# Miss World 1959

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Beauty pageant edition

Miss World 1959 Corine Rottschäfer Date 10 November 1959 Presenters Bob Hope Venue Lyceum Ballroom, London, United Kingdom Broadcaster BBC Entrants 37 Placements 11 Debuts Argentina Ghana Gibraltar Hawaii Hong Kong India Jamaica Jordan Paraguay Peru Portugal Puerto Rico Rhodesia and Nyasaland South Korea Uruguay Withdrawals Morocco Turkey Venezuela Returns Austria Finland Honduras Iceland Luxembourg Winner Corine Rottschäfer Holland ← 1958 1960 →

**Miss World 1959** was the ninth [Miss World](/source/Miss_World) pageant, held at the [Lyceum Ballroom](/source/Lyceum_Theatre%2C_London), [London](/source/London), United Kingdom, on 10 November 1959.

At the conclusion of the event, the Chief Barker of the Variety Club of Great Britain crowned [Corine Rottschäfer](/source/Corine_Rottsch%C3%A4fer) of Holland as Miss World 1959. This is the first victory of Holland in the history of the pageant.

Contestants from thirty-seven countries and territories participated in this year's pageant. The pageant was hosted by [Bob Hope](/source/Bob_Hope).

## Background

Lyceum Ballroom, venue of Miss World 1959

### Selection of participants

Thirty-seven contestants were selected to compete in the pageant. Three contestants were appointed to represent their countries after being a runner-up in their national pageants.

#### Replacements

The first runner-up of Miss Maple Leaf 1959, Huguette Demers, was appointed to represent Canada after Miss Maple Leaf 1959, Irene Dobler relinquished her title in order to marry.[1] Berit Grundvig, the first-runner of Miss Norway 1959, was appointed to represent her country after Miss Norway 1959, Jorunn Kristjansen, became the first runner-up of [Miss Universe 1959](/source/Miss_Universe_1959).[2] Miss Holland 1957, [Corine Rottschäfer](/source/Corine_Rottsch%C3%A4fer), was appointed to represent her country after Miss Holland 1959, Peggy Erwich, withdrew due to her modeling commitments.[3][4][5]

#### Debuts, returns and withdrawals

This edition marked the debut of Argentina, Ghana, Gibraltar, Hawaii, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Jordan, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Rhodesia and Nyasaland,[a] South Korea,[b] and Uruguay,[6] and the return of Honduras, which last competed in [1955](/source/Miss_World_1955); and Austria, Finland, Iceland, and Luxembourg last competed in [1957](/source/Miss_World_1957).

Raymonde Valle of Morocco and Figen Özgür of Turkey withdrew for undisclosed reasons.[7] Venezuela withdrew after its respective organization failed to hold a national competition or appoint a delegate. Habiba Bent Abdallah of Tunisia was supposed to compete, but withdrew from the competition due to financial constraints.

## Results

### Placements

Placement Contestant Miss World 1959 Holland – Corine Rottschäfer[8][9] 1st runner-up Peru – María Elena Rossel[8][9] 2nd runner-up Israel – Ziva Shomrat[8][9] 3rd runner-up United Kingdom – Anne Thelwell[8][9] 4th runner-up Denmark – Kirsten Olsen[8][9] Top 11 Argentina – Amalia Yolanda Scuffi[8] Greece – Yakiathi Karaviti[8] Jamaica – Sheila Chong[8] Rhodesia and Nyasaland – Vivien Lentin[8] South Africa – Moya Meaker[8] West Germany – Helga Meyer[8]

## Pageant

### Format

The number of placements in this edition has been increased to eleven from six in the previous edition. The eleven semi-finalists were selected through a preliminary competition held on the day of the final competition consisting of a swimsuit and evening gown competition. The eleven semi-finalists were then interviewed by Bob Russell and paraded before the judges, and five finalists were eventually selected to compete in the final interview.[8]

### Selection committee

- Claude Berr – Co-head of the [Miss Europe](/source/Miss_Europe) committee

- [Reg Cudlipp](/source/Reg_Cudlipp) – British newspaper editor for *[News of the World](/source/News_of_the_World)*

- [Taina Elg](/source/Taina_Elg) – Finnish-American actress and dancer

- [Jill Ireland](/source/Jill_Ireland) – British actress

- Lady Lydford – British socialite

- Cynthia Oberholzer – South African model

- Oscar Santa María – Brazilian politician

- [John Spencer-Churchill](/source/John_Spencer-Churchill%2C_11th_Duke_of_Marlborough) – 11th Duke of Marlborough[10]

- [Godfrey Winn](/source/Godfrey_Winn) – English journalist

## Contestants

Thirty-seven contestants competed for the title.[11]

Country Contestant Age[c] Hometown Argentina Amalia Yolanda Scuffi[12] 17 Mar de Plata Austria Helga Knofel 20 – Belgium Diane Hidalgo[13] 19 – Brazil Dione Brito Oliveira[14] 18 Caruaru Canada Huguette Demers[15] 21 Montreal Denmark Kirsten Olsen[2] 20 Frederiksberg Finland Margit Jaatinen[2] 19 – France Marie Hélène Trové[16] 19 – Ghana Star Nyaniba Annan 20 Accra Gibraltar Viola Howells[17] 23 Gibraltar Greece Yakiathi Karaviti 20 Athens Hawaii Margaret Moani Keala Brumaghim[18] 26 Honolulu Holland Corine Rottschäfer[19] 21 Amsterdam Honduras Rosemary Lefebre – Tegucigalpa Hong Kong Michelle Mok[20] 17 Hong Kong Iceland Sigurbjörg Sveinsdóttir[21] 18 Reykjavík India Fleur Ezekiel[22] 18 – Ireland Ann Fitzpatrick[23] 17 Dublin Israel Ziva Shomrat[24] 18 Haifa Italy Paola Falchi[25] 18 Latium Jamaica Sheila Chong[26] 24 Kingston Japan Chieko Ichinose[27] 18 Tokyo Jordan Ufemia Jabaji 17 Amman Luxembourg Josee Pundel 20 Luxembourg City Norway Berit Grundvig[2] 19 Oslo Paraguay Elvira dos Santos 18 Asunción Peru María Elena Rossel[28] 17 Piura Portugal Maria Teresa Motoa Cardoso 18 Lisbon Puerto Rico Lyllianna Díaz 19 San Juan Rhodesia and Nyasaland Vivien Lentin 17 Kitwe South Africa Moya Meaker 18 Pretoria South Korea Seo Jung-ae[29] 19 Busan Sweden Carola Håkonsson[2] 20 – United Kingdom Anne Thelwell[30] 22 Heswall United States Loretta Powell 24 Stratford Uruguay Yvonne Kelly 25 Montevideo West Germany Helga Meyer 23 Bielefeld

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Competed as Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland in the pageant

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Competed as Korea in the pageant

1. **[^](#cite_ref-B_14-0)** Age at the time of the pageant

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Yields title"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21240318/chicago-tribune/). *Chicago Tribune*. 26 September 1959. p. 6. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:03_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:03_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:03_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:03_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:03_2-4) ["Untitled"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29345152/the-new-york-age/). *The New York Age*. 5 December 1959. p. 13. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Tweehonderd leeuwen in de leeuwenkuil zagen: Miss Holland 1959"](https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=KBNRC01:000036971:mpeg21:p011) [Saw two hundred lions in the lion's den: Miss Holland 1959]. *Algemeen Handelsblad* (in Dutch). 6 May 1959. p. 11. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via [Delpher](/source/Delpher).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["En ook 1 uit velen Corinne"](https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010839059:mpeg21:p005) [And also 1 out of many Corinne]. *Het Parool* (in Dutch). 15 August 1959. p. 5. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via Delpher.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Roem"](https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:110587841:mpeg21:p002) [Fame]. *De Telegraaf* (in Dutch). 6 November 1959. p. 2. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via Delpher.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Wang, Zijing (23 September 2024). ["Beyond the Crown: Miss Hong Kong's Shifting Influence"](https://www.theworldofchinese.com/2024/09/beyond-the-crown-miss-hong-kongs-shifting-influence/). *[The World of Chinese](/source/The_World_of_Chinese)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250124165059/https://www.theworldofchinese.com/2024/09/beyond-the-crown-miss-hong-kongs-shifting-influence/) from the original on 24 January 2025. Retrieved 24 April 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Babas, Latifa (11 February 2019). ["Histoire : Quand le Maroc était représenté dans les concours internationaux de beauté"](https://www.yabiladi.com/articles/details/74480/histoire-quand-maroc-etait-represente.html). *Yabiladi* (in French). Retrieved 13 April 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_10-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:2_10-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:2_10-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:2_10-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-:2_10-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-:2_10-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-:2_10-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-:2_10-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-:2_10-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-:2_10-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-:2_10-11) ["Hollandse is "Miss Wereld": Corinne Rottschäfer nr. 1 in Londen"](https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010839183:mpeg21:p001) [Dutchwoman is "Miss World": Corinne Rottschäfer No. 1 in London]. *[Het Parool](/source/Het_Parool)* (in Dutch). 11 November 1959. p. 1. Retrieved 5 March 2024 – via Delpher.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_11-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_11-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_11-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:0_11-4) ["A Dutch treat"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29345001/the-press-democrat/). *The Press Democrat*. 11 November 1959. p. 44. Retrieved 5 March 2023 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:1_12-0)** ["Corinne Rottschaefer uit Amsterdam "Miss Wereld""](https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010615473:mpeg21:p007) [Corinne Rottschaefer from Amsterdam "Miss World"]. *Leeuwarder courant* (in Dutch). 11 November 1959. p. 7. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via Delpher.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Dutch Girl "Miss World""](https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/103106903?searchTerm=%22Miss%20World%22). *The Canberra Times*. 12 November 1959. p. 28. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via Trove.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Fue Miss Argentina, inspiró una canción emblemática y por un escándalo no logró ser Miss Mundo"](https://www.lanacion.com.ar/lifestyle/fue-miss-argentina-inspiro-una-cancion-emblematica-y-por-un-escandalo-no-logro-ser-miss-mundo-nid09092021/). *La Nacion* (in Spanish). 1 October 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Erelijst Miss België"](https://www.demorgen.be/tv-cultuur/erelijst-miss-belgie~b5723d4d/). *De Morgen* (in Dutch). 11 January 2010. Retrieved 13 April 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Miss D.F. e a nova Miss Brasil"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bPdTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hIwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6763%2C4173571). *[Jornal do Brasil](/source/Jornal_do_Brasil)* (in Portuguese). 22 June 1959. p. 1. Retrieved 14 April 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Hart, Daniel (15 April 2019). ["Une Bouchervilloise défendra les couleurs du Québec au concours Miss World Canada"](https://www.lareleve.qc.ca/2019/04/15/une-bouchervilloise-defendra-les-couleurs-du-quebec-au-concours-miss-world-canada/) [A Bouchervilloise will defend the colors of Quebec at the Miss World Canada contest]. *La Relève* (in Canadian French). Retrieved 14 April 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** Mathieu, Clément (24 November 2019). ["Dans les archives de Match - En 1959, "le dur métier d'être la plus belle femme du monde""](https://www.parismatch.com/People/Miss-Monde-1959-Photos-Archives-1660552) [In the archives of Match - In 1959, "the hard job of being the most beautiful woman in the world"]. *Paris Match* (in French). Retrieved 14 April 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["Queens of beauty"](https://issuu.com/theolivepress/docs/1-32_31999ae3990316/10). *Olive Press Gibraltar Newspaper*. 22 June 2016. p. 10. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via Issuu.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** ["Air Line beauty wins isle title"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22328564/honolulu-star-bulletin/). *Honolulu Star-Bulletin*. 17 October 1959. p. 1. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** Zijl, Frank van (24 September 2020). ["Corine Spier-Rottschäfer (1938-2020): van eerste Nederlandse Miss World tot zakenvrouw"](https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/corine-spier-rottschafer-1938-2020-van-eerste-nederlandse-miss-world-tot-zakenvrouw~b1081f4c/). *de Volkskrant* (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 April 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** ["Student, 17, named HK Beauty Queen"](http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19591011-1.2.38). *The Straits Times*. 11 October 1959. p. 5. Retrieved 14 April 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** ["Sigurbjörg Sveinsdóttir varð nr. 4 í fegurðarsamkeppninni í Tívolí í haust"](https://timarit.is/page/1325108?iabr=on) [Sigurbjörg Sveinsdóttir became no. 4 in the beauty contest in Tivoli this fall.]. *[Morgunblaðið](/source/Morgunbla%C3%B0i%C3%B0)* (in Icelandic). 11 November 1959. p. 9. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via Tímarit.is.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** Aafreedi, Navras Jaat (25 June 2013). ["The Jewish Beauty Queens of India"](https://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/the-jewish-beauty-queens-of-india/2013/06/25/). *[The Jewish Press](/source/The_Jewish_Press)*. Retrieved 14 April 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** ["Wie is de mooiste ter wereld"](https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010839180:mpeg21:p001) [Who is the most beautiful in the world?]. *Het Parool* (in Dutch). 7 November 1959. p. 1. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via Delpher.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-27)** ["Miss Israel to wed student"](http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/freepress19591130-1.2.104). *The Singapore Free Press*. 30 November 1959. p. 10. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via [National Library Board](/source/National_Library_Board).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-28)** ["Violenta baruffa tra i giudici per relezione di Miss Italia"](http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,3/articleid,0067_02_1958_0237A_0003_24671100/). *Stampa Sera* (in Italian). 6 October 1958. p. 3. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via Archivio La Stampa.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-29)** Thomas, Marcia (12 December 2019). ["Sheila Chong, Miss Jamaica 1959 - … The island's first entrant to Miss World 60 years ago"](https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/commentary/20191221/marcia-thomas-sheila-chong-miss-jamaica-1959-islands-first-entrant-miss). *The Gleaner*. Retrieved 14 April 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-30)** Caparas, Celso de Guzman (24 January 2016). ["Other Miss U beauties at the Big Dome"](https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2016/01/24/1545931/other-miss-u-beauties-big-dome). *[Philippine Star](/source/Philippine_Star)*. Retrieved 14 April 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-31)** ["Nuestras reinas más bellas desde Gladys Zender a Laura Spoya"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190920212845/http://archivo.elcomercio.pe/amp/luces/vida-social/nuestras-reinas-mas-bellas-desde-gladys-zender-laura-spoya-noticia-1865626). *El Comercio* (in Spanish). 22 December 2015. Archived from [the original](https://archivo.elcomercio.pe/amp/luces/vida-social/nuestras-reinas-mas-bellas-desde-gladys-zender-laura-spoya-noticia-1865626) on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-32)** ["「미스」경남에 「서정애」양"](https://www.busan.com/view/busan/view.php?code=19590419000124) [Miss Gyeongnam Seo Jung-ae]. *[Busan Ilbo](/source/Busan_Ilbo)* (in Korean). 19 April 1959. Retrieved 14 April 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-33)** ["Miss United Kingdom"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/19590217/the-tampa-tribune/). *The Tampa Tribune*. 15 September 1959. p. 6. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

## External links

- [Miss World official website](http://www.missworld.com)

v t e Miss World Editions 1950s 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960s 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970s 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980s 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990s 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000s 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010s 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020s 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 Related Titleholders Runners-up and finalists Editions Countries Beauty with a Purpose

v t e Miss World 1959 national titleholders Corine Rottschäfer Fleur Ezekiel

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Miss World 1959](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_World_1959) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_World_1959?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.