Miss World 1965
- an amalgam of news reports -

Lesley Langley, a 21-year-old model, became the third British girl in five years to win the British-sponsored Miss World contest.

Until Friday night, the 5-foot-8 Miss Langley lived in a one-room apartment in London.  Her prize is $7,000, but with contracts and personal appearances, it is estimated that she will earn nearly $100,000 in the next 12 months.

Her victory provoked prompt reaction from American promoter Alfred Patricelli, who thought the title should have gone to Dianna Lynn Batts, 19, of Falls Church, Va.

“I have been in this business for 23 years,” he complained after the show, “and my girl was the best ever.  That’s why I am disappointed.  I fully expected Dianna to win.  This really looks bad, with three British girls having won in five years.

“There ought to be a more international panel of judges.”

The nine-member panel judged 48 entrants in the contest sponsored by Mecca Productions, which provides a contract, a screen test and a $7,000 cash prize to the winner.

The first five were:

1. Lesley Langley, 37-24-37, 21, England.
2. Dianna Lynn Batts, 37-23-37, 19, Falls Church, Va.
3. Gladys Waller, 36-24-36, 21, Ireland.
4. Ingrid Kopetzky, 35-24-35, 21, Austria.
5. Marie Tapare, 38-23-38, 20, Tahiti government tourist employee

Promoters echoed Patricelli’s complaints, suggesting that the contest should be held in a different country each year, but Jean Gibbons, administrative director of the contest, said it was a clear-cut decision.

“Lesley is a lovely girl,” Mrs. Gibbons said.  “It just looks as though Britain is coming up with the best girls, “said she.

One of the judges, French movie actress Martine Carol, said she gave her first place without hesitation.  Two British judges, movie star Stanley Baker and the Marchioness of Tavistock also said they placed Lesley first. 

Another judge, American singer Johnny Mathis, said he placed her second to the American girl. 

The other two British judges - making four altogether - were speed king Donald Campbell and actress Suzanna Leigh.

From India was the Maharajah of Baroda; from the West Indies, former cricketer Sir Learie Constantine and also from America, movie star Broderick Crawford, making up the rest of the panel.

Miss Langley, who had a bit part in the film “Goldfinger,” was surprised by her victory.

“I thought Miss U.S.A. would be the winner,” she said. “There was a British winner last year, and I did not think I should be chosen because there might be allegations of favoritism.”

The director of the Miss World contest said that if Miss United States had worn her hair up instead of down, she would have won.

“She looked like a different girl in the finals,” said the director, Eric Morley.  “In my view, if she had worn her hair up - as she did at rehearsals - instead of down, she would have won the contest.”

Dianna defended her right to let her hair down.

“I don’t see whether it matters whether I wear my hair up or down,” she said. “If I can’t win with my hair down, that’s too bad.”

“Of course I’m disappointed at not winning,” she said.  “I think everyone who is a runner- up to someone is disappointed - they wouldn’t be telling the truth if they said otherwise.”

News item

Lourdes Cardena, a smouldering 18-year-old beauty from Peru, declared during final rehearsal that the British sponsors of the contest, the British public, the press and photographers discriminated against the Latin American contingent.

Miss Peru was backed up by Miss Colombia, Nubia Bustillo, 19, and Miss Ecuador, Corine Mirguett Corral, 19.  They all said that whenever the Latin American girls go, they are isolated in a group.

1965 November 19
London, England
48 entries

Results
1  United Kingdom  Lesley Langley 
2  U.S.A.  Dianna Lynn Batts
3  Ireland  Gladys Anne Waller
4  Austria  Ingrid Kopetzky 
5  Tahiti  Marie Tapare

Finalists
6  Canada  Carol Ann Tidey
7  Rhodesia  Lesley Bunting 

Semi-finalists
Costa Rica  Marta Eugenia Escalante Fernández 
Denmark  Yvonne Hanne Ekman
Finland  Raija Marja-Liisa Salminen 
France  Christiane Sibellin
Germany  Karin Schütze
Japan  Yuko Oguchi 
Korea  Lee Eun-ah (real name: Lee Yoo-hee) 
New Zealand  Gay Lorraine Phelps
Sweden  Britt-Marie Lindblad 

Remainder
Argentina  Lidia Alcira Diaz
Australia  Jan Rennison
Belgium  Lucy Emilie Nossent
Bolivia  Gabriela Cornel Kempff
Brazil  Berenice Lunardi
Ceylon  Shirlene Minerva de Silva
Colombia  Nubia Angelina Bustillo Gallo
Cyprus  Krystalia Psara
Ecuador  Corine Mirguett Corral
Gambia  Ndey Jagne
Gibraltar  Rosemarie Viñales
Greece  Maria Geka
Holland  Janny de Knegt
Honduras  Edda Inés Munguía
Iceland  Sigrun Vignisdóttir
Israel  Shlomit Gat
Italy  Guya Libraro
Jamaica  Carol Joan McFarlane
Jordan  Nyla Munir Haddad
Lebanon  Yolla George Harb
Liberia  Melvilla Mardea Harris
Luxembourg  Marie-Anne Geisen
Malaysia  Clara Eunice de Run
Malta  Wilhelmina Mallia
Morocco  Lucette Garcia
Peru  Lourdes Cárdenas Gilardi
South Africa  Carrol Adele Davis
Surinam  Anita van Eyck
Syria  Raymonde Doucco
Tunisia  Zeineb Bent Lamine
Uruguay  Raquel Luz Delgado
Venezuela  Nancy Elizabeth González Aceituno

Did not compete
Chile
Mexico
Nicaragua  Flora Sánchez Arguello
Paraguay
Philippines
Spain  Alicia Borras (Universe 65 & 3rd RU Europe 66)
Turkey