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Famous Pageant Titleholders

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Diane Sawyer

Chosen as America's Junior Miss 1963, Diane used her pageant scholarship money to attend Wellesley College, worked as a weathergirl, then press aide to Richard Nixon during his presidency and after his Watergate resignation. 

In 1981 she was named co-anchor of the CBS Morning News. Initially dismissed by some critics as an unqualified beauty queen, Sawyer earned high marks and was hired as a Sixty Minutes correspondent, co-anchor of Day One, Turning Point, and, finally, ABC's PrimeTime Live.  Sawyer ranks as one of the highest paid newswomen in television history.

Screen queen Sharon Stone, of Basic Instinct fame, honed her instincts for performing in small town pageants where she won the titles Saegertown's Spring Festival Queen and 1976 Miss Crawford County. When a Miss Pennsylvania Pageant judge suggested she try modeling, she contracted with the Eileen Ford Agency and her career was launched.

Stone eventually switched to acting, starring in Basic Instinct, Sliver, and Intersection, and rapidly becoming one of the highest paid actresses in film history.

• View Sharon Stone movies

Tiffani-Amber Thiessen

Thiessen parlayed her titles, Miss Junior America and winner of the 'Teen Magazine Model Search, into a successful television career. The actresses roles include Saved by the Bell and Valerie Malone on Beverly Hills 90210 (She replaced Shannen Doherty).

Gina Tolleson

Gina's titles include Miss South Carolina, Miss World USA, and  Miss World 1990.  She enjoys an entertainment career and is  married to actor Alan Thicke.

Marilyn Van Derbur

Marilyn Van Derbur, Miss America 1958, remains one the most respected Miss Americas ever.  Her road to the national crown was serendipity, according to the book Miss America: In Pursuit of the Crown". 

According to the book, Marilyn Van Derbur was literally drafted into the Miss University of Colorado Pageant by her sorority sisters when she was called out of a meeting for a long distance phone call.  Marilyn nearly panicked. 

In 2003, Miss America 1958, Marilyn Van Derbur, publishes "Miss America By Day", her account of growing up as a victim of sexual abuse.  The revelation that a tremendously respected former Miss America had been the victim of incest is met with a huge outpouring of public sympathy - and a flood of contact from women across the country with similar stories.  Overnight, Van Derbur becomes an advocate on the issue and an inspirational model of hope for sexual abuse survivors worldwide.

• More about Marilyn Van Derbur

Raquel Welch

In her era, Raquel Welch was considered to be one of the world's sexiest women. Her titles included Miss Photogenic, Miss La Jolla, Miss Contour, Miss San Diego and 1957 Miss Fairest of the Fair. The judges placed her only second in the Miss Southern California Pageant. 

Her film credits include the memorable role of prehistoric babe in One Million B.C.  Her career break came when she appeared with Mae West in the film, Myra Breckinridge. On Broadway, she starred in Woman of the Year and in Victor/Victoria.

Her business acumen has been demonstrated through her highly successful line of Raquel Welch wigs.

• 1974 Golden Globe award for Best Motion Picture Actress in a Musical or Comedy for The Three Musketeers
• 1987 Golden Globe nomination for Right to Die
• View Raquel Welch movies

Bridgette Wilson-Sampras

Bridgette won the 1990 Miss Teen USA title representing Oregon (she was the second contestant from the state to win the national title.

Bridgette went into acting  and appeared on Saved By The Bell, Billy Madison, the Arnold Schwarzenegger film, Last Action Hero,  Mortal Kombat, Love Stinks, Shop Girl, I Know What You Did Last Summer and The Wedding Planner.

In 2000, she married tennis star Pete Sampras, with whom she has two sons, Christian and Ryan.

• See Bridgette Wilson movies

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