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1981 Miss America Pageant, Sept 1980
Miss America 1981: Susan Powell, Miss Oklahoma
1st Runner-Up: Paige Phillips, Miss Alabama
2nd Runner-Up: Donna Pope, Miss Mississippi
3rd Runner-Up: Therese Hanley, Miss New Jersey
4th Runner-Up: Lencola Sullivan, Miss Arkansas..(read more at source)
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Only one time Ron Ely hosted this 1981 Miss America Pageant, excellent crowning on Susan Powell!!
To all saying that Susan Powell was not the best choice I would like to say that in any competition where scoring is in part subjective to personal preference of the judges there will always be someone to suggest the judges made the wrong decision.. I happen to not believe they did so.. I remember watching that night and recall that year they began the broadcast with clips of the contestants during the Boardwalk Parade that kicks off the completions. And right from the start Susan Powell, Miss Oklahoma was a standout who looked promising if she had the talent and interview skills to match her looks. And her talent was mesmerizing. I would still remember it today even if I had not run across it after joining You Tube. I do not even recall what any of the other top 10 did for their talent that year. And Susan has always done what the song says about adding luster to the crown she wore.
She was not always a very nice person..
Ron Ely was so tall!
Miss Arkansas, you were a CLASS ACT!
Lencola Sullivan should have won.
Aired on NBC Saturday, September 6, 1980.
I thought Susan was very pretty and very talented! What a talent she had with that opera voice! I can see why she won!
I like the reaction of a winner,her facial expression is really spontaneous
SO HEART WARMING TO SEE THE LOVELY AND KIND MISS LENCOLA SULLIVAN HERE, A PAST COLLEGE ROOMMATE OF MINE… 🙏👏👍❤️💜💝✌️🙏
Stop with the Paige Phillips should have won. Whoever made her up made her look 40 years old. She was only 17! They got the winner right and most people agree.
I hate it when Susan Powell returns as a judge because each time she is a judge, Oklahoma, her home state, WINS!!!
Susan Powell was gorgeous, she probably still is.
is that ron ely from "face the music" hosting?
Paige Phillips should have won. If she was old enough to compete, she was old enough to win. She was unfairly robbed.
She looks like someone who would have won during the 40s and 50s – the 80s really…..?
Paige Phillips probably won talent by a lot, but perhaps the judges thought she was a bit young (17) to win?? Just speculating…but Susan was a spectacular Miss America, and appeared thrilled at this win..
Susan was the third Miss Oklahoma to win the crown at that time, there were three more winners after Susan! The last was Lauren Nelson, Miss America 2007.
What was up with the tie?