Miss America 1977

Miss America 1977, the 50th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 11, 1976 on NBC Network.

Miss America 1977
DateSeptember 11, 1976
PresentersBert Parks
VenueBoardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
BroadcasterNBC
WinnerDorothy Benham
Minnesota

Pageant winner Dorothy Benham became a singer, appearing often on the Crystal Cathedral religious-themed program Hour of Power.

Among the other contestants in 1977 was Miss Florida, actress Nancy Stafford, who would co-star with Andy Griffith 11 years later in the NBC TV series Matlock.

Results
Final results Contestant
Miss America 1977
1st runner-up
2nd runner-up
3rd runner-up
4th runner-up
Top 10

Preliminary awards
Awards Contestant
Lifestyle and Fitness
Talent

Non-finalist awards
Awards Contestant
Talent

Judges

Contestants
State Name Hometown Age Talent Placement Special Awards Notes
Alabama Denise Davis Russellville 18 Popular Vocal Toured with Miss America USO Troupe
Alaska Kathy Tebow Anchorage 19 Violin Solo, "Méditation" Non-finalist Talent Award
Arizona Anne DeVarennes Tucson 22 Vocal, "As Long as He Needs Me" from Oliver!
Arkansas Joyce McCormack Little Rock 21 Ballet en Pointe, "Polonaise" Non-finalist Talent Award
California Linda Mouron Orange 19 Tap Dance, "Puttin' on the Ritz" 3rd runner-up
Colorado Karen Land Littleton 22 Vibraphone, "Bandstand Boogie"
Connecticut Debra LaRoche Cheshire 20 Popular Vocal, "I Feel a Song Coming On"
Delaware Deborah Rica Lipford Newark 21 Dramatic Interpretation, "It Was a Good Time" from Ryan's Daughter Top 10 First African-American contestant to reach the top 10 at Miss America
Florida Nancy Stafford Fort Lauderdale 22 Piano, "Send in the Clowns"
Georgia Sandy Adamson Atlanta 20 Tap Dance, "I Can Do That" Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarhip
Hawaii Haunani Asing Kailua 18 Guitar &Vocal, "Hawaiian Lullaby"
Idaho RaNae Peterson Preston 19 Organ Medley, "I Got Rhythm" & "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" Non-finalist Talent Award
Illinois Betsy Jamison Mundelein 24 Popular Vocal, "Who Will Buy?" from Oliver!
Indiana Tamara Trittschuh Plainfield 21 Piano, "Rhapsodies, Op. 79" by Johannes Brahms
Iowa Ronda Frogley Davenport 20 Popular Vocal, "Tomorrow"
Kansas Linda Hall Hill City 21 Piano, Theme from The Apartment Wife of former U.S. Senator Tom Daschle
Kentucky Victoria Harned Leitchfield 21 Popular Vocal, "Send in the Clowns" Non-finalist Talent Award
Louisiana Candy Sue Crocker Hammond 22 Vocal/Tap Dance, "Swanee"
Maine Susan Wanbaugh Presque Isle 19 Dramatic Monologue from As You Like It
Maryland Barbara Jean Jennings Greenbelt 25 Piano, "Morceaux de fantaisie" by Rachmaninoff Top 10 Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship
Massachusetts Deborah Guastella Methuen 22 Vocal, "Your World and Mine"
Michigan Diane Kay Hansen Berrien Center 23 Piano Medley, "My Country, 'Tis of Thee", "Dixie", & "Yankee Doodle"
Minnesota Dorothy Benham Edina 20 Classical Vocal, "Adele's Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus Winner Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award


Preliminary Talent Award
Mississippi Bobbye Wood Hattiesburg 19 Vocal, "Starting Here, Starting Now"
Missouri Marcia Kolich Sugar Creek 22 Jazz Dance, "Everything's Coming up Roses", "On Broadway", & "That's Entertainment!"
Montana Janice Frankino Helena 19 Gymnastics/Jazz Dance, "The Yankee Doodle Boy" Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship
Nebraska Marion Catherine Watson Omaha 22 Vocal, "Over the Rainbow"
Nevada Sandra Kastel Las Vegas 21 Vocal, "My Man" Non-finalist Talent Award
New Hampshire Margaret Spellacy Hampton 21 Comedy Dance, "The Yankee Doodle Boy"
New Jersey Lori Johnson Medford 19 Acrobatic Dance, "Love is the Answer"
New Mexico Melody Griffin Hobbs 21 Vocal, "The Music and the Mirror" from A Chorus Line
New York Sonja Anderson New York City 25 Vocal, "And This is My Beloved" 4th runner-up Preliminary Talent Award Previously Miss New York USA 1975
North Carolina Susie Proffitt Black Mountain 22 Tap Dance from Baby Face
North Dakota Donna Grotberg Valley City 18 Piano, "The Cat and the Mouse" Top 10
Ohio Janice Cooley Portsmouth 20 Piano, "Mephisto Waltz" Non-finalist Talent Award
Oklahoma Lucia Miller Buffalo 21 Trumpet, "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey"
Oregon Shan Moss Nyssa 21 Flute, "Concertino" Non-finalist Talent Award
Pennsylvania Marie McLaughlin Levittown 23 Ventriloquism, "Together (Wherever We Go)" Top 10
Rhode Island Debra Cerroni Esmond 20 Vocal, "Much More" from The Fantasticks Previously Miss Rhode Island USA 1974
South Carolina Lavinia Cox Latta 23 Piano Medley, "The Man I Love" & "Sunny" 1st runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
South Dakota Beth Guthmiller Tripp 21 Vocal, "My Tribute" Younger sister of Miss South Dakota 1974, Barbara Guthmiller
Tennessee Terry Alden Memphis 21 Classical Piano, "Toccata"
Texas Carmen McCollum Odessa 19 Saxophone Medley, "Wabash Cannonball", "Yakety Sax", & "If He Walked Into My Life" from Mame 2nd runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award


Preliminary Talent Award
Utah Suzanne McKay Salt Lake City 22 Organ Medley, "Yankee Doodle Dandy" & "God Bless America"
Vermont Suzanne Wind Saxtons River 18 Acrobatic Jazz Dance, "Wisdom"
Virginia Pamela Polk Richmond 22 Classical Vocal, "Mi Chiamano Mimi" from La bohème Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award
Washington Theresa Adams Wenatchee 19 Classical Piano, "Prelude in G minor" by Rachmaninoff
West Virginia Teresa Lucas Elkins 22 Gymnastics Routine
Wisconsin Julie Nowak Greendale 19 Popular Vocal, "Do You Know Where You're Going To?"
Wyoming Carol June Wallace Jackson 24 Piano Medley, "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing", "Love Story", "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head", & "Strangers in the Night" Non-finalist Talent Award Previously Miss Kentucky USA 1975

Semi-finalist at Miss USA 1975


Mother of Miss Kentucky 2002, Mary Catherine Correll

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