Miss USA 1971 was the 20th Miss USA pageant, televised live by CBS hosted by Bob Barker from the Jackie Gleason Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida on May 22, 1971.
The pageant was won by Michele McDonald of Pennsylvania, who was crowned by outgoing titleholder Deborah Shelton of Virginia. McDonald was the first – and to date only – woman from Pennsylvania to win the Miss USA title, and went on to place as a semi-finalist at Miss Universe 1971.
For the 1971 pageant, the number of semi-finalists called was reduced from 15 to 12. It would remain at this number until 1984, when it was cut again to 10.
Results Final resultsContestantMiss USA 1971 Pennsylvania – Michele McDonald1st Runner-Up Texas – Brenda Box2nd Runner-Up Arizona – Susanne Pottenger3rd Runner-Up Missouri – Nancy Rich4th Runner-Up Kentucky – Patricia BarnstableTop 12 California – Karin Morrell District of Columbia – Suzanne Pluskoski Florida – Susan Deaton Maryland – Carol Theis Michigan – Pat Glannan Vermont – Sandra Taft Virginia – Brenda Miller
Special awards AwardContestant Miss Congeniality Colorado – Diane Knaub Miss Photogenic Virginia – Brenda Miller
Delegates The Miss USA 1971 delegates were:
Alabama - Renee Smith Alaska - Katherine Hartman Arizona - Susanne Pottenger Arkansas - Paula Keith California - Karin Morrell Colorado - Diane Knaub Connecticut - Diane Turetsky Delaware - Nanette Crist District of Columbia - Suzanne Pluskoski Florida - Susan Deaton Georgia - Jenny Andrews Hawaii - Deborah Gibson Idaho - Kristeen Riordan Illinois - Paulette Breen Indiana - Deborah Downhour Iowa - Cindy Helmers Kansas - Nancy Bishop Kentucky - Patricia Barnstable Louisiana - Diane Risenstein Maine - Ruth McCleery Maryland - Carol Theis Massachusetts - April Dow Michigan - Pat Glannan Minnesota - Shirley Kittleson Mississippi - Janey Gillis Missouri - Nancy Rich Montana - Rebecca Thomas Nebraska - Lola Butler Nevada - Anita Laurie New Hampshire - Jane Laroche New Jersey - Brenda White New Mexico - Debbie Clary New York - Barbara Lopez North Carolina - Mary Rudroff North Dakota - Joanne Engel Ohio - Karen Haus Oklahoma - Kim Hardesty Oregon - Connie Oost Pennsylvania - Michele McDonald Rhode Island - Laurie Stahle South Carolina - Eunice Campbell South Dakota - Sonia Hart Tennessee - Sue Collins Texas - Brenda Box Utah - Janet Montgomery Vermont - Sandra Taft Virginia - Brenda Miller Washington - Christine McComb West Virginia - Peggy Tennant Wisconsin - Pamela Martin Wyoming - Kay Heaton
Judges Willis Reed Wilhelmina Bob Lardine Bert Bacharach, Sr. Richard J. Knight Jane Kean Ben Novack Bobbi Johnson George Lindsey Hy Gardner Cindy Adams
References
External links Miss USA official website