Misplaced Pages

Miss USA 1981
Kim Seelbrede, Miss USA 1981
Date	May 21, 1981
Presenters	Bob Barker
Venue	Gulf Coast Convention Center, Biloxi, Mississippi
Broadcaster	CBS
Entrants	50
Placements	12
Winner	Kim Seelbrede Ohio
Congeniality	Cynthia Kerby California
Photogenic	Cynthia Kerby California
← 19801982 →

Miss USA 1981 was the 30th Miss USA pageant, held at the Gulf Coast Convention Center in Biloxi, Mississippi on May 21, 1981.

At the end of the event, Jineane Ford of Arizona crowned Kim Seelbrede of Ohio as Miss USA 1981. It is the second victory of Ohio in the pageant's history. Seelbrede later competed at Miss Universe and was named one of the twelve semi-finalists.

This year also marked the first year since 1957 that a runner-up of Miss USA was sent to Miss World. Holli Dennis, the first runner-up from Indiana, was supposed to compete at Miss World, but chose to marry instead. Due to this, Lisa Moss, the second runner-up from Louisiana, was appointed as the representative of the United States to Miss World. Moss later competed at Miss World and was named one of the seven finalists.

Contestants from forty-nine states and the District of Columbia competed in the pageant. The competition was hosted by Bob Barker.

Results

Placements

Pageant

Format

Same with 1971, twelve semi-finalists were chosen through the preliminary competition— composed of the swimsuit and evening gown competitions and closed-door interviews. The twelve semi-finalists competed in the evening gown and swimsuit competitions and were narrowed down to five afterward. The five finalists competed in the question and answer round and the final look.

Selection committee

Final telecast

• Cindy Adams – American gossip columnist and writer
• Joey Adams – American comedian and author
• John Mack Carter – American women's magazine editor
• Dwight Clark – American professional football player
• Wesley Eure – American singer, actor, and producer
• Jim Fowler – American zoologist and host of television show Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom
• Mary Therese Friel – Miss USA 1979 from New York
• Gary Graffman – American pianist
• Patrice Munsel – American opera singer
• Freda Payne – American singer and actress
• Phil Roura – Editor at the New York Daily News

Contestants

Fifty contestants competed for the title.

Notes

1. Ages at the time of the pageant.

References

1. ^ "Miss Ohio now Miss USA". The Daily News-Journal. Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 22 May 1981. p. 5. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
2. ^ Reynolds, Harold (17 May 1981). "Tonight's the best chance to see all 51 contestants". The Sun. Biloxi, Mississippi. p. 28. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "The contestants". The Sun. Biloxi, Mississippi. 16 May 1981. pp. 36–37. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "The contestants". The Sun. 16 May 1981. pp. 36–37. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Miss Alabama-U.S.A." Alabama Journal. Montgomery, Alabama. 3 March 1981. p. 16. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
6. Rose, Peter (15 March 1981). "Miss Arizona-U.S.A. title captured by Cassie Hill". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. 21. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
7. Reynolds, Harold (17 May 1981). "Double the pleasure". The Sun. Biloxi, Mississippi. p. 28. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
8. Coulter, Tom (16 January 1981). "Miss Port runner-up in state contest". News-Pilot. San Pedro, California. pp. 1, A13. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Former state resident in Miss USA pageant". Johnson City Press. Johnson City, Tennessee. 20 May 1981. p. 3. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Miss Georgia USA 1981". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia. 2 March 1981. p. 28. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Winner". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Honolulu, Hawaii. 2 March 1981. p. 3. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
12. Leonard, Sue (9 March 1981). "Chicagoan is Miss Illinois". The Times. Streator, Illinois. p. 1. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
13. Riccelli, Christine (20 May 1981). "Iowa City girl competing for Miss U.S.A. title". Iowa City Press-Citizen. Iowa City, Iowa. p. 1. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Two beauties". Hattiesburg American. Hattiesburg, Mississippi. 15 May 1981. p. 3. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "She's the one". The Paducah Sun. Paducah, Kentucky. 11 January 1981. p. 1. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
16. Durrett, Craig (26 May 1981). "Looks, brains: together 'it's dynamite'". The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 12. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "Bath woman is named to USA beauty pageant". The Bangor Daily News. Bangor, Maine. 3 February 1981. p. 14. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Adopted". The Sun. Biloxi, Mississippi. 24 May 1981. p. 40. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
19. ^ "Profile/Polly Peterson". The Minneapolis Star. Minneapolis, Minnesota. 19 March 1981. p. 15. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
20. "MSU coed wins pageant". Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, Mississippi. 1 March 1981. p. 14. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
21. "MSU student is Miss Montana USA". The Independent-Record. Helena, Montana. 1 March 1981. p. 7. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
22. Reynolds, Harold (24 May 1981). "Airborne Nebraska beauty lives her fantasy". The Sun. Biloxi, Mississippi. p. 40. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
23. Phelps, Shari (12 January 1981). "Tonia Moya quits state pageant". The Albuquerque Tribune. Albuquerque, New Mexico. p. 2. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
24. "Officials expel Miss New York from pageant". Johnson City Press. Johnson City, Tennessee. 20 May 1981. p. 3. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
25. "N.D. pageant winner told". The Bismarck Tribune. Bismarck, North Dakota. 28 February 1981. p. 6. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
26. "Miss S.C.-U.S.A. likes ballet dancer Baryshnikov". The Columbia Record. Columbia, South Carolina. 16 February 1981. p. 38. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
27. "Crowned". Argus-Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 18 January 1981. p. 36. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
28. "El Paso lass claims Miss Texas USA title". The Paris News. August 19, 1980.
29. Reynolds, Harold (19 May 1981). "Pageants past highlight outfit of Miss Virginia". The Sun. Biloxi, Mississippi. p. 12. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
30. Kirkland, Cliff (14 May 1981). "Funny, she sure doesn't look like a professional bowler". The Sun. Biloxi, Mississippi. p. 27. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
31. "Kaukauna girl wins title". The Post-Crescent. Appleton, Wisconsin. 2 February 1981. p. 17. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

• Official website

• Miss USA
• May 1981 events in the United States
• 1981 beauty pageants
• 1981 in Mississippi