Miss USA 1965
Miss USA 1965 was the 14th Miss USA pageant, held in Miami Beach, Florida on June 4, 1965. This was the first Miss USA pageant to be televised live (on the CBS network), and the first to be a self-contained production, held several weeks before, and independent of, the Miss Universe pageant.
| Miss USA 1965 | |
|---|---|
| Date | June 4, 1965 |
| Venue | Miami Beach, Florida |
| Broadcaster | CBS, WTVJ |
| Entrants | 47 |
| Placements | 15 |
| Winner | Sue Downey Ohio |
| Congeniality | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Elizabeth Carroll Bonnie Perkins |
| Best State Costume |  Carla Sullivan |
| Photogenic | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Cheryl Semrad |
The pageant was won by Sue Downey of Ohio, who was crowned by outgoing titleholder Bobbi Johnson of the District of Columbia. Downey went on to place as 2nd runner-up to Apasra Hongsakula of Thailand at Miss Universe 1965. Pageant finalist Dianna Lynn Batts (better known as Dian Parkinson from The Price Is Right) later won the 1965 Miss World USA title, and placed 1st runner-up to Lesley Langley of the United Kingdom at Miss World 1965.
Results
| Final results | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Miss USA 1965 | |
| 1st Runner-Up |
|
| 2nd Runner-Up | |
| 3rd Runner-Up |
|
| 4th Runner-Up | |
| Top 15 |
|
Historical significance
- Ohio wins competition for the first time. Also becoming in the 12th state who does it for the first time.
- Arizona earns the 1st runner-up position for the first time.
- New Mexico earns the 2nd runner-up position for the first time.
- Kentucky earns the 3rd runner-up position for the first time.
- District of Columbia earns the 4th runner-up position for the first time.
- States that placed in semifinals the previous year were Alabama, California, District of Columbia, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.
- California and New York placed for the ninth consecutive year.
- District of Columbia placed for the fourth consecutive year.
- Alabama and Oklahoma placed for the third consecutive year.
- Kentucky, Ohio, Texas and Utah made their second consecutive placement.
- Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico and South Carolina last placed in 1963.
- Hawaii last placed in 1962.
Delegates
The Miss USA 1965 delegates were:
Alabama - Leigh Sanford- Alaska - Carla Sullivan
Arizona - Jane Nelson.svg.png.webp)
Arkansas - Jeri Haynie
California - Kathryn Hage
Colorado - Cathy McPherson
Connecticut - Elizabeth Matsuko
Delaware - Shirl Chappell
District of Columbia - Diana Lynn Batts.svg.png.webp)
Florida - Karol Kelly.svg.png.webp)
Georgia - Judy Simpson
Hawaii - Elithe Aguiar.svg.png.webp)
Illinois - Diane Gortz
Indiana - Lora Starr
Iowa - Mari Hardy
Kansas - Linda Bergsten
Kentucky - Julie Andrus.svg.png.webp)
Louisiana - Terri Sommers
Maine - Georgia Wilson
Maryland - Barbara Keifer
Massachusetts - Mary Lou Volpe
Michigan - Susan Pill- Minnesota - Elizabeth Carroll
.png.webp)
Mississippi - Madeline Scarbrough
Missouri - Barbara Brooks.svg.png.webp)
Montana - Patricia Bradford
Nebraska - Constance Kellogg.svg.png.webp)
Nevada - Denyse Turner
New Hampshire - Judy Morrison
New Jersey - Kay Franzen
New Mexico - Judy Baldwin
New York - Gloria Jon.svg.png.webp)
North Carolina - Sandra Farmer
North Dakota - Patricia Dodge- Ohio - Sue Downey
- Oklahoma - Cheryl Semrad
Oregon - Leslie Bruchner
Pennsylvania - Beverly Rudolph
Rhode Island - Paula Farrow
South Carolina - Vickie Harrison- Tennessee - Bonnie Perkins
Texas - Phyllis Johnson.png.webp)
Utah - Janice Sadler
Vermont - Andrea Kenyon
Virginia - Mary Montgomery.svg.png.webp)
Wisconsin - Judith Achtor
Wyoming - Linda Peck
No state delegate: Idaho, South Dakota, Washington, West Virginia