALIA
Zuleyka Rivera: PUERTO RICO
Dayana Mendoza: VENEZUELA
Angela Visser: NETHERLANDS
Dayanara Torres: PUERTO RICO
Michelle McLean: NAMIBIA
Alicia Machado: VENEZUELA
Oxana Federova: RUSSIA
Miriam Stevenson is a lot more beautiful than several other winners (1993, 2006 just to name two). I can’t understand her being the ‘least’ beautiful.
She is also just a beautiful as the first runner-up from Brazil and is a beautiful winner.
Very Classic.
Tal vez el jurado la considere la menos bella de todas, pero definitivamente ha habido chicas menos agraciadas que ella que han ganado el título de Miss Universo,
es mas dos o tres de las mismas bellezas de su país no son mejores que ella como son Brooke y Chelsea Smith. Lo que probablemente decidió darle al jurado este lugar es que las bellezas gringas son muy frías, sin lo espectacular que son las latinas y recuerdo muy bien que la mas bella representante de los Estados Unidos en un Miss Universo no lo ganó: Judy Anderson en 1978 de Hawai en Acapulco, Guerrero. México
My score is: 8.02
My mother always talked to me about this editionn. It was a big display in all Latin America countries due Martha Rocha. My mother always said that Martha should have won that edition.
MIS FAVORITAS, SIN ORDEN;
1961, MISS ALEMANIA, MARLENE SCHMIDT
1964, MISS GRECIA KIRIAKI TSOPEI
1972, MISS AUSTRALIA. KERRY WELLS,
1979, MISS VENEZUELA. MARITZA SAYALERO.
1980, MISS USA. SHAWN WHEATHERLY
1981, MISS VENEZUELA, IRENE SAEZ
1991, MISS MEXICO,LUPITA JONES
1996, MISS VENEZUELA, ALICIA MACHADO
2001, PUERTO RICO DENISSE QUIÑONES.
2004, MISS AUSTRALIA JENIFER HAWKINS
2005. MISS CANADA ATALIE GLEVOBA
Very beautiful. One of the best ever. Very very much better than Miss Brazil.
Las Misses Universo menos bellas son 1968, 1969, 1985, 1999 y 2002 (Oxana).
TOP 10 MBMU:
1.Amelia Vega,Miss Dominican Republic,2003
2.Oxana Fedorova,Miss Russia,2002
3.Natalie Glebova,Miss Canada,2005
4.Dayanara Torres,Miss Puerto Rico,1993
5.Alicia Machado,Miss Venezuela,1996
6.Maritza Sayalero,Miss Venezuela,1979
7.Angela Visser,Miss Holland,1989
8.Amparo Muñoz, Miss Spain,1974
9.Jennifer Hawkins,Miss Australia ,2004
10.Dayana Mendoza,Miss Venezuela,2008
Se me hace fuerte que esta mujer con una maravillosa sonrisa sea la Miss Universo “menos bella” de la historia habiendo otras ganadoras menos bellas o interesantes que ella. Un poco “ciegos” los jurados pero también hay que decir que las ganadoras de los años 50 y 60 seguramente estarán en muchos de los puestos más bajos de la clasificación más que nada por no ser tan conocidas.
Para mí, y probablemente otros, esta mujer merece estar por lo menos unos 20 puestos más arriba.
Muy guapa, sin duda una de las más merecedoras. Una de las cinco mejores de la historia!
La verdad es que tomando como punto de partida la fecha en que se hizo el concurso solo podriamos apreciar la belleza de la ganadora, y realmente la chica es muy linda, bueno hoy día señora, pero no sé que parámetros se tomaron porque si solo es por belleza, yo al ver las fotos y peliculas de esa época, dan a entender que la muchacha era muy muy bella, yo creo que no pueden catalogárselas bajo el mismo parámetro con el que se juzga a las Miss Universo actuales, deberían haber oro tipo de parámetros, cuales, no se, obviamente el que propuse que se tomara en cuenta el desempeño como Miss Universo no lo están tomando por que deborah y Brooke están entre las última, pero insisto de acuerdo a la comparación con base al material de la época me parece injusto el puesto dado. Obviamente sé que alguna tedría que tenerlo, pues, son 60 chicas, pero en mi particular opinión creo que el último lugar no era para ella, me atrevería a correrla a 20 o 25 puestos más.
With GB’s first list it was Linda Bement on the bottom. Why changed it to Miriam? No crediblity. No need to revamp the whole list.
The first contest, from 10 years ago, had a different panel of judges, and naturally, different results.
Non credo che Miriam Stevenson sia la peggior MU, tante altre ben peggiore ci sono state ahimè. La ragione di non essere assolutamente amata, secondo me, è dovuta a diversi fattori che col tempo si sono radicati tra i missologi. Primo fra tutti che essa abbia vinto dall’eccezionale Martha Rocha, senz’alcun dubbio uno dei più bei visi mai apparsi al MU e tutt’ora insuperabile Miss Brasile. Secondo, più che in qualsiasi altro MU il risultato fu chiaramente deciso da interessi commerciali che poco aveva a che fare con il merito, ossia, col chiaro intento di dare una maggior visibilità del concorso presso il pubblico americano, in demerito al buon senso. Terzo, la sua bellezza è lontana anni luce dall’estetica di oggi e le sue rarissime foto non permettono una migliore valutazione, anche se guardandole con attenzione si può notare il suo bellissimo corpo, davvero notevole per l’epoca. Martha Rocha non ha vinto, ma sicuramente la sua vendetta si è fatta sentire, basta vedere l’adorazione, assolutamente giustificata, con che viene ricordata dai brasiliani, in quanto Miriam è completamente dimenticata dagli americani e dagli amanti dei concorsi di bellezza. Ma mi chiedo se non ci sia un vero missologo americano che pubblichi altre foto sue per uno miglior valutazione… Divago…
She was perfect during the whole contest. A great and worthy winner. Neither could her beauty. The most beautiful Miss Universe in history.
I will start here with my own The Most Beautiful Miss Universe.
I have calculated the scores for each year of Miss Universe.(The scores includes face, swim-suit and evening gown)
The 60th place is Miss Universe 1960 Linda Bement of USA. Her score is 8.535
MY TOP 10
OXABA FEDOROVA (RUSSIA)
JENNIFER HAWKINS (AUSTRALIA)
ANGELA VISSER (HOLLAND)
IRENE SAEZ (VENEZUELA)
JANELLE COMMISSIONG (TRINIDAD-TOBAGO)
AMPARO MUÑOZ (SPAIN)
MARLENE SCHMIDT (GERMANY)
MARGARITA MORAN (PHILIPPINES)
NATALIE GLEBOVA (CANADA)
ANNE POTHAMO (FINLAND)
In a lot of lists, Miriam is one of the last. Brook, Chelsi and Linda too. In a few days, I will put in my blog all lists for comparations.
Miriam Stevenson ranked 48th in GB’s 2001 contest.
well deserved the 60th place to Miriam Stevenson
Well honestly the fact that the first runner up was soooo much better than her could have put her at the bottom..I think she is cute but no more…well no wonder that many misses USA who won MU are at the bottom of this list and on general at the bottom of many people’s lists since if there have been justice, many misses USA wouldn’t have made the semifinals
Realmente, no fue justa ganadora la americana, Martha Rocha de lejos era más bella, impactante y arrolladora.
1st runner-up Martha Rocha from Brazil is FAR BETTER BY A LANDSLIDE than Stevenson. Perhaps this was the first edition with manipulated results.
Unbeleavable.
She Should Have Placed higher. Linda and Chelsi also.
Miriam was a truly classical beauty. Perfect body, doll face and totally deserved victory. I definitely do not understand because they underestimate both her beauty and some other Americans.
Looking back at this ranking, I think we should be respectful of MU winners. Putting a beautiful lady at #60 is just insane. GB should think of only revealing the results of winners ranking 30 or above.
Primera vez que veo esto. Estoy de acuerdo con estas fotos Martha Rocha bella!! le da 3 patadas a Marilyn Monroe.
Aqui deberian estar las ganadoras erroneas como la MU-2009.