Miss America 1973, the 46th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on September 9, 1972[1] and broadcast on NBC.

Miss America 1973
DateSeptember 9, 1972
PresentersBert Parks[1]
VenueBoardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
BroadcasterNBC
WinnerTerry Meeuwsen
Wisconsin
← 1972
1974 →

The winner was Terry Meeuwsen, the first woman representing Wisconsin to take the crown.[1] She would later become co-host of television's The 700 Club.

Among the finalists was Cindy Lee Sikes, entered as Miss Kansas, who became the actress Cynthia Sikes and co-star for three seasons in the 1980s on the NBC drama St. Elsewhere.

Results

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Placements

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Placement Contestant
Miss America 1973
1st Runner-Up
2nd Runner-Up
3rd Runner-Up
4th Runner-Up
Top 10

Order of announcements

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Awards

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Preliminary awards

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Awards Contestant
Lifestyle and Fitness
Talent

Other awards

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Awards Contestant
Non-finalist Talent
Miss Congeniality

Judges

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Contestants

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State Name Hometown Age Talent Placement Awards Notes
  Alabama Freita Fuller Opelika 19 Hula & Tahitian Dance
  Alaska Linda Hogue Kodiak 18 Modern Dance, "Charlie Chaplin Pantomime" Neat as a Pin Award
  Arizona Linda Gail Sirrine Mesa 19 Popular Vocal, "Happy Heart" Non-finalist Talent Award
  Arkansas Debbye Hazelwood Magnolia 20 Piano, Warsaw Concerto
  California Diane Wagner Daly City 20 Ballet, "Swan Lake"
  Colorado Sally Anderson Longmont 19 Classical Vocal, "Daydreams"
  Connecticut Linda Kapral East Lyme 19 Modern Jazz, African Dance, & Gymnastics
  Delaware Catherine Lawton Clayton 20 Banjo, "Banjo Memories" Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award
  Florida Suzanne Charles Fort Lauderdale 20 Ballet, "Dance of the Painted Doll"
  Georgia Lisa Lawalin Rome 20 Vocal, "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady
  Hawaii Marlene Diane Kehaulani Kalahiki Kailua-Kona 22 Modern Jazz Dance, "Shotgun"
  Idaho Vicki Hawkins Boise 20 Piano, Theme from Summer of '42
  Illinois Carolyn Paulus Elmhurst 20 Classical Vocal, "Glitter and be Gay" from Candide
  Indiana Rebecca Graham Indianapolis 23 Gymnastics Dance 4th runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
  Iowa Renee Stuedemann Clinton 23 Baton Twirling, "Can-Can" from Orpheus in the Underworld Top 10
  Kansas Cynthia Sikes Coffeyville 18 Vocal, "Fame" Top 10 Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Starred as Dr. Annie Cavanero on St. Elsewhere from 1982 to 1985
  Kentucky Carolyn Walters Louisville 19 Vocal, "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody"
  Louisiana Debby Robert Baton Rouge 21 Classical Vocal, "The Art of Beguiling" Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award
  Maine Marilyn Lash Friendship 19 Semi-classical Vocal, "Poor Wand'ring One" from The Pirates of Penzance Non-finalist Talent Award
  Maryland Kathleen Louise Neff Cumberland 21 Dramatic Soliloquy, "Shall I Tell You What I Think of You" from The King and I Top 10
  Massachusetts Marie Semas Taunton 18 Piano & Vocal of an Original Composition Non-finalist Talent Award
  Michigan Terri Cousino Erie 19 Vocal, "How Can I Wait?" Non-finalist Talent Award
  Minnesota Linda Hagen Hampton 22 Popular Vocal, "Who Will Buy?" from Oliver!
  Mississippi Glenda Meadows Richton 23 Vocal Medley, "Am I Blue?" & "I'd Rather Be Blue"
  Missouri Anita Columbo St. Louis 21 Vocal/Dance, "It's Today" from Mame
  Montana Debra DeBiase Billings 21 Ballet, "Summer of '42"
  Nebraska Jeanine Giller Omaha 22 Jazz Dance, "Bitter End"
  Nevada Helen Bennett Reno 23 Classical Ballet, "Dance of the Gypsy" Non-finalist Talent Award
  New Hampshire Jane Badler Manchester 18 Popular Vocal, "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" Starred on NBC's V series from 1983 to 1985 & on ABC's V series in 2011
  New Jersey Linda Gialanella Maplewood 22 Sketching Presentation, "Teaching the World to Draw" Non-finalist Talent Award
  New Mexico Wren Prather Carlsbad 19 Upside Down Tap Dance, "Yankee Doodle Dandy"
  New York Judith Keithley Rochester 19 Piano, Rhapsody in Blue
  North Carolina Constance Dorn Kinston 19 Ballet, "The Grand Holiday" 1st runner-up Later Miss North Carolina USA 1975

2nd runner-up at Miss USA 1975

  North Dakota Georgia Ann Becker Napoleon 18 Country Western Vocal, "Rose Garden" Non-finalist Talent Award
  Ohio Karen Sparka Bowling Green 21 Vocal Medley, "My Man" & "My Man's Gone Now" Non-finalist Talent Award
  Oklahoma Debbie Giannopoulos Oklahoma City 20 Classical Vocal from Carmen Contestant at Miss Teenage America 1968
  Oregon Sandra Lynn Herring Portland 20 Vocal Medley, "Who Will Buy?" & "As Long as He Needs Me" from Oliver! Non-finalist Talent Award
  Pennsylvania Linda Olson Corry 20 Piano, "Gershwin Medley" 2nd runner-up
  Rhode Island Michele Passarelli Pawtucket 18 Vocal, "Cabaret"
  South Carolina Bonnie Corder Columbia 21 Vocal Medley, "My Man's Gone Now", "Let Me Sing", & "I'm Happy"
  South Dakota Janet Hunter Madison 20 Classical Piano, "Scherzo No. 3" by Chopin
  Tennessee Debbie Cathey Nashville 20 Semi-classical Vocal, "Amazing Grace"
  Texas Mae Beth Cormany Wichita Falls Vocal Medley, "Misty" & "Come Rain or Come Shine" 3rd runner-up
  Utah Sally Peterson Salt Lake City 21 Classical Piano, "Piano Concerto No. 1" Miss Congeniality


Non-finalist Talent Award

  Vermont Kathy Hebert Burlington 21 Vocal & Guitar with Display of Fashion Design, "I Don't Know How to Love Him"
  Virginia Dona Marie Pillow Lynchburg 22 Vocal, "Memories" Cousin of country singer Ray Pillow
  Washington Rebecca Pozzi Kent 20 Vocal Medley, "Consider Yourself" & "I'd Do Anything"
  West Virginia Lynette Koper Weirton 21 Presentation of Original Art Works
  Wisconsin Terry Meeuwsen De Pere 23 Vocal, "He Touched Me" from Drat! The Cat! Winner Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award


Preliminary Talent Award

Co-host of The 700 Club
  Wyoming Annette Klipstein Cheyenne 22 Classical Vocal, "Adele's Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus Previously Wyoming's Junior Miss 1968

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Cremer, Nancy (10 Sep 1972). "Wisconsin Coed Wins Miss America Crown". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 1. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
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