Miss Atomic Bomb 1957 - Lee Merlin

Mona Goldwater, Pageant Ed.

“Copa Room showgirl Lee Merlin poses in a cotton mushroom cloud swimsuit as she is crowned Miss Atomic Bomb 1957 photograph. Above-ground nuclear testing was a major public attraction during the late 1950s, and hotels capitalized on the craze by hosting nuclear bomb watch parties, which usually included the dubbing of a chorus girl as Miss Atomic Bomb. Merlin was the last and most famous of the Miss Atomic Bomb girls”

- Las Vegas Sun

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1954: Miss Venezuela collapses

By Jack Brummet, Pageant Ed.

A photograph from 1954:  Miss Venezuela collapses mid-competition and no one dares break their pose (a chime of the Kitty Genovese story?).  And the band played on. . .

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Candidate Sarah Palin in the 1984 Miss Alaska contest, swimsuit division

Sarah Heath, who would later become Governor Palin, appears in the swimsuit portion of the 1984 Miss Alaska competition. Apparently there is also footage of her playing flute in the talent competition. We'll let you know when we find it. . .