Miss World
1953
- an amalgam
of news reports -
Luscious
Denise Perrier, of France, won the title of Miss World of 1953 in a close
beauty contest over 14 other international beauties.
Six judges
gave the unanimous nod to Denise.
A few days
earlier, she had shrugged her shapely shoulders and said, “I haven’t a ghost
of a chance.”
First prize
was $1,400 and a silver bowl. The girls were judged on sex appeal, dress,
deportment and intelligence.
Second in
the beauty contest was Miss Greece, Alexandra Ladikou, with Miss Egypt,
Marina Papaelia, third, and Miss Ceylon, Manel Illangakoon, fourth.
Miss Ceylon
was very unhappy when the time came to put on a bathing suit - she’s used to
a sarong back home.
Discord came
from third place Marina Papaelia, 20-year-old Miss Egypt - who has a 36-inch
bust and a fast line in broken English.
“She very
pretty girl,” she said of the winner. “But she don’t look so good in zee
mornings. These beauty competitions, they all the same. I been Miss Egypt
two times, so I know.”
The
flashing-eyed Egyptian beauty said she thought first prize should have gone
to Miss U.S.A. - 23-year-old Mary Kemp Griffin.
Miss
Germany, a 20-year-old model from Dusseldorf, said before the contest: “I do
so want to win - but I don’t think I will. The other girls are all so much
prettier than me.”
