Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The first American to win the Miss World contest, Wallace was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. After winning the Miss Indiana World contest in Clarksville, Indiana, she entered the 1973 Miss World contest, and won the final in London representing the United States, beating 53 other contestants. Later euphemistically called a "fun loving girl," prior to winning she had been dating Indiana professional musician Steve Meyers. After a high-profile public series of photographs appeared with various men, Wallace was sacked 104 days later in March 1974, because she "had failed to fulfill the basic requirements of the job." Other sources claim that the real reason behind her losing her crown was a statement she made in one of her public appearances, where she said: "As Miss World I can get laid with any man I pick." Her noted and admitted male friends included professional soccer star George Best, tennis star Jimmy Connors, and singer Tom Jones. She also dated professional race car driver and Revlon heir Peter Revson. Wallace later became a television host for Good Morning Los Angeles and Entertainment Tonight.
The runners-up were:
1st Runner-up: Philippines, Evangeline Luis Pascual
2nd Runner-up: Jamaica, Patricia Teresa Yuen Leung
3rd Runner-up: Israel, Chaja Katzir
4th Runner-up: South Africa, Shelley Latham
Finalist:
5th Runner-up: Dominican Republic, Clariza Duarte Garrido
6th Runner-up: United Kingdom, Veronica Ann Cross
Semi-finalist:
Africa South, Ellen Peters
Brazil, Florence Gambogi Alvarenga
Greece , Katerina Papadimitriou
Holland, Anna Maria Groot
Italy, Marva Bartolucci
Lebanon, Sylva Ohannesian
New Zealand, Pamela King
Seychelles, June Gouthier
Special Awards
Miss Personality: Seychelles, June Gouthier
Miss Photogenic: Holland, Anna Maria Groot
