Miss USA 1974

Miss USA 1974, the 23rd Miss USA pageant, was televised live by CBS from Niagara Falls, New York on May 18, 1974.

Miss USA 1974
Date	May 18, 1974
Presenters	Bob Barker
Venue	Niagara Falls Convention and Civic Center, Niagara Falls, New York
Broadcaster	CBS WBEN-TV
Entrants	51
Placements	12
Winner	Karen Morrison  Illinois
Congeniality	Donna Thornton  Vermont
Photogenic	Barbara Cooper  New York

The pageant was won by Karen Morrison of Illinois, who was crowned by outgoing titleholder Amanda Jones, also of Illinois. Morrison was the fourth woman from Illinois to win the Miss USA title (a record at the time), and went on to place as a semi-finalist at Miss Universe 1974. Coincidentally, first runner up at Miss USA 1973 was Miss New York. It happened again at Miss USA 1974 when Miss New York (Miss USA 1973 & Miss USA 1974 held in New York) was first runner up with both winner from Illinois.

Results

Placements

Final Results	Contestant
Miss USA 1974	Illinois – Karen Morrison
1st Runner-Up	New York – Barbara Cooper
2nd Runner-Up	Wisconsin – Mary Cook
3rd Runner-Up	California – Gayle Gorrell
4th Runner-Up	North Carolina – Marcia Burton
Top 12	Arizona – Carlys Peterson District of Columbia – Robin Utterback Florida – Cynthia Zach Louisiana – Karen Hoff Missouri – Dorothy McAlveen Nevada – Linda Dryden South Dakota – Debra Ann Brickley

Special awards

Award	Contestant
Miss Congeniality	Vermont – Donna Thornton
Miss Photogenic	New York – Barbara Cooper
Best State Costume	Kentucky - Charlesy Gulick

Historical significance

• Illinois wins competition for the fourth time and twice in a row.
• New York earns the 1st runner-up position for the fifth time. The last time it placed this was in 1973. It reaches the same position as the two previous year.
• Wisconsin earns the 2nd runner-up position for the first time and it reaches its highest placement ever at the contest.
• California earns the 3rd runner-up position for the third time. The last time it placed this was in 1962.
• North Carolina earns the 4th runner-up position for the first time.
• States that placed in semifinals the previous year were Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana and New York.
• California placed for the eighteenth consecutive year.
• Florida placed for the sixth consecutive year.
• District of Columbia placed for the fifth consecutive year.
• Louisiana and New York placed for the third consecutive year.
• Arizona and Illinois made their second consecutive placement.
• North Carolina last placed in 1972.
• Missouri last placed in 1971.
• Nevada last placed in 1970.
• Wisconsin last placed in 1967.
• South Dakota last placed in 1958.

Delegates

The Miss USA 1974 delegates were:

Alabama - Wyna Lavas Alaska - Cindy Dickerson Arizona - Carlys Peterson Arkansas - Gina Huddle California - Gayle Gorrell Colorado - Connie Larsen Connecticut - Valerie Cappello Delaware - Cheryl Fetkenher District of Columbia - Robin Utterback Florida - Cynthia Zach Georgia - Vicki Ross Hawaii - Joan Ottensmeyer Idaho - Darla Jan Dowden Illinois - Karen Morrison Indiana - Lisa Childress Iowa - Susan Thompson Kansas - Lorraine Breckenridge Kentucky - Charlesy Gulick Louisiana - Karen Hoff Maine - Rebecca Titcomb Maryland - Mary Jo Ruppert Massachusetts - Esthellean Hicks Michigan - Patty Loftis Minnesota - Gayle Johnson Mississippi - Denise Clark Missouri - Dorothy McAlveen

Montana - Carol Aalseth Nebraska - Mary Wolff Nevada - Linda Dryden New Hampshire - June Tedeschi New Jersey - Pat Sims New Mexico - Jan Nilsson New York - Barbara Cooper North Carolina - Marcia Burton North Dakota - Judy Waltz Ohio - Kay Phillips Oklahoma - Yugonda Willits Oregon - Peggy Ann Gerding Pennsylvania - Dorisann Gatalski Rhode Island - Debra Cerroni South Carolina - Lynn Hollis South Dakota - Debra Ann Brickley Tennessee - Brin Hendrix Texas - Debra Cronin Utah - Halene Petersen Vermont - Donna Thornton Virginia - Hazel Thomas Washington - Cheryl Rutledge West Virginia - Kim Nuzum Wisconsin - Mary Cook Wyoming - Debbie Petty

External links

• Miss USA official website