More Misses U gone showbiz

A few issues back, Funfare put out the (partial) list of Misses Universe who have joined showbiz. Here's an additional list by Funfare's ever-reliable "beauty experts" Felix Manuel, Joey Cesare, Gerry Yumping and Francis Calubaquib:

After the Catalina Swimsuit Company withdrew its sponsorship of the Miss America Pageant when one winner refused to be photographed wearing its products, the Miss Universe Pageant was launched in 1952.

It had several big companies as co-sponsors, among them Pan American Airways which flew in the girls from foreign countries and Universal International Studio which offered the winners film contracts in Hollywood.

The lure of the limelight attracted girls from the four corners of the world, thus making the pageant a stepping stone to overnight fame.

We are adding more Miss Universe winners lured into showbiz, to wit:

* 1952 -- Armi Helena Kuusela of Finland, the pageant's first winner, was introduced in the film The Most Beautiful Woman in the World. After marrying Filipino Virgilio Hilario in 1953, they made a movie focusing on their love story entitled Now and Forever.

* 1953 -- Christiane Martel of France was daring in the movie Adam and Eve appearing half naked throughout the movie opposite actor Carlos Baena.

* 1955 -- Hillevi Rombin of Sweden was introduced in the film The Benny Goodman Story with Steve Allen. She died in a tragic plane accident in 1996 with her husband and son.

* 1956 -- Carol Morris of Iowa, USA did several films and TV shows

* 1958 -- Luz Marina Zuluaga of Colombia did not formally enter the field of showbiz but she became an icon in her country. The government declared her tax exempt for life, gave her a mansion, issued stamps in her honor and even dedicated a national anthem for her.

* 1970 -- Marisol Malaret of Puerto Rico hosted several TV shows and runs her own modeling agency.

* 1972 -- Kerry Anne Wells of Australia pursued her news anchoring career for a short time after winning the title. She was a weather girl for a TV station prior to winning Miss Universe.

* 1974 -- Amparo Muñoz Quesada of Spain is perhaps the most controversial winner of the pageant. She starred in several films which left nothing for the audience's imagination. In 1985 she was declared persona non grata in the Philippines after being found guilty of slapping a movie mogul. She was also rumored to be dying of AIDS in the early '90s, but she denied this and admitted to be recovering from rehab.

* 1978 -- Margaret Gardiner of South Africa did some TV shows and co hosted the pageant in 1990.

* 1981 -- Venezuela's Barbie doll Irene Saez Conde run for her country's presidential seat in 1998 but lost. She married Humberto Briceño and just gave birth to a baby boy whom she named Osmel in honor of Venezuela's "beauty magician." She is currently bidding for next year's pageant to be held in Isla Margarita in Venezuela. Rumor has it that Bayamon, Puerto Rico, will host next year's pageant.

* 1982 -- Karen Dianne Baldwin of Canada did several TV shows and starred with Madonna in the movie Who's That Girl.

* 1985 -- Puerto Rico's Deborah Carthy Deu did several TV shows and runs her own finishing school.

* 1986 -- Sultry Venezuelan Barbara Palacios Tayde, daughter of Venezuelan actors Jorge Palacios and Barbara Teyde, starred in several stage plays prior to winning the title. She became her country's Minister of Tourism in 1988 and co-hosted the Miss Venezuela Pageant. She runs her own advertising agency. Eiffel Publicidad and has been the image model for Nynex in South America. She is happily married and has two sons.

* 1991 -- Mexican Rose Lupita Jones starred in several TV shows and even published a book recounting her ordeals as a beauty queen. She now heads the Miss Mexico Pageant. She recently convinced the daughter of Miss Universe 1979, Maritza Sayalero of Venezuela, to join this year's Miss Mexico tilt to be held later this year.

* 1994 -- Sushmita Sen of India conquered Baliwood after her reign. She is one of India's busiest actresses together with Miss World 1994 fellow Indian beauty Aishwarya Rai.

* 1995 -- Chelsi Smith of Texas USA did a cameo role in the CBS series Due South.

* 1996 -- Venezuelan charmer Yoseph Alicia Machado Fajardo, another controversial winner, gained weight during her reign and was rumored to be dethroned if she did not lose weight. She became one of the most sought after telenovela stars in her country and in Mexico. She also co-hosts the Miss Venezuela Pegeant.

(Note: If we were to list down all the Miss Universe runner-up, semi-finalists, and candidates who have joined showbiz in their native lands or in Hollywood, the list would be endless. This proves that beauty pageants are really good stepping stones towards a career in the limelight.)