Miss Universe 1953

Miss Universe 1953
Christiane Martel
Date17 July 1953 (1953-07-17)
PresentersBob Russell
VenueLong Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California, United States
Entrants26
Placements16
Debuts
  • Austria
  • Switzerland
Withdrawals
  • Chile
  • Cuba
  • Great Britain
  • Hong Kong
  • India
  • Israel
WinnerChristiane Martel
France
CongenialityJeanne Thompson (Louisiana)
PhotogenicMyrna Hansen (USA)
← 1952
1954 →

Miss Universe 1953 was the second Miss Universe pageant, held at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California, United States of America on 17 July 1953.

At the end of the event, actress Julie Adams crowned Christiane Martel from France as Miss Universe 1953.[1][2] It is the first victory of France in the pageant's history.[3] Miss Universe 1952 Armi Kuusela of Finland was not able to crown her successor after she chose to relinquish her crown in order to marry.[4][5]

Contestants from twenty-six countries and territories competed in this year's pageant, marking the smallest turnout to date for Miss Universe as of 2023. The pageant was hosted by Bob Russell. This edition also featured the Metallic Bronze Crown designed by American silversmith Allan Adler, an all-bronze crown known for its lack of rhinestones and gemstones. The crown was only used for this edition.[6]

  1. ^ "'Miss Universe' title is taken by brunette Parisian model". The Ponca City News. Ponca City, Oklahoma. 19 July 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 10 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "French Girl Wins "Miss Universe" Title". Indian Daily Mail. 20 July 1953. p. 4. Retrieved 10 May 2023 – via National Library Board.
  3. ^ Mihaela, Dima (September 13, 2009). "Miss Universe: Finnish Armi Kuusela first beauty queen". Adevărul. Retrieved October 7, 2010.
  4. ^ "Miss Universe Married To Filipino With Black Eye". The Victoria Advocate. Victoria, Texas. 5 May 1953. p. 8, col. 34. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  5. ^ "'Miss Universe' Weds Filipino with Shiner". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 5 May 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 11 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ Tayag, Voltaire E. (16 May 2021). "Miss Universe crowns: Sentimental favorites, all-time greats". Rappler. Retrieved 10 May 2023.