Ellen Meade
Encyclopedia
Ellen Meade is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Florida
1973.
pageant, where she was crowned Miss Florida, 1973. Following her state win, Meade headed to Atlantic City to represent Florida in the Miss America
pageant. While she didn't take home the title of Miss America, she did grab a win with a talent award.
During her time as Miss Florida, Meade toured the state of Florida, emceeing and performing.
By the time she was 12, Meade was competing in both state and regional skating championships and was headed for nationals. With a performance set to a backdrop of Stravinsky ballet, "Firebird," Meade competed in and won the North American National Championships at the age of 14.
At 16, and still a senior in high school, Meade had begun studying modeling and acting after being discovered by a talent scount and notably, had opened her first school for the arts—in her own backyard. Her love of the arts would continue to propel her into new arenas, and at 17, she was developing a growing interest in pageantry.
By the late 1960s, Meade began entering local and state-level pageants. She entered and won the state Roller Skating Beauty Queen title, at 17, then continued on to take the title of Roller Skating Queen of America at nationals. Mentored by Rene Hardin, she began by competing in several small local pageants and grabbed the title of Miss Manatee County at the age of 20.
Following her local win, Meade went on to compete in the Miss Florida
pageant where she took the top honor, and was crowned Miss Florida, 1973. That year she represented her home state of Florida in the Miss America
pageant, held in Atlantic City. Meade took home a win in the talent portion of the competition, but Rebecca Ann King
was crowned Miss America 1974.
In 1974, Meade crowned Delta Burke
as the new Miss Florida and helped prepare her for the Miss America Pageant, where Burke also won a talent award.
Meade has also appeared in print, on stage and in television and film during the course of her career.
.
It was in Arkansas where she also met her future husband, Craig Thomas, who, at the time, was the star of the Li'l Abner show in the Dogpatch USA
themepark.
Meade is the owner and director of Ellen Meade Studios and School of Creative Learning in Bradenton, Florida.
Miss Florida
The Miss Florida competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Florida in the Miss America pageant. Florida has twice won the Miss America crown.-Winners:* Assumed the crown after Miss Florida won Miss America...
1973.
Miss Florida
At 20 years old, Ellen Meade won the title of Miss Manatee County. She then went on to compete in the Miss FloridaMiss Florida
The Miss Florida competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Florida in the Miss America pageant. Florida has twice won the Miss America crown.-Winners:* Assumed the crown after Miss Florida won Miss America...
pageant, where she was crowned Miss Florida, 1973. Following her state win, Meade headed to Atlantic City to represent Florida in the Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
pageant. While she didn't take home the title of Miss America, she did grab a win with a talent award.
During her time as Miss Florida, Meade toured the state of Florida, emceeing and performing.
Early career
Meade began training in the arts at the age of seven. Her training began as a student with the Florida Ballet in Sarasota, Florida. In her early years, she trained under the direction of Madam Jean Spear, who founded Sarasota's first professional ballet troupe in 1962. Meade studied five days a week in ballet as an elementary student and later began training as a roller skater, practicing for hours on a concrete slab her father built in the family's backyard.By the time she was 12, Meade was competing in both state and regional skating championships and was headed for nationals. With a performance set to a backdrop of Stravinsky ballet, "Firebird," Meade competed in and won the North American National Championships at the age of 14.
At 16, and still a senior in high school, Meade had begun studying modeling and acting after being discovered by a talent scount and notably, had opened her first school for the arts—in her own backyard. Her love of the arts would continue to propel her into new arenas, and at 17, she was developing a growing interest in pageantry.
By the late 1960s, Meade began entering local and state-level pageants. She entered and won the state Roller Skating Beauty Queen title, at 17, then continued on to take the title of Roller Skating Queen of America at nationals. Mentored by Rene Hardin, she began by competing in several small local pageants and grabbed the title of Miss Manatee County at the age of 20.
Following her local win, Meade went on to compete in the Miss Florida
Miss Florida
The Miss Florida competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Florida in the Miss America pageant. Florida has twice won the Miss America crown.-Winners:* Assumed the crown after Miss Florida won Miss America...
pageant where she took the top honor, and was crowned Miss Florida, 1973. That year she represented her home state of Florida in the Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
pageant, held in Atlantic City. Meade took home a win in the talent portion of the competition, but Rebecca Ann King
Rebecca Ann King
Rebecca Ann King is most noted as holder of the 1974 Miss America title. Heralding the arrival of feminism in this most traditional of events, Rebecca King was a law student, who famously expressed feminist political views at the Miss America Pageant's morning-after breakfast following her...
was crowned Miss America 1974.
In 1974, Meade crowned Delta Burke
Delta Burke
Delta Ramona Leah Burke is an American television and film actress. Her television work includes a leading role as Suzanne Sugarbaker in the CBS sitcom Designing Women...
as the new Miss Florida and helped prepare her for the Miss America Pageant, where Burke also won a talent award.
Meade has also appeared in print, on stage and in television and film during the course of her career.
Miss Dogpatch USA
Following her reign as Miss Florida, Meade traveled to Arkansas to participate in the Miss Dogpatch USA pageant. She won the title of Miss Dogpatch USA and embarked on a year of travel around the country representing Dogpatch USADogpatch USA
Dogpatch USA is an abandoned theme park located on State Highway 7 between the cities of Harrison and Jasper in Arkansas, USA, an area known today as Marble Falls...
.
It was in Arkansas where she also met her future husband, Craig Thomas, who, at the time, was the star of the Li'l Abner show in the Dogpatch USA
Dogpatch USA
Dogpatch USA is an abandoned theme park located on State Highway 7 between the cities of Harrison and Jasper in Arkansas, USA, an area known today as Marble Falls...
themepark.
Professional life
Meade attended Manatee Junior College and went on to become a pageant coach. Meade has mentored many pageant contestants, who have gone on to win national, state and local titles. She currently produces, directs and emcees the Manatee County annual pageant as well as several other smaller pageants and serves as a pageant judge throughout the nation.Meade is the owner and director of Ellen Meade Studios and School of Creative Learning in Bradenton, Florida.