Miss America 1944

Miss America 1944
Date	September 9, 1944
Presenters	Bob Russell
Venue	Warner Theater, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Entrants	33
Placements	12
Winner	Venus Ramey District of Columbia
← 1943 1945 →

Miss America 1944, the 18th Miss America pageant, was held at the Warner Theater in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 9, 1944. Venus Ramey, Miss District of Columbia won the title and also received swimsuit and talent preliminary awards.^[1]

One of the five finalists, Betty Jane Rase, who would become known as B. J. Baker, was a backup singer for many top recording artists, and also was one of the wives of actor Mickey Rooney.

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Results

Placements

Placement	Contestant
Miss America 1944	District of Columbia – Venus Ramey
1st Runner-Up	Boston – Paulina McKevitt
2nd Runner-Up	Florida – Virginia Warlen
3rd Runner-Up	Chicago – Elaine Steinbach
4th Runner-Up	Birmingham – Betty Jane Rase
Top 12	California – Shirley Ballard Illinois – Betty June King Miami – Vernell Bush Michigan – Beverly Bennett Minnesota – Patricia Ann Cummings New York City – Betty Jo Dazey Pennsylvania – Margie Donie

Awards

Preliminary awards

Awards	Contestant
Lifestyle and Fitness	Birmingham - Betty Jane Rase District of Columbia - Venus Ramey Florida - Virginia Warlen
Talent	Birmingham - Betty Jane Rase District of Columbia - Venus Ramey Florida - Virginia Warlen

Other awards

Awards	Contestant
Miss Congeniality	Texas - Joyce Courrege

Contestants


Title	Name	Hometown	Age	Talent	Placement	Award	Notes
Arkansas	Mineola Graham	Brinkley
Atlanta	Mary Ann Linane
Birmingham	Betty Jane Rase	Birmingham		Vocal Medley, "My Hero" from The Chocolate Soldier & "Lover, Come Back to Me"	4th Runner-up	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Preliminary Talent Award	Later known as B.J. Baker, a back-up singer for many recording artists.
Boston	Paulina McKevitt	Boston		Vocal, "Goodnight, Wherever You Are"	1st Runner-up
California	Shirley Ballard	Los Angeles			Top 12
Chicago	Elaine Steinbach	Chicago		Vocal, "You'll Never Know"	3rd Runner-up
Columbia	Gloria Mae Grisso	Columbia
Connecticut	Barbara Fisher	East Hartford
Delaware	Jacquelyn Vasseur	Wilmington
Detroit	Iora June Victor	Detroit		Vocal, "Goodnight, Wherever You Are"			Grandmother of Miss Michigan 2007 & Miss America 2008, Kirsten Haglund
District of Columbia	Venus Ramey		19	Vocal in English and Spanish & Dance, "Take It Easy"	Winner	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Preliminary Talent Award
Florida	Virginia Warlen			Violin, "Intermezzo"	2nd Runner-up	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Preliminary Talent Award
Georgia	Trudie Hayward	Atlanta
Illinois	Betty June King	Bloomington		Acrobatic Dance, "Stardust"	Top 12
Kansas	Grace Louise Pittman	Wichita
Maryland	Audrey Klingenberg	Baltimore
Massachusetts	Lucille Descoteau	Lowell
Miami	Vernell Bush	Miami		Vocal, "It Had to be You"	Top 12
Michigan	Beverly Bennett	Detroit		Vocal, "Stormy Weather"	Top 12
Minnesota	Patricia Cummings	Minneapolis		Hula	Top 12
Mississippi	Sarah Topp	Tupelo
New Hampshire	Jackie Edson	Plaistow
New Jersey	Janice Hansen	Union City
New Orleans	Wilhelmina Hoffman	New Orleans
New York	Bobby MacAdam	Brooklyn
New York City	Betty Jo Dazey	New York City		Vocal Medley, "Goodnight, Wherever You Are" & "Swinging on a Star"	Top 12
North Carolina	Betsy Marie Dalton	Winston-Salem
Ohio	Madeline Bohanon	Cincinnati
Pennsylvania	Margie Dorie	Pittsburgh		Vocal, "Big Boy Blue"	Top 12
Philadelphia	Itha Duerrhammer	Philadelphia		Vocal & Dance
South Carolina	Virginia Owens	Columbia
Tennessee	Marian Weller	Chattanooga		Vocal, "Someday I'll Find You"
Texas	Joyce Courrege	Orange		Comedic Monologue		Miss Congeniality
West Virginia	Sharon Allyson Scott