Miss California USA

History

The Miss California USA Pageant was produced by Carolee Munger. Prior to Ms. Munger, Guyrex Productions held the franchise for a number of years and produced successful televised pageants with over 100 participants. Before Guyrex, the pageant was produced by Dr. Leanord Stallcup, who took over the directorship after Faye Smith successfully led the way through the 1970s and 1980s. Also was produced by Top 10 Productions, Inc. based in San Diego. Top 10 was led by Pam Wilson and Alex Kuty, who have been involved in pageant and fashion production for many years. Top 10 took over for K2 Productions in 2013. K2 had a number of controversies but during its 9 years producing the pageant, it managed to be the top placing state at Miss USA, growing the entry numbers to the largest state pageant in the history of Miss USA and doing the first live television airing in over 10 years. In the beginning, K2 Productions was directed by former Miss Teen USA 1995, Keylee Sue Sanders and Keith Lewis. K2 Productions was later directed by Lewis and briefly co-produced by Miss USA 1995, Shanna Moakler. From 2018 until 2021, Chrisley Productions held the franchise alongside Miss Florida USA under directed by the Chrisley family. In October 2021, Kristen Bradford of Crown Diva Productions took over the directorship for California pageants.

In 2009, Carrie Prejean was forced to resign after placing 1st runner-up at Miss USA 2009 after a controversy developed regarding the answer she gave to her final interview question at the national pageant. Pageant organizers claimed she was fired due to contractual violations.

California has produced a Miss USA every decade (except the 2000s) and is ranked second highest among states in terms of placements, after Texas.

Shauna Gambill, who won the Miss Teen USA crown in 1994, is the only Miss California USA who has previously held the Miss California Teen USA title. As Miss California USA in 1998, Gambill placed 1st Runner-Up to Shawnae Jebbia of Massachusetts. Three Miss California USA titleholders have also competed in the Miss America pageant while two were former winners of the Miss Teenage California Scholarship Pageant.

Gallery of titleholders

File:Erica Dann 2019 by Glenn Francis.jpg|Erica Dann, Miss California USA 2019 File:Nadia_Mejia_2015.jpg|Nadia Mejia, Miss California USA 2016 File:Natasha_Martinez_2013.jpg|Natasha Martinez, Miss California USA 2015 File:Cassandra_Kunze_2014.jpg|Cassandra Kunze, Miss California USA 2014 File:Mabelynn Capeluj 2013.jpg|Mabelynn Capeluj, Miss California USA 2013 File:Natalie Pack 2 2012.jpg|Natalie Pack, Miss California USA 2012 File:Katie Blair 2010.jpg|Katie Blair, Miss California USA 2011 File:Alyssa Campanella 2010.jpg|Alyssa Campanella, Miss California USA 2011 and Miss USA 2011 File:Miss California 2010.jpg|Nicole Johnson, Miss California USA 2010 File:Tami Farrell 2 2009.jpg|Tami Farrell, Miss California USA 2009 File:Carrie Prejean Miss California.jpg|Carrie Prejean, Miss California USA 2009 File:Raquel Beezley 2011.jpg|Raquel Beezley, Miss California USA 2008 File:Meagan Tandy 2015.jpg|Meagan Tandy, Miss California USA 2007 File:TamikoNash.jpg|Tamiko Nash, Miss California USA 2006 File:Ellen_Chapman_2015.jpg|Ellen Chapman, Miss California USA 2004 File:Julie Hayek Miss USA 1983.png|Julie Hayek, Miss California USA 1983 and Miss USA 1983 File:Summer Bartholomew, CBS photo front.jpg|Summer Bartholomew, Miss California USA 1975 and Miss USA 1975 File:Maria Remenyi picture session.jpg|Maria Remenyi, Miss California USA 1966 and Miss USA 1966 File:Terry Lynn Huntingdon as Miss California.jpg|Terry Huntingdon, Miss California USA 1959 and Miss USA 1959

Results summary

• Miss USAs: Terry Huntingdon (1959), Maria Remenyi (1966), Summer Bartholomew (1975), Julie Hayek (1983), Shannon Marketic (1992), Alyssa Campanella (2011)
• 1st Runners-Up: Pamela Stettler (1961), Susan Bradley (1967), Diana Magaña (1988), Shauna Gambill (1998), Brittany Hogan (2005), Tamiko Nash (2006), Carrie Prejean (2009)
• 2nd Runners-Up: Kim Hobson (1972), Diane Schock (1991), Angelique Breaux (1999)
• 3rd Runners-Up: Donna Schurr (1955), Marilyn Tindall (1962), Gayle Gorrell (1974), Pamela "Pam" Gergley (1977), Cynthia Kerby (1981), Meagan Tandy (2007)
• 4th Runners-Up: Francine Herack (1963), Troas Hayes (1969), Kelly Parsons (1986)
• Top 5: Nadia Mejía (2016)
• Top 10/12: Karin Morrell (1971), Carol Herrema (1973), Joni Pennock (1976), Donna Adrain (1978), Linda Fogarty (1979), Christina Faust (1989), Jane Olvera (1993), Tarah Peters (2002), Nicole Johnson (2010), Cassandra Kunze (2014), India Williams (2017), Kelley Johnson (2018), Allyshia Gupta (2020)
• Top 15/16/20: Marcella Roulette (1953), Sandra Constance (1954), Peggy Jacobson (1957), Donna Brooks (1958), Teri Janssen (1960), Jeanne Venables (1964), Kathryn Hage (1965), Suzanne Fromm (1968), Linda Hall (1970), Raquel Beezley (2008), Mabelynn Capeluj (2013), Tiffany Johnson (2022), Tianna Clark (2023), Samantha Ramos (2024)

California holds a record of 53 placements at Miss USA, second overall behind Texas and ahead of South Carolina.

Awards

• Miss Congeniality: Jeanne Venables (1964), Cynthia Kerby (1981), Lori Dickerson (1987)
• Miss Photogenic: Maria Remenyi (1966), Cynthia Kerby (1981), Shannon Marketic (1992), Cassandra Kunze (2014)
• Best State Costume: Suzanne Fromm (1968)

Winners

;Color key

• Winner
• Runner-Up
• Semifinalist

Notes

References

References

1. (11 June 2009). "Carrie Prejean stripped of Miss California title". Today.
2. McKinley, Jesse. (10 June 2009). "Donald Trump Fires Miss California". The New York Times.
3. (23 July 2022). "Miss California USA Tiffany Johnson shares her success beyond the glamour". Rolling Out Magazine.
4. Harding, Todd. (December 4, 2017). "Former Miss Colorado Wins Miss California USA Pageant". K99 News.
5. Udell, Erin. (2 January 2018). "Former Windsor resident mocked by 'The View' co-host named Miss California". The Coloradoan.
6. Taylor, Evelyn. (17 January 2017). "Miss California: LMU Junior Represents Santa Monica and Takes Coveted Crown". Westside Today.
7. Gore, Leada. (6 June 2016). "'Rico Suave's' daughter: Miss California is Nadia Mejia, daughter of '90s pop star Gerardo". AL.com.
8. Gruszecki, Debra. (9 January 2012). "Miss California USA crowned". The Desert Sun.
9. (10 April 2023). "Who Is Michael Phelps' Wife? All About Nicole Johnson". People.
10. (5 October 1995). "Tustin woman named Miss California USA". [[The Tustin News]].
11. (4 March 1992). "Former queen named Miss California USA". The Orangevale News.
12. (1 September 1991). "L.A. woman title winner in pageant". [[Redding Record Searchlight]].
13. (9 February 1992). "Miss USA had quit pageants after error". [[The San Bernardino County Sun]].
14. (11 May 1989). "Rightful teen queen receives crown after month". [[The Arizona Republic]].
15. (1987-08-31). "New Miss California". The San Francisco Chronicle.
16. (1987-10-01). "Bringing Up Beauty / In the months before the Miss USA Pageant, advisers work on Miss California". The San Francisco Chronicle.
17. (1986-10-30). "Miss California-USA". The San Francisco Chronicle.
18. (1987-02-13). "Personal Mention". Houston Chronicle.
19. (15 April 1978). "WESTERN DELEGATION". [[The Herald-Palladium]].
20. (1976-11-06). ["Sharing Gospel is Great Joy for Miss California"](https://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=PEoOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QX8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5544,1707068&dq=miss-*+universe+usa&hl=en}}{{dead link). The Deseret News.
21. (20 May 1971). "THE BEACH AND BEAUTIES". [[The Scranton Times-Tribune.
22. (17 May 1968). "BEST STATE COSTUME". [[The Albuquerque Tribune]].
23. (16 May 1968). "SWIMSUIT WINNERS". [[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]].
24. (16 May 1967). "Pride Of The Southwest". [[Arizona Daily Star]].
25. (18 July 1963). "MISS U.S.A. AND 14 RUNNERS-UP". [[Iowa City Press-Citizen]].
26. (May 13, 1983). "Would-be dentist wears a crown". [[Philadelphia Daily News]].
27. (November 22, 2010). "Glitz, glamour, gowns". [[The Desert Sun]].