Miss America 1926, the sixth Miss America pageant, was held at the Million Dollar Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Friday, September 10, 1926. In selecting the new Miss America, it was the opinion of the judges that not only did the winner, Norma Smallwood, Miss Tulsa, have an excellent figure, but also possessed a smile like that of the Mona Lisa.
Smallwood was the first Miss America to also win the award for "the most beautiful girl in evening gown" at the highly-promoted National Beauty Tournament held during pageant week of the twenties. She proved to be an enormously popular selection.
Upon victory, Smallwood, who was an art major at Oklahoma College for WomenLester, Terrell. "Reigning Queen//Former Tulsan Won 1926 Miss America Title," Tulsa World, April 6, 1997. Accessed March 20, 2015."Miss America of 1926" OCW Trend, October 7, 1926. Accessed March 20, 2015."Mona Lisa Was Not a Jazz Hound; Neither Is Miss America," Waco News-Tribune, September 16, 1926, p. 17. in her sophomore year, stated she "might leave school for a year" and looked at her tenure as Miss America from a financial standpoint. She became the poster girl for Meadows Washing Machines and Westinghouse Electric, in addition to many others. It was said she made approximately $100,000 during her year.
One of the finalists, Rosebud Blondell, became the successful Hollywood actress Joan Blondell.
Results Placements Placement Contestant Miss America 1926 Tulsa – Norma Smallwood 1st Runner-Up District of Columbia – Marjorie Joosting Top 15 Bridgeport – Florence Harriet Green Dallas – Rosebud Blondell Denver – Deloras Conrad Greater New York – Ruth K. Patterson Kansas City – Margaret Jordan Lansing – Joyce Jean Hurd Newark – Mildred Morlock Norfolk – Eleanor V. Reid Orange – Evelynne Jeanne Crowell Philadelphia – Anna Mae Reefer Seattle – Leona Natalia Fengler St. Louis – Corinne Groves Yonkers – Catherine Kennedy
Other awards Award Contestant Evening Dress Tulsa – Norma Smallwood Rolling Chair Parade Winner Greater New York – Ruth K. Patterson Swimsuit Winner Tulsa – Norma Smallwood
Contestants +State/CityNameAgePlacementAwardNotes Baltimore, MarylandMildred Adam22Battle Creek, MichiganGertrude Fisher19Bay Ridge, New YorkFlorence MeyerBiloxi, MississippiMabel Riley17 Boston, MassachusettsMary "May" MudgeBridgeport, ConnecticutFlorence Harriet Green19Top 15Brigantine Beach, New JerseyMary Mavretic CaliforniaAloha Eugenia Porter18Charleston, South CarolinaDorothy Brickman16 Chicago, IllinoisMae Greene ColoradoJeanette Roland Dallas, TexasRosebud Blondell18Top 15Later became a known actress by the name of Joan BlondellDenver, ColoradoDeloras Conrad20Top 15Detroit, MichiganRuth Mae Fowler17Duluth, MinnesotaFlorence Fuller18Elizabeth, New JerseyLucy Taylor FloridaMargaret Jennell TateFort Worth, TexasWinnie Law18Greater New YorkRuth K. Patterson17Top 15Rolling Chair Parade Winner Hartford, ConnecticutDoris Loretta Beaupre16Hoboken, New JerseyAnita H. Limbacker23 (26) Houston, TexasZayda Lord20Huntington, West VirginiaOlive Davis21 IndianaWanda Marie Sobczak20Kansas City, MissouriMarguerite Jordan20Top 15Lansing, MichiganJoyce Jean Hurd19Top 15Lockport, MassachusettsMary Robinson19Louisville, KentuckyGladys Imogene KingMadison, WisconsinDorothy Seller21Milwaukee, WisconsinFlorence Andrees19 Minneapolis, MinnesotaHelen Katherine Douglas16 MissouriRuby WallaceMobile, AlabamaVivian McDowell19Newark, New JerseyMildred Morlock18Top 15New Haven, ConnecticutMolla Barnett18 New Orleans, LouisianaEdna du Vernay19Norfolk, VirginiaEleanor V. Reid18Top 15Omaha, NebraskaAnne Kathleen FoucarOrange, New JerseyEvelynne Jeanne Crowell16Top 15 Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaAnna Mae Reefer19Top 15Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaThelma Williams20Portland, OregonMaxine Jennings17Portsmouth, MassachusettsRosa Lee Irving16Pottsville, PennsylvaniaEsther Weissinger San Francisco, CaliforniaEleanor Twohig18Scranton, PennsylvaniaIla E. Williams17Seattle, WashingtonLeona Fengler23Top 15 South DakotaMary Davis20 Spokane, WashingtonGlorian SmithSpringfield, MassachusettsMuriel Borek19 St. Louis, MissouriCorinne Groves19Top 15Tacoma, WashingtonDorothy Rothermell17Tulsa, OklahomaNorma Smallwood17WinnerSwimsuit Award
Evening Dress AwardFirst Native American to win Miss AmericaUnion City, New JerseyElizabeth Welch UtahDoretta "Dora" Carstensen16 Washington D.C.Marjorie Joesting221st runner-upWheeling, West VirginiaMary Cecilia Cresap19Wichita, KansasRuth RichardsonWildwood Gables, New JerseyKathleen CoyleWilkes-Barre, PennsylvaniaHelen Violet Grant19Yonkers, New YorkCatherine Kennedy18Top 15
Ineligible Participants +RepresentingNameAgeNotesAustraliaBeryl Mills19First winner of Miss Australia QuestToronto, CanadaJean Ford Tolmie21First Miss TorontoWinnipeg, CanadaLillian McNaughton18Okanogan Tribe (Wenatchee, WA)Jessie Jim19Miss Princess America II
References
External links Miss America official website