Jo-Carroll Dennison

Jo-Carroll Dennison (born December 16, 1923) was a beauty queen and actress originally from Tyler, Texas.

Dennison, a self-supported student at the Federal Institute in Tyler, Texas was lured into competing in the Miss Tyler pageant by the offer of a free swimsuit from Swartz Department Store. She won the pageant, and reluctantly agreed to represent Tyler in the Miss East Texas pageant.

Although Dennison was an involuntary participant, she won over the judges and took the East Texas title. As Miss East Texas, Dennison then competed in the Miss Texas pageant held at Austin Stadium in August 1942 where she won her third pageant crown.

Unenthusiastic at the idea of competing in state pageants, Dennison then faced a three-day train trip to compete for the title of Miss America in the national pageant held in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She won both the swimsuit and talent sections of the contest, and ultimately the Miss America crown. As a Wartime Miss America, Dennison traveled to visit defense plants, hospitals and service camps and sold war bonds. She was the first Miss Texas to win the Miss America crown.

Dennison later moved to California and signed with Twentieth Century-Fox and became a successful actress, with appearances in the acclaimed "Winged Victory" and the Oscar-winning "The Jolson Story".

Dennison, who was briefly married to comedian Phil Silvers from 1945-1950, later re-married Russell Stoneham, and successfully raised a family. For many years, she was involved with hospice care in her community and was later involved in writing a book entitled "Finding My Little Red Hat".

LIVES: in Idlewild Ca.

References

* [http://missamerica.org/our-miss-americas/1940/review.aspx Profile of Jo-Carroll Dennison on the Miss America website] (accessed 31 May 2008)

External links

*imdb name | id=0219593| name=Jo-Carroll Dennison