The world of glitter and celluloid seemingly has always been Jackie Loughery's sphere. Jackie, a Brooklyn redhead, was crowned the first Miss United States of America in Long Beach's International Beauty Congress. She was crowned in
a swimsuit as befitting a contest run by a swimwear company (Catalina).
The winner stood 5-4, weighed 108 pounds, and taped in at 34-23-34. A part of her winnings was a contract with Universal Pictures (also a major sponsor of the pageant) and she later co-starred in movies such as "D.I." and "Partners" with actors like Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Miss Laugherty (pronounced lock-ry) also took on a new name shortly after she began her career in movies and television. It was Evelyn Avery.
Jackie - or Evelyn - worked with some of the best in the business. She played opposite Thomas Mitchell as his daughter in "It Come Up Money." Jackie was featured regularly with Edgar Buchanan on "Judge Roy Bean" and on the popular "Bob
Cummings" television series that ran in the 1950's.
Winning the crown opened up door to the acting career that Jackie was seeking. But it also brought her some sadness. Her post-pageant first marriage to singer Guy Mitchel in October of 1952 didn't work out. She sued for divorce after a brief marriage charging extreme cruelty.
Jackie starred with Jack Webb (yes, that's the guy on the 1950's and 1960's TV series " Dragnet") in the movie "The D.I" for Warner Brothers pictures in 1957. She married him shortly afterward. But their marriage also was short lived. But she found happiness in marriage number three.
Today, Jackie Loughery Schwitzer, originally from Brooklyn, NY, resides 3000 miles away from where she started out, with her loving huband Jack, and a lifetime of memories. Now a retired business woman, and actress living in Encino, Calfifornia, years after her crowning she conducted fashioned shows, and worked at a Home Saving and Loan in Beverly Hills as a customer
relations representative. Though she loved a career of a businesswoman, acting was perhaps her first love.
Dessert du Jour conjures up smells from the fabulous fifties for our next menu selection. Join Beauty School's Blue-Ribbon Master Chef Warren as we go all the way back to 1952 and the very first Miss USA Beauty Pageant.
In 1956, Jackie co-starred with Johnny Carson in the CBS television game show "Earn Your Vacation." That's them on the right. Isn't Jackie's costume cute?
Jackie Loughery was twenty-one when she won the very first Miss USA Pageant in Long Beach, an era when the Brooklyn Dodgers were still playing baseball in her native New York City borough. She was named Miss USA over 38 other contestants from as many states, but only after a second ballot was needed to break a first place tie.
Not all of her competitors were a "Miss." One was Mrs. Chariene McClary of Houston. Even one of the world beauties was married - Miss (or should we say Mrs.) India. It wasn't until later that the contest organizers changed that rule barring married women. Although there was that famous contest in 1957 when Miss Maryland, Leona Gage, became Miss USA for a day and then had to give up the title when it was learned she really was a "Mrs." and a mom!
The USA beauties represented not only entire states but also big cities like New York City and the District of Colombia and resort cites like Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. In fact the very next year Miss Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (Mary Kemp Griffin) became first runner-up to Miss USA of 1953 Mryna Hansen of Illinois.
There were ten semi-finalists picked at the first Miss USA pageant. First runner-up to Jackie was Jeanne Vaugn Thompson of Lousiana, second runner-up was Carolyne Carlew of Missouri, fourth runner-up was Jean Harper of Tennessee, and rounding out the five top finishers was Trula Birchfield of Oklahoma. Other semi-finalists were Virginia Ann Johnson of Indiana, Judy Hatula of Michigan, Jodell Stirmlinger of Minnesota, Valerie Jackson of Montana and Ruth Jane Hampton of New Jersey.
Carrying the colors of the USA into the Miss Universe Pageant a few days after her winning the Miss USA crown, Jackie competed with international beauties from 29 foreign nations (at that time Alaska and Hawaii were called foreign nations, though technically U. S. territories) and became one of the top ten semi-finalists for the first Miss Universe crown. News and magazine reports from the very first Miss Universe Pageant tell that Jackie placed ninth in contest's balloting.
Jackie returned to the Miss USA pageant in 1970 as a special guest and in 1995 was a judge at the Miss USA pageant.
As Beauty School's dedicated students know, the current Miss USA is also from the state of New York. Kimberly Ann Pressler is the last Miss USA of the 20th Century, and it is ironic that the very first Miss USA Jackie Loughery also hailed from the Empire State.
What is even more ironic the very first Miss Teen USA back in 1984 also hailed from New York. She was Ruth Zacharian, and she like Jackie also became an actress.
New York has done well in the Miss USA Pageant over the years. New York again produced a USA winner in 1979 when Mary Therese Friel won the title. Shanna Lynn Moakler of New York became Miss USA when Miss USA 1995 Chelsi Smith of Texas became Miss Universe 1995.
At the 1954 Miss USA Pageant, Miss Virginia, Ellen Whithead, was first runner-up to Mariam Stevensen of South Carolina, but it was discovered soon afterwards that Ellen was actually 16 years old and did not meet the age requirement. She was then disqualified and the second runner-up, Miss New York, Karin Hultman, moved into the first runner up (Karin also was first runner-up at Miss World 1954). Renee Roy, Miss New York City of 1954, then moved up and came in third.
New York has had three back-to-back first runners-up. The first was Alberta Phillips in 1972 (pictured here on the left). The other two were Susan Carlson in 1973 and Barbara Gail Cooper in 1974.
All in all, New York (counting also the years Miss New York City was a contestant in the early 1950's) has had seventeen semi-finalists.
In honor of O JACKIE, our inaugural Miss USA, Chef Warren offers to her and her legions of admirers this tasty recipe.
EMPIRE STATE PECAN PIE
Beat first six ingredients together and add pecans. Add butter. Pour into pie crust. Bake at 350F until brown, then at 275F for 40-60 minutes.
Ingredients for today's menu: