ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Miss California, Debra Sue Maffett, a blonde Texan who moved West to become a star, won the 1982 Miss America Pageant Saturday during nationally televised ceremonies seen by more than 75 million viewers.
At the conclusion of the show, hosted for the first time by talk show host Gary Collins, Miss America 1982, Elizabeth Ward of Arkansas, was to relinquish the rhinestone-studded crown to the 1983 pageant queen for her traditional victory stroll down the 140-foot Convention Hall runway.
At stake for the winner was a $20,000 scholarship and a chance to earn more than $100,000 in personal appearance fees during her year-long reign. In addition, former Miss Americas have parlayed the title into lucrative show business or professional careers.
The finalists included:
-- Miss California, Debra Sue Maffett, 25, of Anaheim, Calif., a blue-eyed blonde who won both her swimsuit and talent competitions. Miss Maffet wants to be a professional singer and television talk show hostess;
-- Miss Kentucky, Gwendolyn Suzann Witten, 23, of Vine Grove, Ky., the winner of her talent competition, who wants to be an opera singer;
-- Miss Minnesota, Laurie Saarinen, 21, of Snellman, Minn., who wants to be a school teacher;
-- Miss Georgia, Bobbie Eakes, 21, of Warner Robins, Ga., who wants to be a television news anchorwoman;
-- Miss Oklahoma, Nancy Chapman, 21, of Altus, Okla., who plans a career in music;
-- Miss Tennesee, Desiree Denise Daniels, 22, of Chattanooga, Tenn., who won her swimsuit competition and wants to be an accountant;
-- Miss Arkansas, Mary Stuart, 20, of Little Rock, Ark., who plans a musical theater career;
-- Miss Mississippi, Dianne Evans, 22, of Taylorsville, Miss., who won her talent competition and wants to pursue a career as a professional singer;
-- Miss Arizona, Debra Ann Daniels, 20, of Yuma, Ariz., who wants to own and operate a beauty and health resort for women in Sedona, Ariz.;
-- Miss Alabama, Yolanda Teresa Fernandez, 19, of Troy, Ala., who wants to have her own television talk show.
The judges' selections spelled disaster for Northern Illinois University statistics professor Dr. George Miller, who had used a computer progammed with data about previous pageant winners to pick Miss North Carolina, Elizabeth Williams, to walk off with the crown this year.
Miller successfully tabbed winners in 1979 and 1980 before his predictions failed last year.
This year's pageant, the 61st, featured several 'firsts.' Collins, the host of 'Hour Magazine' and the husband of actress Mary Ann Mobley, Miss America 1965, took over from actor Ron Ely who replaced long-time emcee Bert Parks in 1980.
The traditional 'There She Is' theme was also dropped after a contract dispute between composer Bernie Wayne and pageant executive director Albert Marks Jr. Marks replaced the song with 'Miss America, You're Beautiful' after the threat of a copyright infringement suit killed his first choice, 'Look At Her.'
Three of the judges were also new to the pageant, including poet-singer Rod McKuen; Carolyn Tose, founder of the Philadelphia Eagles football cheerleaders, and Chris Calloway, a singer and the star of the NBC soap opera, 'The Doctors.'
Judges returning from last year were television game show host Wink Martindale; Miss America 1954 and fashion commentator Evelyn Ay Sempier; actor-comedian Foster Brooks, and Herman Vincent, former conductor of the Air Force Academy Band.