Jean Bartel
Encyclopedia
Jean Bartel was Miss California
and Miss America
1943. She won the talent and swimsuit awards at the national pageant. At 5 feet 8 inches tall, Bartel was the tallest pageant winner at the time. There had been comparisons between Bartel and popular blond actress Carole Lombard
.
Bartel initially entered the pageant after learning one of the judges was Broadway actor and producer W. Horace Schmidlapp
. As talent counted for 50% of the score, she thought it was a way to launch her career on Broadway. This tactic worked. Not only was she chosen as Miss America after a vocal performance the press hailed as a "forceful and dramatic style," but she landed a career on Broadway and an agent that booked her on tours in South America, the Middle East, Europe, Canada, and in every State of the Union except Maine. In 1946 she appeared on stage in "The Desert Song" at the New York City Center for Music and Drama.
Bartel was the first Miss America to refuse to pose in her swimsuit after the pageant, a choice that eventually led to Catalina Swimwear
dropping their sponsorship and starting the Miss USA
Pageant.
She sold more Series E bond
s in 1943 than any other United States Citizen, amounting to over $2.5 million. Eighty percent of those bonds were sold to women.
Bartel was also the first college student to win the title of Miss America
. After visiting her sorority sisters in Kappa Kappa Gamma around the country, she and her traveling companion developed the idea of awarding scholarships to those who competed in the Miss America Organization. The Miss America Organization is now the world's largest provider of scholarships for women in the world.
Bartel, from Los Angeles, California
, worked for many years on Broadway and in television, including starring in her own travel series, It's a Woman's World, as well as performing for seven months in South America.
Bartel died on March 6, 2011, and the Miss America Organization issued a statement calling her "one of our most beloved Miss Americas."
Miss California
For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss California USAThe Miss California competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss America pageant. Delegates from the states of California, Ohio and Oklahoma have each won the title of Miss...
and 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...
1943. She won the talent and swimsuit awards at the national pageant. At 5 feet 8 inches tall, Bartel was the tallest pageant winner at the time. There had been comparisons between Bartel and popular blond actress Carole Lombard
Carole Lombard
Carole Lombard was an American actress. She was particularly noted for her comedic roles in the screwball comedies of the 1930s...
.
Bartel initially entered the pageant after learning one of the judges was Broadway actor and producer W. Horace Schmidlapp
W. Horace Schmidlapp
W. Horace Schmidlapp was an American Broadway actor and producer, and was the fourth husband of actress Carole Landis.- External links :*...
. As talent counted for 50% of the score, she thought it was a way to launch her career on Broadway. This tactic worked. Not only was she chosen as Miss America after a vocal performance the press hailed as a "forceful and dramatic style," but she landed a career on Broadway and an agent that booked her on tours in South America, the Middle East, Europe, Canada, and in every State of the Union except Maine. In 1946 she appeared on stage in "The Desert Song" at the New York City Center for Music and Drama.
Bartel was the first Miss America to refuse to pose in her swimsuit after the pageant, a choice that eventually led to Catalina Swimwear
Catalina swimwear
Catalina is one of the oldest apparel manufacturers in California and one of the best known names in the swimwear industry. Their history began in 1907, as Bentz Knitting Mills, a small manufacturer of underwear and sweaters. The name was changed to Pacific Knitting Mills in 1912, accompanied by...
dropping their sponsorship and starting the Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
Pageant.
She sold more Series E bond
Series E bond
Series E U.S. Savings Bonds were marketed by the United States government as war bonds from 1941 to 1980. When Americans refer to war bonds, they are usually referring to Series E bonds. Those issued from 1941 to November 1965 accrued interest for 40 years; those issued from December 1965 to June...
s in 1943 than any other United States Citizen, amounting to over $2.5 million. Eighty percent of those bonds were sold to women.
Bartel was also the first college student to win the title of 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...
. After visiting her sorority sisters in Kappa Kappa Gamma around the country, she and her traveling companion developed the idea of awarding scholarships to those who competed in the Miss America Organization. The Miss America Organization is now the world's largest provider of scholarships for women in the world.
Bartel, from Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, worked for many years on Broadway and in television, including starring in her own travel series, It's a Woman's World, as well as performing for seven months in South America.
Bartel died on March 6, 2011, and the Miss America Organization issued a statement calling her "one of our most beloved Miss Americas."