The modern Miss Universe pageant started in 1952 in Miami Beach, Florida. The Netherlands didn’t participate in the first 4 pageants but started to participate in 1956. We will look back to all those beautiful dutch girls who had the honor to represent our country in the most covered beauty pageant in the world. We go to the first 5 years of the 60’s. Detail: There are only runner-ups that went to the Miss Universe pageant in those 5 years.
1960
3rd runner-up Miss Holland 1960, Carina Verbeek
For the first time Miss Holland in the Miss Universe pageant was not the actual Miss Holland but Carina was the 3rd runner-up at the Miss Holland 1960 pageant. Miss Holland 1960, Ans Schoon represented the Netherlands at the Miss Europe pageant where she was unplaced, and as she did not speak english good enough, the Miss Holland committee asked the runner-ups to go to the other pageants in the World. Carina was lucky enough to be asked to go to the Miss Universe pageant and to the Miss World pageant.
Carina was not a favorite to win but she made the headlines in the Netherlands and the USA: Carina, who was a model in those days had worked as a showgirl in Las Vegas, being part of a dans group from Paris, told the international press that most of the showgirls in Las Vegas are prostitutes.
Many pushed Carina to change her verdict, but she refused to do so. She said that she did not judge the girls, as everybody has the right to live their life as they please.
1961
1st runner-up Miss Holland 1961, Gita Kamman
Like in 1960 not Miss Holland 1961, Anna-Marie Brink but one of her runner-ups would go to the Miss Universe pageant. It was said that, like in 1960, Miss Holland 1961 could not speak english and therefore she only went to the Miss Europe pageant where she was unplaced.
Gita did not place at the Miss Universe pageant. After the pageant she was a populair model who was asked to travel all over the world for commercials and pose for magazines.
1962
1st runner-up Miss Holland 1962, Marjan van der Heijden
Miss Holland 1962, Rina Lodders was a huge hit among the international beauty pageants. She was 3rd runner-up at Miss Europe 1962 and Miss International 1962 and she won Miss Benelux 1962 and Miss World 1962. When Rina entered the Miss International pageant many believed that she would not win as Miss International 1961 was already won by Stanny Baer from the Netherlands. The Miss Holland committee would have preferred to send Rina to the Miss Universe pageant but the Miss International pageant asked to send the number one to their pageant.
The question we could ask ourselves is: Could Rina have won the Miss Universe 1962 pageant, would she have gone instead of the Miss International pageant?
Marjan van der Heijden who was first runner-up to Rina Lodders was asked to go to the Miss Universe pageant instead. Marjan did not place as a semi-finalist and she has the bad luck that she will always be in the shades of the very populair Rina Lodders.
1963
2nd runner-up Miss Holland 1963, Elsa Onstenk
A lot of confusion after the Miss Holland 1963 pageant. Miss Holland 1963, Godelieve Sassen would represent the Netherlands at the Miss Europe pageant in Beirut. Juno Onink, 1st runner-up at the Miss Holland 1963 pageant would represent the Netherlands at the Miss Universe 1963 pageant. But Godelieve’s mother did not want her daughter to go abroad and Juno went instead to the Miss Europe pageant and was unplaced. We do not know why, but Juno did not go the Miss Universe 1963 pageant although her picture is in the Miss Universe 1963 program book . Elsa Onstenk, 2nd runner-up to Godelieve, from Arnhem, who would go at first only to the Miss World pageant, represented the Netherlands in the end also at the Miss Universe 1963 pageant.
Elsa did not place as a semi-finalist in either pageant
1964
3rd runner-up Miss Holland 1964, Henny Deul
Not Miss Holland 1964 and Miss Europe 1964, Elly Koot, would represent the Netherlands at the Miss Universe 1964 pageant, but 3rd runner-up to Miss Holland 1964 went to the USA and represent our country. Henny was a press favorite but she did not become one of the semi-finalists. She did win the award for Best National Costume. The last time Miss Holland won an award at the pageant was in 1958 when Corine Rottschaeffer won the Miss Photogenic award. It is in the history of the Miss Universe pageant the only time Miss Holland won Best National Costume award at the Miss Universe pageant.
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