Ann Fowler

Ann Fowler (born March 16, 1948) is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Birmingham, Alabama, who was named Miss Alabama 1969. She would later marry and divorce American television executive Roone Arledge.

Ann Fowler
Born	Ann Harriet Fowler[1] March 16, 1948
Education	Birmingham–Southern College
Height	5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)[2]
Title	Alabama's Junior Miss 1966 Miss Alabama 1969
Beauty pageant titleholder
Hair color	Brunette
Eye color	Brown
Major competition(s)	Miss America 1970

Career

December 1970 issue of Leatherneck with Ann Fowler entertaining troops in South Vietnam.

Fowler was chosen as Alabama's Junior Miss for 1966.[3][4][5]

In 1967, she was named first runner-up to Miss Alabama 1967, Becky Alford.[6][7]

Entering the 1969 Miss Alabama pageant as one of 50 contestants and 24 finalists,[1] Fowler's preliminary competition talent for Miss Alabama was singing "Promises, Promises" and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again". The final round talent portion of the program was dropped due to the length of Ahead to the Stars, a musical drama honoring Alabama's sesquicentennial and presented as part of the evening's entertainment.[2]

Fowler won the competition on Saturday, July 5, 1969, when she received her crown from outgoing Miss Alabama titleholder Dellynne Catching. After winning, Fowler resigned from her job in the office of Congressman John Hall Buchanan, Jr. (Republican, Alabama's 6th) to focus on her role as Miss Alabama and prepare for the Miss America pageant.[2]

As Miss Alabama, her activities included public appearances across the state of Alabama, riding the Alabama float in the inaugural parade for President Richard Nixon,[5] and an August 1970 USO tour visiting the troops in South Vietnam.[8][9] The United States Marine Corps commemorated her Vietnam trip by putting her on the December 1970 cover of Leatherneck, "Magazine of the Marines".[10]

Fowler was Alabama's representative at the Miss America 1970 pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey.[11] Her competition talent was signing "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" from the musical Fiddler on the Roof. Fowler was not one of the finalists for the title. Her reign as Miss Alabama continued until Suzanne Dennie was crowned on June 27, 1970.[12]

Personal life

Fowler is a 1966 graduate of Banks High School in Birmingham, Alabama, and earned a bachelor's degree in music from Birmingham–Southern College.[5] Her mother is Mrs. N.W. Fowler of Birmingham, an interior designer.[2][5]

In 1975, she married ABC television executive Roone Arledge. She was his second wife. The couple divorced in 1985.[13][14]

References

1. "'Miss Alabama' Fete Tonight". The Gadsden Times. Gadsden, AL. Associated Press. July 5, 1969. p. 2. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
2. Oramous, Philip (July 7, 1969). "Solon's Office Worker Named Miss Alabama". The Anniston Star. Anniston, AL. Associated Press. p. 2. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
3. "Beauties From 93 Towns Entered In State's Junior Miss Pageant". The Gadsden Times. Gadsden, AL. Associated Press. January 22, 1967. p. 6. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
4. "Past Representatives". Distinguished Young Women. Archived from the original on July 24, 2014. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
5. "Miss Alabama To Speak At Woman's Club Meeting". The Gadsden Times. Gadsden, AL. October 19, 1969. p. 9. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
6. "New Miss Alabama". Alabama Journal. Montgomery, AL. July 28, 1967. Archived from the original on December 5, 1998. Alt URL
7. "Becky Alford Selected Miss Alabama 1967". The Gadsden Times. Gadsden, AL. Associated Press. July 28, 1967. p. 1. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
8. "USO Brings Miss America To Republic" (PDF). The Jackstaff News. U.S. Naval Support Activity, Saigon. August 26, 1970. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 26, 2014. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
9. "Miss Alabama visits the troops in Vietnam, 1970". Stars and Stripes. Washington, D.C.: Defense Media Activity. September 26, 2011. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
10. "Cover". Leatherneck Magazine. United States Marine Corps. December 1970.
11. "Miss Alabama History". Miss Alabama. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
12. "Miss Alabama Contest Entry Deadline June 1". The Tuscaloosa News. Tuscaloosa, AL. May 5, 1970. p. 10. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
13. Cross, Mary, ed. (2013). "Roone Arledge (1931–2002)". 100 People Who Changed 20th-Century America. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. p. 462. ISBN 978-1-61069-085-0. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
14. "Arledge, Roone". American National Biography. Retrieved July 18, 2014.

External links

• Miss Alabama official website