22 Of The Most Bizarre Beauty Queens Of The 1950s And ’60s
What’s more American than a beauty queen?
1. Miss Atomic Bomb, 1957
Lee A. Merlin was crowned Miss Atomic Bomb, coinciding with Operation Plumbbob, a super-controversial series of nuclear bomb tests in the Nevada desert.
2. Catfish Queen, 1954
Gail Hooper from Memphis was selected “Miss National Catfish Queen,” holding a 56-pound catfish at the Hotel New Yorker.
3. Sweater Queen, 1952
The 1952 Sweater Queen, Jeanne Davis of Alabama, won the annual Sweater Queen Contest sponsored by the Wool Bureau and National Knitted Outerwear Foundation.
4. Laugh Queen, 1961
Kathleen Townsend from Minneapolis was chosen in 1961 as the official Laugh Queen, a title dedicated to the promotion of a national sense of humor.
5. National Posture Queen, 1957
Diane Stopky of St. Louis won the International Posture Contest in 1957.
6. Blueberry Queen, 1955
Ethel Silber of Wildwood, New Jersey, shown surrounded by blueberries, was chosen to be the official Blueberry Queen in 1955.
7. Queen of the Greenwich Village, 1962
Eva Sloan was crowned Queen of the Greenwich Village at the Spring Art Festival in 1962.
8. Queen of the Love Ball, 1968
Lynn Kellog was crowned the Queen of the Love Ball in 1968.
9. Sausage Queen, 1956
Lorraine Cole is wrapped up in her work at the Hotel Wellington, where she was crowned Frankfurter Queen in 1956 by Hebrew National.
10. Queen of Anti-Triskaidekaphobia, 1963
Cindy Carol is crowned Queen of Anti-Triskaidekaphobia on Friday the 13th in 1963. In case you were wondering, triskaidekaphobia means fear of the number 13.
11. Queen of the Circus, 1959
Jacqueline Petite of Paris, who was chosen as the 1959 Queen of the Circus at Palisades Park, is shown as she tames her animals with her bullwhip and gun.
12. National Hot Rod Queen, 1969
National Hot Rod Queen Darlene Larson poses in front of the New York Coliseum, site of Hot Rod and Custom Car, in 1969.
13. Mink Queen, 1960
Actress Julia Meade, 1960’s Mink Queen, is almost buried in mink at West Side Fur Company.
14. Health Queen, 1967
Darlene Larson is crowned the 1967 Outdoor Health Queen while she sits atop a mound of snow on the roof of the Lincoln Square Motor Inn in New York City.
15. Ivy League Queen, 1960
Vassar College freshman Judy McGuire was crowned as the Ivy League Queen of 1960.
16. World’s Fair Summer Festival Queen, 1964
Ann McKeon, 1964 World’s Fair Summer Festival Queen, pokes her head through a sign for the big show.
17. Donut Queen, 1957
Joy Harman is crowned NYC Donut Queen after representing the city in the national Donut Queen contest of 1957.
18. Queen of the Press Photographers, 1951
Queen of the New York Press Photographers Association Jane Wurster poses at the Hotel Vanderbilt in 1951.
19. Queen of Cuisine, 1964
Gloria Prince of New York is dubbed Queen of Cuisine at House of Good Taste in New York City.
20. Queen of the Pet Festival, 1964.
Sunny Austin is joined by a lamb, a toucan, and a baby chick (in her hair) after she was named Queen of the Pet Festival in 1964.
21. Queen of Candy, 1964
Actor Joi Lansing poses outside Chunky Candy Pavilion at the 1964 World’s Fair. As Queen of Candy, Joi reigned over numerous special events at the candy exhibit while the rain poured.
22. Wine Queen, 1965
Actress Paula Wayne was crowned May Wine Queen in 1965.
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