Miss America 1987

Miss America 1987
DateSeptember 13, 1986
PresentersGary Collins
VenueBoardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
BroadcasterNBC Network
Entrants51
Placements10
WinnerKellye Cash
Tennessee
← 1986
1988 →

Miss America 1987, the 60th Anniversary Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 13, 1986 on NBC Network.

Although an entry representing the city of Memphis had been victorious in the pageant of 1947, Kellye Cash became the first woman with the title Miss Tennessee to win the crown. She is a great-niece of the singer Johnny Cash. Third place finisher Dawn Elizabeth Smith is the sister of a murder victim by Larry Gene Bell, who would be executed for killing her sister.

Results

Placements

PlacementContestant
Miss America 1987
1st runner-up
2nd runner-up
3rd runner-up
4th runner-up
Top 10

Awards

Preliminary awards

AwardsContestant
Lifestyle and Fitness
Talent

Non-finalist awards

AwardsContestant
Talent

Contestants

StateNameHometownAgeTalentPlacementSpecial AwardsNotes
Alabama AlabamaAngela CallahanBirmingham20Piano, "The Windmills of Your Mind"Top 10
Alaska AlaskaJerri MorrisonAnchorage22Tap Dance
Arizona ArizonaTerri KettunenYuma21Classical PianoSister of Miss Arizona 1989, Tammy Kettunen
Arkansas ArkansasJulie RussellFort Smith22Classical Piano with NarrationTop 10
California CaliforniaLisa KahreSalinas19Flute, "Carnival of Venice"Non-finalist Talent Award
Colorado ColoradoCarol JansonBoulder21Piano, "Revolutionary Etude"Non-finalist Talent Award
Connecticut ConnecticutLorraine HudsonNorth Haven24Vocal, "Something's Coming" from West Side Story
Delaware DelawareLori Ann ScottWilmington23Popular Vocal, "Love is Spreading All Over"
Washington, D.C. District of ColumbiaKaren WatsonArlington, VA25Classical Ballet en Pointe
Florida FloridaMolly PesceLongwood23Vocal Medley from CabaretNon-finalist Talent Award
Georgia (U.S. state) GeorgiaMarlesa BallThomasville23Vocal, "Amazing Grace"Top 10
Hawaii HawaiiCheryl BartlettHonolulu23Vocal, "America the Beautiful"Non-finalist Talent Award
Idaho IdahoJennifer HoveyTwin Falls19Violin
Illinois IllinoisLisa HeussnerPekin21Dramatic Interpretation, "Emily Dickinson, Portrait of a Poet"
Indiana IndianaSusan SailorElkhart20Piano
Iowa IowaDarcy BentonDelmar19Vocal, "Someone to Watch Over Me"
Kansas KansasHeather Lynn ClarkBenton23Vocal & Sign Language, "I'll Never Say Goodbye"
Kentucky KentuckyMelinda CumberledgeLexington23Semi-classical Vocal, "Till There was You"Non-finalist Talent Award
Louisiana LouisianaAmanda MainordBaton Rouge20Vocal, "When You Wish Upon a Star"Non-finalist Talent Award
Maine MaineVictoria ReedFalmouth26Vocal, "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man"
Maryland MarylandKatrina OwensPikesville24Jazz Dance
Massachusetts MassachusettsKathleen CallahanRevere23Popular Vocal, "Come Rain or Come Shine"
Michigan MichiganKelly Lynn GarverFarmington Hills23Fiddle Medley, "Orange Blossom Special" & "New Country"3rd runner-upPreliminary Talent Award
Minnesota MinnesotaKristine FouksStillwater23Vocal
Mississippi MississippiKimberly McGuffeeMendenhall23Popular Vocal, "Inseparable"Top 10
Missouri MissouriTamara TungateSt. Peters21Vocal, "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl4th runner-upPreliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Montana MontanaKamala ComptonHavre21Gymnastics Dance
Nebraska NebraskaDonna SchiefferColumbus19Modern Dance
Nevada NevadaKelsey KaraLas Vegas23Flamenco Dance
New Hampshire New HampshireLisa VandecasteeleSalem22Dance/Baton Twirling
New Jersey New JerseyKaryn ZoschePine Brook25Piano, Rhapsody in Blue
New Mexico New MexicoEmily FranklinAlbuquerque19Vocal Medley
New York (state) New YorkDawan McPeakNew York City25Gymnastics DanceLater Mrs. Texas 2001
North Carolina North CarolinaKaren BloomquistDurham22Piano
North Dakota North DakotaBarbara KerzmanMinot23Semi-classical Vocal, "Love is Where You Find It"
Ohio OhioMary ZilbaToledo22Vocal, "My Mammy"Sister of Miss Ohio 1981, Juliana Zilba

Later appeared on The Real Housewives of Vancouver

Oklahoma OklahomaMignon MerchantOklahoma City25Stand-up ComedyNon-finalist Talent AwardPreviously Miss Oklahoma USA 1983

Top 10 at Miss USA 1983

Oregon OregonJana Svea PetersonNewport22Vocal Medley
Pennsylvania PennsylvaniaDarlene DeeleyPhiladelphia25Gymnastics/Dance Routine
Rhode Island Rhode IslandToni LangelloWarwick20Vocal, "My Man"
South Carolina South CarolinaDawn SmithColumbia22Classical Vocal, "Je Veux Vivre" from Roméo et Juliette2nd runner-upPreliminary Lifestyle & Fitness AwardSister was brutally murdered a year prior to her winning Miss South Carolina (events later made into investigative documentary dramas)

Won "Miss Pageant Rewind" on What Not to Wear against two fellow pageant contestants

South Dakota South DakotaJulie HedinWatertown21Flute
Tennessee TennesseeKellye CashMilan21Piano/Vocal, "I'll Be Home"WinnerPreliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award

Preliminary Talent Award

Mother of Miss Virginia 2021, Tatum Shepard
Texas TexasStephany SamoneDallas25Country Vocal, "Stand by Your Man"Top 10Preliminary Talent Award
Utah UtahDonna ClarkSalt Lake City22Ballet
Vermont VermontMichelle DawsonCharlotte18Vocal, "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair LadyNon-finalist Talent Award
Virginia VirginiaJulianne SmithYorktown21Vocal, "Golden Rainbow"1st runner-upPreliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Washington (state) WashingtonMelanie CobbVancouver24Vocal, "Let's Hear it for Me" from Funny Lady
West Virginia West VirginiaShannon BarillCharleston23Jazz en Pointe
Wisconsin WisconsinMara NesemannBrookfield20Gymnastics Dance Routine, "1980"
Wyoming WyomingLacy J. ReevesLaramie22Vocal, "You're Gonna Hear from Me" from Inside Daisy Clover

References

  1. ^ Mansfield, Stephanie (September 15, 1986). "Tennessee Cashes In". The Washington Post.
  2. ^ "Dawn Smith Jordan appearing at First Baptist Church". The Gaffney Ledger. March 14, 2016.
  • Miss America official website
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