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1981 Miss America Pageant, Sept 1980
Miss America 1981 Top 10 Semi-Finalists:
Doris Hayes, Miss Washington
Donna Pope, Miss Mississippi
Jeanne Caruso, Miss Connecticut
Cheryl Flanagan, Miss New York
Paige Phillips, Miss Alabama
Terri Eoff, Miss Texas
Lencola Sullivan, Miss Arkansas
Kathy Vernon, Miss Ohio
Susan Powell, Miss Oklahoma
Therese Hanley, Miss New Jersey..(read more at source)
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What a lousy top 10
At 1:03, Miss Washington 1980, Doris Hayes passed away in March 2020.
I think Miss Texas's hair and dress came from a decade earlier time warp! 😂
Miss New York looks like a Red Wood. Way too tall.
This was without question one of the most talented years for Miss America.
Rates as one of the worst telecasts, along with the one Tony Danza hosted on 9/15/01.
I remember watching this when it aired when I was a kid. I thought Lencola Sullivan was beautiful!
I thought New Jersey should have won. Miss Alabama (who was only 17 at the time) looks about 37 here–and also looks like Norton's wife on the Honeymooners.
Aired on Saturday, September 6, 1980.
It certainly doesn't look like 50 or 51 contestants are all onstage during the Top 10 announcement!
Miss Connecticut must have been Miss Calumet Farm. 🙂
2:41 watch the reaction of the girl at far left upon hearing name of eventual winner.
Paige Phillips was only 17. She was 1st runner-up.
Miss New York,in my opinion is America's tallest tapper!
Cracked up laughing when I see Miss Connecticut laughing realizing that Miss New York must be at least two feet taller than she is
Susan Powell, Miss Oklahoma won. Miss America 1981.
The first post-Bert Parks pageant.
Ron Ely is one sexy man!
A very tense looking top 10.
Thw contestants that year appeared to be very tense. The facial expressions don't exude happiness. Then you hear someone in the audience saying go home. A strange top ten and their facial expressions are priceless. Two Black women in the top ten had never happened up until then. Look at the reaction some of the contestants that did not make it.