Miss America 1956, the 29th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 10, 1955 and was broadcast of the competition on ABC.
Sharon Ritchie became the first Miss Colorado to be the winner. As she was crowned, master of ceremonies Bert Parks performed the song "There She Is..." for the first time.
Results Placements Placements Contestant Miss America 1956 – Sharon Ritchie1st Runner-Up – Dorothy Johnson2nd Runner-Up – Florence Gallagher3rd Runner-Up – Clara Faye Arnold4th Runner-Up – Ann CampbellTop 10 – Patricia Huddleston – Beth Andre – Sandra Wirth – Barbara Mamo Vieira – Virginia E. Maffucci
Awards Preliminary awards Awards Contestant Lifestyle and Fitness Hawaii - Barbara Mamo Vieira North Carolina - Clara Faye Arnold Oklahoma - Ann Campbell Talent Alabama - Patricia Huddleston Florida - Sandra Wirth Massachusetts - Virginia E. Maffucci
Other awards Awards Contestant Miss Congeniality Hawaii - Barbara Mamo VieiraNon-finalist Talent Missouri - Sharon Knickmeyer Utah - Suzanne Storrs Poulton
Contestants +StateNameHometownAgeTalentPlacementAwardsNotes AlabamaPatricia HuddlestonClanton21Classical Vocal, "Pace, Pace Mio Dio!" from La Forza del DestinóTop 10Preliminary Talent Award ArizonaBeth AndrePhoenixComic Monologue, "What Do I Do Now, Mr. McLeod?"Top 10 ArkansasCharlene BowersHelenaVocal, "I Want to be Evil" CaliforniaBarbara HarrisSanta CruzVocal, "Over the Rainbow" CanadaDalyce Gail SmithWhitehorse ChicagoFlorence GallagherChicagoSemi-classical Vocal, "Love is Where You Find it"2nd runner-up ColoradoSharon RitchieDenver18Recitation, "The Murder of Lidice" by Edna St. Vincent MillayWinner ConnecticutAudrey FiglarHartfordCharleston Dance DelawareJoanne SakowskiWilmingtonVocal District of ColumbiaJudith DunkleWashington, D.C.19Vocal FloridaSandra WirthMiamiFire Baton, "Jazz Medley"Top 10Preliminary Talent Award GeorgiaJeanine ParrisAtlanta22Dramatic Monologue HawaiiBarbara Mamo VieriaHonoluluVocal/Hula, "The Night is Young"Top 10Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Miss Congeniality IdahoJudy VoitenBoise19Vocal/Guitar, "Western Folk Song Medley" IllinoisMarian Elizabeth CoxOak ParkVocal, "If I Loved You" IndianaCarolyn TurnerIndianapolisChalk Talk & Poetry IowaKay TaylorIowa City20Tap Dance, "French Maids Dreaming of Marriage" KansasGail WhiteArkansas CityPiano KentuckyAnn Shirley GillockCarrolltonOrgan LouisianaJan Aline JohnstonRustonDrama MaineJanice VaughnWatervilleDramatic Monologue MarylandCarol JeanetteWestminsterFashion Display & Speech, "How to Pack a Suitcase" MassachusettsVirginia MaffucciWatertownDramatic Monologue, "Solitary Confinement"Top 10Preliminary Talent Award MichiganMargaret DevereauxHowellPiano, "Flight of the Bumblebee" MinnesotaMarlyse ReedFairmontDramatic Monologue from L'Aiglon MississippiCarolyn CochranLucedaleDramatic Monologue MissouriSharon KnickmeyerSt. LouisSynchronized SwimmingNon-finalist Talent Award MontanaBertha Mae HueblGlendiveVocal NebraskaSandra SpiecherOmahaSpeech, "Teaching Handicapped Students" NevadaVivienne PotterRenoDramatic Monologue, "An Address to the Jury" New HampshireMargaret JohnsonDoverDramatic Monologue New JerseyPatricia CampbellCamdenDance New York CityDiana DeutschNew York CityArt Sketching North CarolinaClara Faye ArnoldRaleighMonologue, "Sabrina Fair"3rd runner-upPreliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award North DakotaMaryAnn GibbsWillistonVocal OhioMarguerite GarrCincinnatiVocal & Zither, "Old Black Joe" OklahomaAnn CampbellOklahoma CitySpeech & Furniture Design Display4th runner-upPreliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award OregonDorothy JohnsonPortlandDramatic Monologue from Macbeth1st runner-up PennsylvaniaPam UlrichSinking SpringDrama, "Proper Recitation" Puerto RicoGladys Rodríguez Rhode IslandClaire Mae EmersonPawtucketDramatic Monologue South CarolinaMartha ChestnutConwayPiano South DakotaConnie WhiteCanistotaPiano TennesseePatty WilliamsJacksonVocal, "The Student Prince" TexasJune PrichardSeymourHorseback Riding1st runner-up at Miss Dixie 1957 UtahSuzanne Storrs PoultonSalt Lake CityNon-finalist Talent Award VermontPhyllis ReichBenningtonVocal & Dance VirginiaBetty Sue MatthewsNorfolkVocal, "There's No Business Like Show Business" West VirginiaMary FrymanMadisonVocal WisconsinMargaret WallsMilwaukee18Ballet, "Dying Swan"
External links Miss America official website
References