# Miss Universe 1976

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25th Miss Universe pageant

Miss Universe 1976 Rina Messinger Date 11 July 1976[a] Presenters Bob Barker Helen O'Connell Venue Lee Theatre, Hong Kong Broadcaster CBS (international) TVB (Host broadcaster) Entrants 72 Placements 12 Debuts Barbados Northern Mariana Islands Papua New Guinea Sint Maarten Withdrawals Belize Haiti Jamaica Lebanon Micronesia Morocco Returns Honduras Norway Suriname Winner Rina Messinger Israel Congeniality Margaret McFarlane (Trinidad and Tobago) Best National Costume Rocío Lazcano (Peru) Photogenic Pauline Davies (England) ← 1975 1977 →

**Miss Universe 1976** was the 25th [Miss Universe](/source/Miss_Universe) pageant, held at the [Lee Theatre](/source/Lee_Theatre) in [Hong Kong](/source/British_Hong_Kong), on 11 July 1976[a].

At the conclusion of the event, [Anne Marie Pohtamo](/source/Anne_Marie_Pohtamo) of Finland crowned [Rina Messinger](/source/Rina_Messinger) of Israel as Miss Universe 1976. It is the first victory of Israel in the pageant's history.

Contestants from seventy-two countries and territories participated in this year's pageant. The pageant was hosted by [Bob Barker](/source/Bob_Barker) in his tenth consecutive year, while Helen O'Connell provided commentary and analysis throughout the event.

## Background

### Location and date

On 3 August 1971, the Miss Universe Organization and the Government Economic Development Administrator of Puerto Rico signed a contract to bring Miss Universe and Miss USA to San Juan from 1972 to 1976.[1] However, the Puerto Rican government canceled the agreement in February 1973 because, according to Puerto Rican government officials, the agreement was allegedly illegal.[2]

The pageant's 25th anniversary was supposed to be held in Israel. However, it was announced on 15 January 1976, that the competition would no longer be held in Israel after the Israeli Ministry of Finance refused to allocate $300,000 to host the competition in the country.[3] According to then-Finance Minister [Yehoshua Rabinovitz](/source/Yehoshua_Rabinovitz), if competition for Israeli tourism and propaganda is good, the funds should come from the Tourism and Foreign Ministry budget.[4][5]

On 6 February, Miss Universe Inc. president Harold Glasser announced that the 25th anniversary of the pageant would be held on 10 July in Hong Kong, and all money raised from tickets would go to the Hong Kong Community Chest.[6]

### Selection of participants

Contestants from seventy-two countries and territories were selected to compete in the pageant. Two candidates were selected to replace the original dethroned winner.

#### Replacements

Miss Venezuela 1976 first runner-up, Judith Castillo, was appointed to represent Venezuela after Miss Venezuela 1976, Elluz Peraza, resigned after four days to get married.[7] Miss Holland 1976 first runner-up, Nannetje Nielen, was appointed to represent her country after Miss Holland 1976, Lucie Visser, chose not to participate for undisclosed reasons.[8][9]

#### Debuts, returns, and, withdrawals

This edition saw the debuts of Barbados, the Northern Mariana Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Sint Maarten, and the returns of Norway which last competed in [1973](/source/Miss_Universe_1973); and Honduras and Suriname which last competed in [1974](/source/Miss_Universe_1974).[10]

Janet Joan Joseph of Belize, Angela Ruddock of Jamaica, and Ramona Karam of Lebanon withdrew for undisclosed reasons.[11] Haiti, Micronesia, and Morocco withdrew after their respective organizations failed to hold a national competition or appoint a delegate.

Cleopatra Sanders of Antigua and Irene Penn of the British Virgin Islands were supposed to participate in this edition, but were unable to do so for undisclosed reasons.[12] Amiot Moea of Tahiti was also supposed to participate, but withdrew from the competition after finding out that her mother fell ill.[13]

## Results

Miss Universe 1976 participating countries and territories

### Placements

Placement Contestant Miss Universe 1976 Israel – Rina Messinger[14] 1st Runner-Up Venezuela – Judith Castillo[14] 2nd Runner-Up Wales – Sian Adey-Jones[14] 3rd Runner-Up Scotland – Carol Grant[15] 4th Runner-Up Australia – Julie Ismay[15] Top 12[15] Argentina – Lilian Noemí de Asti Chile – Verónica Sommers Colombia – María Reyes Curaçao – Anneke Dijkhuizen England – Pauline Davies Hong Kong – Rowena Lam Norway – Bente Lihaug

### Special awards

Award Contestant Miss Photogenic England – Pauline Davies[16] Miss Congeniality Trinidad and Tobago – Margaret McFarlane[17] Best National Costume Peru – Rocío Lazcano[16]

## Pageant

### Format

Same with [1971](/source/Miss_Universe_1971), twelve semi-finalists were chosen at the preliminary competition that consists of the swimsuit and evening gown competition. The twelve semi-finalists participated in the casual interview, swimsuit, and evening gown competitions. From twelve, five finalists were shortlisted to advance to the final interview.[15]

### Selection committee

- [Henri, Count of Paris](/source/Henri%2C_Count_of_Paris_(born_1933)) – French noble

- [Margareta Arvidsson](/source/Margareta_Arvidsson) – [Miss Universe 1966](/source/Miss_Universe_1966) from Sweden[18]

- [Florinda Bolkan](/source/Florinda_Bolkan) – Brazilian actress and model[18]

- [Britt Ekland](/source/Britt_Ekland) – Swedish actress[18]

- [Dame Margot Fonteyn](/source/Margot_Fonteyn) – English prima ballerina[19]

- [Aldo Gucci](/source/Aldo_Gucci) – Italian fashion designer and businessman[20]

- [Dong Kingman](/source/Dong_Kingman) – Chinese-American painter[18]

- [David Newbigging](/source/David_Newbigging) – Hong Kong politician, chairman of [Jardine Matheson](/source/Jardines_(company))[18]

- [Roman Polanski](/source/Roman_Polanski) – Polish-French filmmaker[19]

- [Run Run Shaw](/source/Run_Run_Shaw) – Hong Kong entertainment mogul and philanthropist[18]

- [Fred Williamson](/source/Fred_Williamson) – American football player and actor[18]

## Contestants

Seventy-two contestants competed for the title.

Country/Territory Contestant Age[b] Hometown American Samoa Taliilani Letuli[21] 22 Pago Pago Argentina Lilian Noemí De Asti[22] 19 Buenos Aires Aruba Cynthia Bruin[23] 19 Oranjestad Australia Julie Ismay[24] 24 Sydney Austria Heidi-Marie Passian[25] 19 Lilienfeld Bahamas Sharon Smith[26] 19 Nassau Barbados Jewell Nightingale[27] 22 Saint Michael Belgium Yvette Aelbrecht[28] 18 Brussels Bermuda Vivienne Hollis[29] 19 Smith's Parish Bolivia Carolina Aramayo[30] 17 La Paz Brazil Katia Moretto[31] 18 Sorocaba Canada Normande Jacques[32] 22 Blind River Chile Verónica Sommer[33] 21 Valdivia Colombia María Helena Reyes[34] 20 Bogotá Costa Rica Silvia Jiménez[35] 21 San José Curaçao Anneke Dijkhuizen[36] 18 Willemstad Denmark Brigitte Trolle[37] 19 Copenhagen Dominican Republic Norma Lora[38] 23 Santo Domingo Ecuador Gilda Plaza[22] 21 Guayaquil El Salvador Mireya Calderón[39] 19 San Salvador England Pauline Davies[40] 22 Manchester Finland Suvi Lukkarinen[41] 22 Helsinki France Monique Uldaric[42] 22 Saint-Pierre Greece Melina Michailidou 18 Athens Guam Pilar Laguana[22] 19 Hagåtña Guatemala Blanca Montenegro[22] 20 Guatemala City Holland Nannetje Nielen[43] 18 Amsterdam Honduras Victoria Pineda[10] 22 San Pedro Sula Hong Kong Rowena Lam[44] 18 Hong Kong Iceland Gudmunda Johannesdottir[45] 19 Reykjavík India Naina Balsaver[43] 18 Bombay Indonesia Juliarti Rahayu Gunawan[46] 22 Jakarta Ireland Elaine O'Hora[43] 20 Rathfarnham Israel Rina Messinger[47] 20 Haifa Italy Diana Scapolan[48] 21 Milan Japan Miyako Iwakuni 19 Osaka Liberia Laurine Johnson 19 Monrovia Luxembourg Monique Wilmes[49] 19 Echternach Malaysia Faridah Norizan 19 Ipoh Malta Mary Grace Ciantar[22] 19 Kalkara Mauritius Marielle Tse-Sik-Sun[50] 23 Port Louis Mexico Carla Jean Evert[51] 17 Acapulco New Zealand Janey Kingscote[52] 22 Christchurch Nicaragua Ivania Navarro[43] 19 Matagalpa Northern Mariana Islands Candelaria Borja 26 Saipan Norway Bente Lihaug[53] 21 Oslo Panama Carolina Chiari[54] 18 Panama City Papua New Guinea Eva Regina Arni[55] 21 Port Moresby Paraguay Nidia Fátima Cárdenas[56] 20 Asunción Peru Rocío Lazcano[57] 20 Lima Philippines Elizabeth de Padua[58] 20 Los Baños Puerto Rico Elizabeth Zayas[59] 17 Salinas Scotland Carol Jean Grant[40] 19 Glasgow Singapore Linda Tham[60] 19 Singapore Sint Maarten Angela Huggins[61] 18 Philipsburg South Africa Cynthia Classen[62] 18 Cape Town South Korea Kwang-hyun Chung 19 Seoul Spain Olga Fernández[63] 18 Pontevedra Sri Lanka Genevieve Parsons 22 Colombo Suriname Peggy Vandeleuv[64] 18 Paramaribo Sweden Caroline Westerberg[65] 18 Tierp Switzerland Isabelle Fischbacher[66] 18 Vevey Thailand Katareeya Areekul[67] 22 Bangkok Trinidad and Tobago Margaret McFarlane[27] 19 Couva Turkey Manolya Onur[68] 20 Istanbul United States Barbara Peterson[69] 22 Edina United States Virgin Islands Lorraine Baa[70] 23 Saint Thomas Uruguay Leila Viñas 22 Montevideo Venezuela Judith Castillo[71] 18 Caracas Wales Sian Adey-Jones[72] 18 Bodfari West Germany Birgit Hamer[73] 19 Saxony-Anhalt Yugoslavia Svetlana Radojčić 18 Belgrade

## Notes

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Hong_Kong_date_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Hong_Kong_date_1-1) The event was held at 8:00 am [Hong Kong Time](/source/Hong_Kong_Time) ([UTC+08:00](/source/UTC%2B08%3A00)); for the Americas, this was July 10 in their local times.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-A_22-0)** Ages at the time of the pageant

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["PR gets Miss Universe contest for five years"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SyQwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pkQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2614%2C2960258). *The Virgin Islands Daily News*. 6 August 1971. pp. 1, 15. Retrieved 13 October 2025 – via [Google News Archive](/source/Google_News_Archive).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:12_3-0)** ["Pageant may move to Latin America"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ErxOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=260DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5963%2C4130653). *The Virgin Islands Daily News*. 17 February 1973. p. 10. Retrieved 12 October 2025 – via [Google News Archive](/source/Google_News_Archive).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Israel has no funds to host the Miss Universe contest"](https://www.nli.org.il/en/newspapers/cgs/1976/01/15/01/article/83/?srpos=30&e=-------en-20--21--img-txIN%7ctxTI-Miss+Universe-------------1). *⁨⁨The Sentinel⁩*. 15 January 1976. p. 35. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via National Library of Israel.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Israel won't host Miss Universe; pleads poverty"](https://www.nli.org.il/en/newspapers/bbh/1976/01/23/01/article/24/?srpos=23&e=-------en-20--21--img-txIN%7ctxTI-Miss+Universe-------------1). *⁨⁨B'nai B'rith Messenger⁩*. 23 January 1976. p. 4. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via National Library of Israel.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Money bumps Miss Universe"](https://web.archive.org/web/20230227225141/https://www.nli.org.il/en/newspapers/jweekly/1976/01/16/article/51/?srpos=5&e=------197-en-20--1--img-txIN%7CtxTI-%22Miss+Universe%22----1976---------1). *The Jewish News of Northern California*. 16 January 1976. p. 8. Archived from [the original](https://www.nli.org.il/en/newspapers/jweekly/1976/01/16/article/51/?srpos=5&e=------197-en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxTI-%22Miss+Universe%22----1976---------1) on 27 February 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via National Library of Israel.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Wilson, Earl (11 February 1976). ["Off the grapevine"](https://books.google.com/books?id=LA9PAAAAIBAJ&dq=Miss+Universe+Hong+Kong+Community+Chest&pg=PA34). *Toledo Blade*. p. 34. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via [Google Books](/source/Google_Books).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Suárez, Orlando (7 June 2022). ["70 momentos claves en la historia del Miss Venezuela"](https://eldiario.com/2022/06/07/momentos-claves-miss-venezuela/) [70 key moments in the history of Miss Venezuela]. *El Diario* (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 November 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Miss Holland"](https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011017548:mpeg21:p003). *Nieuwsblad van het Noorden* (in Dutch). 15 May 1976. p. 3. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via Delpher.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Lucie Visser de nieuwe Miss Holland"](https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010840380:mpeg21:p005) [Lucie Visser the new Miss Holland]. *Het Parool* (in Dutch). 15 May 1976. p. 5. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via Delpher.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:8_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:8_11-1) Gámez, Sabino (25 April 2008). ["El Miss Honduras, una historia que contar"](https://www.laprensa.hn/espectaculos/el-miss-honduras-una-historia-que-contar-ATLP695720) [Miss Honduras, a story to tell]. *La Prensa* (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 November 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Jamaica to drop out of beauty contests"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NNgvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oUQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4320%2C1559380). *The Virgin Islands Daily News*. 13 May 1975. p. 5. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via [Google News Archive](/source/Google_News_Archive).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Ahmed, Zarrin Tasnim (12 July 2021). ["Six contestants vie for Miss BVI crown"](https://www.bvibeacon.com/six-contestants-vie-for-miss-bvi-crown/). *The BVI Beacon*. Retrieved 29 November 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Barrais, Delphine (6 May 2021). ["Moea Amiot, Miss Tahiti 1975 : "C'était vraiment bon enfant !""](https://www.tahiti-infos.com/Moea-Amiot-Miss-Tahiti-1975-C-etait-vraiment-bon-enfant-_a200478.html) [Moea Amiot, Miss Tahiti 1975: "It was really good-natured!"]. *Tahiti Infos* (in French). Retrieved 29 November 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AP_15-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AP_15-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-AP_15-2) ["Israeli Wins Miss Universe"](https://www.newspapers.com/image/653284911). *[The News and Observer](/source/The_News_and_Observer)*. [Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press). 12 July 1976. p. 19. Retrieved 24 August 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:6_16-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:6_16-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:6_16-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:6_16-3) ["Rina Messinger de Israel, elegida Miss Universo 1976"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EkIfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CdEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1005%2C12622408) [Rina Messinger from Israel, elected Miss Universe 1976]. *La Nacion* (in Spanish). 11 July 1976. pp. 6A. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via [Google News Archive](/source/Google_News_Archive).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:02_17-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:02_17-1) ["Miss England wins 'photogenic' award"](https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110816452?searchTerm=Miss%20Universe). *The Canberra Times*. 8 July 1976. p. 14. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via Trove.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Medidas perfectas... de seguridad"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8nQbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6FAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=897%2C2788465) [Perfect security measures]. *El Tiempo* (in Spanish). 12 July 1976. pp. 1D. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via [Google News Archive](/source/Google_News_Archive).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:7_19-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:7_19-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:7_19-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:7_19-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:7_19-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-:7_19-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-:7_19-6) ["We get a new Miss Universe"](https://books.google.com/books?id=8fFUAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Florinda+Bolkan%22+%22Miss+Universe%22&pg=PA16&article_id=6280,1805371). *The Age*. 8 July 1976. p. 3. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via [Google Books](/source/Google_Books).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_20-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_20-1) ["Dificil eleccion de Miss Universo"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8XQbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6FAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=910%2C2141678) [Difficult choice of Miss Universe]. *El Tiempo* (in Spanish). 10 July 1976. pp. 6B. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via [Google News Archive](/source/Google_News_Archive).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:5_21-0)** Wood, Chris (2 July 2017). ["From the archives: the 1976 Miss Universe contest in Hong Kong"](https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/2100582/when-bevy-beauties-descended-hong-kong-1976-miss). *[South China Morning Post](/source/South_China_Morning_Post)*. Retrieved 29 November 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** ["Hong Kong Is Agog Over Beauty Pageant"](https://www.nytimes.com/1976/07/10/archives/hong-kong-is-agog-over-beauty-pageant.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. 10 July 1976. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0362-4331](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved 26 August 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:3_24-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:3_24-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:3_24-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:3_24-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:3_24-4) ["Kissinger, el personaje preferido"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8HQbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6FAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=848%2C1881743) [Kissinger, the favorite character]. *El Tiempo* (in Spanish). 9 July 1976. pp. 3B. Retrieved 26 August 2023 – via [Google News Archive](/source/Google_News_Archive).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** ["Cynthia Bruin naar Hong Kong"](https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010460284:mpeg21:p005) [Cynthia Bruin to Hong Kong]. *Amigoe di Curacao* (in Dutch). 11 June 1976. p. 5. Retrieved 21 October 2025 – via Delpher.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** ["Victorian wins title of Australia's Dream Girl"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/19719923/the-sydney-morning-herald/). *[The Sydney Morning Herald](/source/The_Sydney_Morning_Herald)*. 11 September 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-27)** ["El sostén 'divide' a candidatas"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8HQbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6FAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2524%2C1880169) [The bra 'divides' candidates]. *El Tiempo* (in Spanish). 9 July 1976. pp. 3B. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via [Google News Archive](/source/Google_News_Archive).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-28)** ["Bahamas beauty bids for Miss Universe crown"](https://books.google.com/books?id=ZEIDAAAAMBAJ&dq=sonia+chipman+miss+bahamas&pg=PA26). *Jet*. 2 October 1975. pp. 26–30. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via [Google Books](/source/Google_Books).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:4_29-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:4_29-1) ["Bellas bajo el sol"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CEIfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CdEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4787%2C7518944). *La Nacion* (in Spanish). 29 June 1976. p. 1. Retrieved 21 October 2025 – via [Google News Archive](/source/Google_News_Archive).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-30)** ["Erelijst Miss België"](https://www.demorgen.be/tv-cultuur/erelijst-miss-belgie~b5723d4d/). *De Morgen* (in Dutch). 11 January 2010. Retrieved 11 October 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-31)** ["It's time for a bat..."](http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Page/newnation19760701-1.1.6) *New Nation*. 1 July 1976. p. 6. Retrieved 21 October 2025 – via National Library Board.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-32)** ["El título les dio alegrías, trabajo y fama que aún saborean"](https://web.archive.org/web/20231023090330/https://eldeber.com.bo/sociales/el-titulo-les-dio-alegrias-trabajo-y-fama-que-aun-saborean_32650). *El Deber* (in European Spanish). 29 July 2017. Archived from [the original](https://eldeber.com.bo/sociales/el-titulo-les-dio-alegrias-trabajo-y-fama-que-aun-saborean_32650) on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-33)** ["Kátia Moretto: a eterna Miss Brasil"](https://www.jornalcruzeiro.com.br/sem-categoria/katia-moretto-a-eterna-miss-brasil/index.html) [Kátia Moretto: the eternal Miss Brazil]. *Cruzeiro do Sul* (in Brazilian Portuguese). 10 January 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-34)** ["Miss Dominion at fair"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/116422465/the-sun-and-the-erie-county-independent/). *The Sun and the Erie County Independent*. 20 August 1975. p. 2. Retrieved 21 October 2025 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-37)** ["Hong Kong"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=C0IfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CdEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2942%2C9679066). *La Nacion* (in Spanish). 4 July 1976. pp. 20A. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via [Google News Archive](/source/Google_News_Archive).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-38)** ["Anneke Dijkhuizen Miss Curaçao 1976"](https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010460281:mpeg21:p003). *Amigoe di Curacao* (in Dutch). 8 June 1976. p. 3. Retrieved 21 October 2025 – via Delpher.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-39)** ["Winning smiles"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10862972/tallahassee-democrat/). *Tallahassee Democrat*. 6 July 1976. p. 23. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-40)** ["Hong Kong"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CUIfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CdEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3812%2C8509588). *La Nacion* (in Spanish). 1 July 1976. pp. 17A. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via [Google News Archive](/source/Google_News_Archive).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-41)** ["Hong Kong"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EUIfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CdEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6966%2C12272745). *La Nacion* (in Spanish). 10 July 1976. pp. 17A. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via [Google News Archive](/source/Google_News_Archive).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:13_42-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:13_42-1) ["The best of British!"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110282874/miss-universe-1976/). *Evening Standard*. 25 May 1976. p. 7. Retrieved 29 November 2025 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-43)** ["Prettiest girl in Finland"](http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Page/newnation19760519-1.1.6). *New Nation*. 19 May 1976. p. 6. Retrieved 21 October 2025 – via National Library Board.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-44)** ["Monique Uldaric est la première réunionnaise à être élue Miss France"](https://imazpress.com/actus-reunion/video-1975-monique-uldaric-est-la-premiere-reunionnaise-a-etre-elue-miss-france) [Monique Uldaric is the first woman from Réunion to be elected Miss France]. *Imaz Press Réunion* (in French). 26 December 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_45-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_45-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_45-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_45-3) Basu, Soma (15 February 2017). ["40 years ago as competitors on stage for the Ms.Universe pageant, their looks mattered. Now their bonding and inner beauty does"](https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/Jab-they-Met/article17306988.ece). *The Hindu*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0971-751X](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0971-751X). Retrieved 25 August 2023.

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-73)** ["La indirecta de Judith Castillo a las participantes del Miss Venezuela 2022"](https://web.archive.org/web/20230118010801/https://revistaronda.net/la-indirecta-de-judith-castillo-a-las-participantes-del-miss-venezuela-2022/) [Judith Castillo's subtle message to the Miss Venezuela 2022 contestants]. *Revista Ronda* (in Spanish). 17 November 2022. Archived from [the original](https://revistaronda.net/la-indirecta-de-judith-castillo-a-las-participantes-del-miss-venezuela-2022/) on 18 January 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2025.

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-75)** Barber, Tony (16 September 2006). ["Italian 'prince' is recorded boasting of killing"](https://www.ft.com/content/84749a8e-44d5-11db-b804-0000779e2340). *Financial Times*. Retrieved 29 November 2025.

## External links

- [Miss Universe official website](http://www.missuniverse.com)

v t e Miss Universe 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Titleholders Runners-up and finalists Editions Countries Scorings

v t e Miss Universe 1976 national titleholders IND: Naina Balsaver IDN: Juliarti Rahayu Gunawan ISR: Rina Messinger (winner) MYS: Faridah Norizan TUR: Manolya Onur USA: Barbara Peterson VEN: Judith Castillo WAL: Sian Adey-Jones

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Miss Universe 1976](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Universe_1976) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Universe_1976?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.