Miss Universe 1960 – Linda Bement
1960 was the year when Miss Universe left its original home, Long Beach (CA), and moved to Miami Beach (FL). Linda Bement, from Utah, USA, and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, became the third American woman to be crowned Miss Universe, once again leaving as 1st runner-up the international press favorite: Daniela Bianchi, from Italy.
Bianchi, the Miss Universe Italy never had, became an actress and remains one of the most memorable Bond Girls of all times (she played Tatiana Romanova in From Russia With Love).
The other runner-ups were Elizabeth Hodacs of Austria (3rd place), Nicolette Joan Caras of South Africa (4th), and María Teresa del Río of Spain (5th), the last one, the first Spaniard to ever compete in Miss Universe.
Among the semi-finalists was Colombia’s Stella Márquez, who would later that year be crowned the first ever Miss International, in Long Beach. Today Márquez is the national director of Miss Philippines Universe and International.
Linda Bement of the USA, Miss Universe 1960
Top 5 from 1960: Spain (5th), Austria (3rd), USA (winner), Italy (2nd), and South Africa (4th)
From Italy, with love: Bianchi was the favorite, but the judges preferred the American beauty