Bob Russell (entertainer)

Bob Russell (January 1 1908, Passaic, New Jersey – January 24 1998, Sarasota, Florida) was an American entertainer, best known for hosting the Miss America pageant during the years of 1940 to 1946, 1948 to 1950 and 1954. He also served as emcee for the Miss Universe, Miss World, and Miss Canada pageants.

When the Miss America pageant was first televised in 1954, Russell rejected the song "There She Is, Miss America" in favor of two of his own. His recommended replacement, Bert Parks, in 1955 sang this promenade tune into history. Lee Meriwether, age 19 from California, was crowned Miss America on September 11 1954, by a panel of judges including movie queen Grace Kelly. It was watched by 27 million people.

In 1952 he co-created, directed and hosted the very first Miss Universe pageant in Long Beach, California, and continued with the pageant through 1957.

Bob Russell moved to New York at age nine and began his career appearing in Broadway musicals in the 1920s. In the 1930s, he moved on to Philadelphia, where he became a local star as the singing master of ceremonies at the elegant Cafe Marguery in the old Adelphia Hotel. He helped to start many early television game shows, such as "Name That Tune" (1954-59). He appeared as the emcee of "Bonnie Maid's Versatile Varieties" (1950-51) and "Your Pet Parade" (1951), and was the announcer on the quiz show "Time Will Tell" (1954).

He retired from the limelight to Sarasota, Florida, where he kept busy as Reservation Manager at the Aku Tiki Inn on Lido Key, and later at the Meadows Golf and Tennis Resort.

Bob Russell and his wife, Mignon Simpson Russell, had one child, a daughter, Ingrid.

Musical performances

*"Princess Flavia" (November 2 1925 – March 1926; 152 performances)

TV shows

*Yours for a Song
*Stand Up and Be Counted
*Bonnie Maid's Versatile Varieties (1949) – emcee, 1950-1951
*Live Like a Millionaire (1951)
*Your Pet Parade (1951) – host
*Name That Tune (1953) – co-creator
*Time Will Tell (1954) – announcer