Measuring success and fame is relative at best. But take one extraordinarily beautiful woman, coupled with class and talent, throw in two Academy Awards, a face that is recognizable around the world, and a career spanning over 40 years and you have Miss Sophia Loren...our choice for the most famous and successful beauty contestant of all times.
Sofia Scicolone, who would become Sophia Loren, entered her first beauty pageant at the age of 14 in 1948. Even though the minimum age was 15, Sophia's mother felt that Sophia had "filled out" enough to pass for 15. The pageant, Queen of the Sea, was held in Naples and culminated in crowning the Queen and her 12 Princesses.
The contestants were to appear in an afternoon dress and a gown for the evening. Coming from a very poor family, this was going to be a challenge. For her day dress, Sophia's grandmother whipped up a brown and beige outfit from scraps in her sewing bag.
The evening gown presented another problem. Taking perhaps a cue from Scarlett O'Hara, Sophia's mother took down the pink drapes in the living room and her grandmother turned them into a gown. The only pair of shoes Sophia had were black and worn...once again using ingeniuty, her mother simply painted them with two coats of white paint.
Sophia successfully paraded before the jury and answered their questions. Much to her surprise, she found herself annointed one of the twelve Princesses of the Sea. Basically, she made Top Twelve in her first pageant. Her prizes included a train ticket to Rome, rolls of wallpaper, a tablecloth with matching napkins, and about US$35.00...a far cry from today's prize packages.
Encouraged by this early success, Sophia and her mother went to Rome to pursue a career in films. During this period, Sophia would once again try her hand as a beauty contestant.
One night several of her friends took her to the Colle Oppio, an outdoor restaurant/nightclub. When they arrived they discovered that the Miss Roma pageant was being held there that very night.
An official from the pageant came over to Sophia's table and asked her to enter the pageant. She refused. Not to be deterred, the official once again urged her to enter telling her that many of the judges were movie people and that one of them, Carlo Ponti, had asked for her to enter. At the urging of her friends she acquiesced and took part in the pageant. This time out, she bested her top twelve status at the Princess of the Sea when she was announced as the 2nd place winner to Miss Roma.
When the pageant was over, Carlo Ponti approached Sophia and arranged for her to come to his studio to make a screen test. And the rest is history as they say. Sophia, under the tutelage of Carlo would blossom into one of the true gems of the cinema and eventually they were married.
Her career highlights include an Oscar winning performance in "Two Women" and memorable portrayals in "House Boat," "Marriage, Italian Style," "Arabesque," and most recently "Grumpier Old Men" to name just a few.
Today, Sophia is still considered one of the most beautiful women on earth. She continues to make top ten lists for her beauty, sexuality and class. Even though Sophia did not win either of the two pageants she entered, we think she is a winner in every sense of the word.
