Miss USA 1991
Miss USA 1991 Kelli McCarty
Date	February 22, 1991
Presenters	Dick Clark Barbara Eden Deborah Shelton
Venue	Century II Convention Center, Wichita, Kansas
Broadcaster	CBS KWCH-TV
Entrants	51
Placements	11
Winner	Kelli McCarty[1] Kansas
Congeniality	Charlotte Ray New Jersey
Photogenic	Pat Arnold North Carolina
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Miss USA 1991 was the 40th anniversary of the Miss USA pageant, televised live from the Century II Convention Center in Wichita, Kansas on February 22, 1991. At the conclusion of the final competition, Kelli McCarty of Kansas was crowned^[1] by outgoing titleholder Carole Gist of Michigan. Kelli became the first titleholder from Kansas and only the 3rd winner to be crowned as Miss USA in her home state.

The pageant was hosted by Dick Clark for the third of five years, with color commentary by Barbara Eden for the only time and Miss USA 1970 Deborah Shelton for the first time.

This was the second of four years^{[citation needed]} that the pageant was held in Wichita, Kansas.^[1]

This year was the first time that introduced the delegates in region by region and one by one in the Parade of States. The regions are The Midwest, The South, The Northeast, The Northwest, and The Southwest.

This year was also the last year that the 1st Runner-Up would go onto represent the US at Miss World as the Miss World Organization from this point forward stop accepting 1st Runner-Ups from Miss USA due to the pageant not making a public announcement that the 1st Runner-Up was going to compete at Miss World. Starting in 1992, a separate pageant would be held to determine the US delegate for Miss World.

Miss USA 1991 Titlecard

Results

Placements

Map showing placements by state

Color keys

Special awards

Historical significance

• Kansas wins competition for the first time and surpasses its previous highest placement in 1973. Also becoming in the 24th state who does it for the first time.
• New Jersey earns the 1st runner-up position for the first time and surpasses its previous highest placement from the previous year, becoming its highest placement of the state.
• California earns the 2nd runner-up position for the second time. The last time it placed this was in 1972.
• Illinois finishes as Top 6 for the first time and reaches its highest placement since 1985.
• Oklahoma finishes as Top 6 for the first time.
• North Carolina finishes as Top 6 for the first time and reaches its highest placement since 1975.
• States that placed in semifinals the previous year were Illinois and New Jersey.
• Illinois placed for the eighth consecutive year.
• New Jersey placed for the third consecutive year.
• Arizona, California and Oklahoma last placed in 1989.
• North Carolina last placed in 1986.
• Hawaii last placed in 1985.
• Oregon last placed in 1984.
• New York last placed in 1983.
• Alabama last placed in 1981.
• Kansas last placed in 1973.
• Georgia breaks an ongoing streak of placements since 1986.
• Texas breaks an ongoing streak of placements since 1975.
• The national anthem starts the show as a preamble to the pageant, honoring the United States Armed Forces.

Scores

Preliminary competition

The following are the contestants' scores in the preliminary competition.

Final competition

Delegates

The Miss USA 1991 delegates were:

Crossovers

• Delegates who had previously held a Miss America state title or would later win one were:
  • Kimberly Totdahl (Wisconsin) - Miss Wisconsin 1989
  • Joann Kayleen Jorgensen (Montana) - Miss Montana 1992
  • Valorie Abate (Connecticut) - Miss Connecticut 1992 (Non-Finalist Talent Award at Miss America)
• Delegates who had previously competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant were:
  • Julie Khoury (Oklahoma) - Miss Oklahoma Teen USA 1985
  • Maureen Murray (New York) - Miss New Hampshire Teen USA 1983
  • Olga Calderon (Oregon) - Miss Oregon Teen USA 1985
  • Jillayne Fossum (South Dakota) - Miss South Dakota Teen USA 1988
• Delegates who would go onto compete at the Miss World America pageant:
  • Maricarroll Verlinde (Arizona) - Miss Arizona World 1992
  • Lori Easley (Idaho) - Miss Idaho World 1992
  • Laura Wheeler (Massachusetts) - Miss Massachusetts World 1992
  • Jillayne Fossum (South Dakota) - Miss South Dakota World 1992
  • Krista Ransbottom (West Virginia) - Miss West Virginia World 1992

Judges

• Lynn Swann
• Sheila Manning
• Lorianne Crook
• Don Crichton
• Guy Lee
• Sharyn Skeeter
• Joe Walsh
• C. Howard Wilkins, Jr.
• Adrienne Barbeau