Miss USA 1983
Miss USA 1983, the 32nd Miss USA pageant, was televised live from the Knoxville Civic Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, on May 21, 1983. At the conclusion of the final competition, Julie Hayek of California was crowned Miss USA 1983 by outgoing titleholder Terri Utley of Arkansas. Hayek was the first runner up at Miss Universe 1983.
The pageant was hosted by Bob Barker, with color commentary from Joan Van Ark. It was held in Tennessee for the only time, while Miss Teen USA 1984 did the same thing in Memphis on the other side of the state.Results
Placements
Special awards
- Miss Congeniality: Dana Ruth Mintzer
- Miss Photogenic: Lisa Allred
Final competition scores
Country | Preliminary | Interview | Swimsuit | Evening gown | Average |
California | 8.435 | 8.861 | 9.211 | 9.200 | 9.090 |
Texas | 8.671 | 9.322 | 9.177 | 9.300 | 9.266 |
South Carolina | 8.075 | 8.733 | 8.650 | 8.744 | 8.709 |
Louisiana | 8.147 | 8.644 | 8.800 | 8.900 | 8.781 |
North Dakota | 7.949 | 8.955 | 8.300 | 8.422 | 8.559 |
Oklahoma | 7.844 | 8.688 | 8.266 | 8.566 | 8.506 |
Nevada | 8.147 | 8.011 | 8.866 | 8.322 | 8.399 |
Washington | 8.207 | 7.977 | 8.577 | 8.633 | 8.395 |
Michigan | 7.864 | 8.525 | 8.366 | 8.272 | 8.387 |
Pennsylvania | 8.035 | 8.166 | 8.555 | 8.377 | 8.366 |
Georgia | 7.903 | 7.655 | 8.588 | 8.755 | 8.332 |
New York | 7.829 | 8.155 | 8.184 | 8.055 | 8.131 |
Historical significance
- California wins competition for the fourth time.
- Texas earns the 1st runner-up position for the fifth time and repeats the same position as the past year 1982.
- South Carolina earns the 2nd runner-up position for the second time. The last time it placed this was in 1969.
- Louisiana earns the 3rd runner-up position for the second time. The last time it placed this was in 1968.
- North Dakota earns the 4th runner-up position for the first time.
- States that placed in semifinals the previous year were Michigan and Texas.
- Texas placed for the ninth consecutive year.
- Michigan made its second consecutive placement.
- California, Georgia and Louisiana last placed in 1981.
- New York and South Carolina last placed in 1980.
- Washington last placed in 1979.
- Oklahoma and Pennsylvania last placed in 1978.
- Nevada last placed in 1977.
- North Dakota last placed in 1966.
- Hawaii, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia break an ongoing streak of placements since 1981.
- Maryland breaks an ongoing streak of placements since 1980.
Delegates
The Miss USA 1983 delegates were:
- Alabama – Teri Lane
- Alaska – Amy Harms
- Arizona – Sindy Hedden
- Arkansas – Debra Baltz
- California – Julie Hayek
- Colorado – Lisa Gay Trujillo
- Connecticut – Mary Lynn Seleman
- Delaware – Shelley Perkins
- District of Columbia – Julie Warner
- Florida – Janet Chesser
- Georgia – Dotsy Timm
- Hawaii – Zoe Roach
- Idaho – Kerry Damiano
- Illinois – Vanessa Romine
- Indiana – Toni Yudt
- Iowa – Dana Ruth Mintzer
- Kansas – Renee Ruch
- Kentucky – Lee Ann Austin
- Louisiana – Pamela Jo Forrest
- Maine – Rosemarie Hemond
- Maryland – Shawn Keller
- Massachusetts – Robin Silva
- Michigan – Kimberly Mexicotte
- Minnesota – Carolyn Mattson
- Mississippi – Becky Case
- Missouri – Robin Riley
- Montana – Barbara Bowman
- Nebraska – Penelope Boynton
- Nevada – Christa Daniel
- New Hampshire – Lynn Stockwell
- New Jersey – Ann Marie Brucato
- New Mexico – Kristin Larsen
- New York – Jennifer Mikelinich
- North Carolina – Allison Pinson
- North Dakota – Elizabeth Jaeger
- Ohio – Gina Gangale
- Oklahoma – Mignon Merchant
- Oregon – Shelly Kiser
- Pennsylvania – Julie Page
- Rhode Island – Allegra Hendricks
- South Carolina – Allison Grisso
- South Dakota – Kelly Rosenbaum
- Tennessee – Ladonna Jean Friday
- Texas – Lisa Allred
- Utah – Launa Lewis
- Vermont – Leslie Lucchina
- Virginia – Tanquil Collins
- Washington – Kathi Tucker
- West Virginia – Jill Rigsby
- Wisconsin – Susan Peters
- Wyoming – Joanie Engstrom
Contestant notes