Miss World 1959 was the 9th edition of the Miss World pageant, held at the Lyceum Ballroom, London, United Kingdom, on 10 November 1959.
At the conclusion of the event, the Chief Barker of the Variety Club of Great Britain crowned Corine Rottschäfer of Holland as Miss World 1959. This is the first victory of Holland in the history of the pageant.
Contestants from thirty-seven countries and territories participated in this year's pageant. The pageant was hosted by Bob Hope.
Background
Selection of participants Thirty-seven contestants were selected to compete in the pageant. Three contestants were appointed to represent their countries after being a runner-up in their national pageants.
Replacements The first runner-up of Miss Maple Leaf 1959, Huguette Demers, was appointed to represent Canada after Miss Maple Leaf 1959, Irene Dobler relinquished her title in order to marry. Berit Grundvig, the first-runner of Miss Norway 1959, was appointed to represent her country after Miss Norway 1959, Jorunn Kristjansen, became the first runner-up of Miss Universe 1959. Miss Holland 1957, Corine Rottschäfer, was appointed to represent her country after Miss Holland 1959, Peggy Erwich, withdrew due to her modeling commitments.
Debuts, returns and withdrawals This edition marked the debut of Argentina, Ghana, Gibraltar, Hawaii, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Jordan, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Rhodesia and Nyasaland, South Korea, and Uruguay, and the return of Honduras, which last competed in 1955; and Austria, Finland, Iceland, and Luxembourg last competed in 1957.
Raymonde Valle of Morocco and Figen Özgür of Turkey withdrew for undisclosed reasons. Venezuela withdrew after its respective organization failed to hold a national competition or appoint a delegate. Habiba Bent Abdallah of Tunisia was supposed to compete, but withdrew from the competition due to financial constraints.
Results
Placements Placement Contestant Miss World 1959 – Corine Rottschäfer 1st Runner-Up – María Elena Rossel 2nd Runner-Up – Ziva Shomrat 3rd Runner-Up – Anne Thelwell 4th Runner-Up – Kirsten Olsen Top 11 – Amalia Yolanda Scuffi – Yakiathi Karaviti – Sheila Chong – Vivien Lentin – Moya Meaker – Helga Meyer
Pageant
Format The number of placements in this edition has been increased to eleven from six in the previous edition. The eleven semi-finalists were selected through a preliminary competition held on the day of the final competition consisting of a swimsuit and evening gown competition. The eleven semi-finalists were then interviewed by Bob Russell and paraded before the judges, and five finalists were eventually selected to compete in the final interview.
Selection committee
Claude Berr – Co-head of the Miss Europe committee Reg Cudlipp – British newspaper editor for News of the World Taina Elg – Finnish-American actress and dancer Jill Ireland – British actress Lady Lydford – British socialite Cynthia Oberholzer – South African model Oscar Santa María – Brazilian politician John Spencer-Churchill – 11th Duke of Marlborough Godfrey Winn – English journalist
Contestants Thirty-seven contestants competed for the title. CountryContestantAgeHometownAmalia Yolanda Scuffi17Mar de PlataHelga Knofel20–Diane Hidalgo19–Dione Brito Oliveira18CaruaruHuguette Demers21MontrealKirsten Olsen20FrederiksbergMargit Jaatinen19–Marie Hélène Trové19–Star Nyaniba Annan20AccraViola Howells23GibraltarYakiathi Karaviti20AthensMargaret Moani Keala Brumaghim26HonoluluCorine Rottschäfer21AmsterdamRosemary Lefebre–TegucigalpaMichelle Mok17Hong KongSigurbjörg Sveinsdóttir18ReykjavíkFleur Ezekiel18–Ann Fitzpatrick17DublinZiva Shomrat18HaifaPaola Falchi18LatiumSheila Chong24KingstonChieko Ichinose18TokyoUfemia Jabaji17AmmanJosee Pundel20Luxembourg CityBerit Grundvig19OsloElvira dos Santos18AsunciónMaría Elena Rossel17PiuraMaria Teresa Motoa Cardoso18LisbonLyllianna Díaz19San JuanVivien Lentin17KitweMoya Meaker18PretoriaSeo Jung-ae19BusanCarola Håkonsson20–Anne Thelwell22HeswallLoretta Powell24StratfordYvonne Kelly25MontevideoHelga Meyer23Bielefeld
Notes
References
External links Miss World official website