Catalina Swimwear Sponsored Miss Universe Swimsuits Long Before Speedo Arrived

Wow! According to recent reports, Speedo’s parent company, Pentland Brands, plans to make its North American headquarters in Long Beach. It is a wise decision. Long Beach will be the focus of many Olympic aquatic events in 2028. However, Speedo is not the first swim brand to attach itself to Long Beach. Does anyone remember the Miss Universe competition sponsored by Catalina Swimwear?

Early in 1951, Long Beach was elated. The city had been selected over Catalina Island and Hollywood to host the 1952 Miss Universe pageant − the world’s first international beauty contest. Excitement increased when Universal-International Pictures announced they were co-sponsoring the pageant and would offer the winner a seven-year film contract. In addition, Miss United States and four runners-up would also be given film contracts.

June 1952 was an exciting time in Long Beach − world attention was focused on the city and the lovely women arriving for the pageant. On June 28, tension mounted as the judges couldn’t seem to make up their minds as to who was the most beautiful woman in the world. Finalists were called back twice because of a tie vote, but finally the 10 judges agreed on 18-year-old Armi Kuusela of Finland. Though accusations were made that “Miss Finland” had been selected as a publicity ploy to promote the Olympic Games to be held in Helsinki the following month, the charges were never proven.

There was much more excitement over the years – a Long Beach high school girl posing as a participant, a contestant that was a Mrs. instead of a Miss, and the racism involving the pageant’s first black contestant, Martinique’s Ginette Cidalise-Montaise. But the highlight and the eventual demise of the Long Beach pageant came in 1959 when the archbishop of New Mexico believed that parading the female body was immoral and told statuesque redhead Sue Ingersoll she had to choose between her religion and the beauty contest.

All of the publicity that followed was too much for Long Beach officials. The producers of this worldwide spectacle announced that in the future play clothes would take the place of swimsuits in a new competition. In addition, contestants would be presented in evening gowns and colorful native costumes.

Catalina Swimsuits, who owned the Miss Universe and Miss U.S.A. titles, were willing to allow their play suits to replace their swimsuits in a new competition and to renew the contract with Long Beach; however, they wanted $150,000 ($1.6 million in 2024) for use of the title and all television rights. This was too much for Long Beach officials who pointed out the city had spent more than $500,000 ($5.4 million) and considerable time in establishing the name throughout the world. They refused to pay. Instead, Long Beach decided to start a pageant of its own − Miss International Beauty. Catalina Swimsuits, meanwhile, found a new home for Miss U.S.A. and Miss Universe in Miami Beach.

In October 1959, Long Beach announced that 46 foreign countries − 12 more than had been represented at any previous pageant – would be represented in the 1960 International Beauty (IBC) event. Contest officials credited the increase in participants to the decision to eliminate the bathing suit segment. The Long Beach pageant ended in 1968, when the city decided there was too much competition for TV time from the national political conventions and Olympic Games. There was also the women’s rights movement which called the pageant sexist. The IBC did survive, moving to Japan where it is still held.

Like Catalina Swimwear, Speedo also brings a bit of controversial history to the city. During the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, Australian swimmer Clare Dennis was almost disqualified for showing too much of her shoulder in her regulation, silk, Speedo swim-suit. After much discussion, the charge was dismissed and Clare went on to win a gold medal.

Speedo’s form-fitting attire, now considered innovative instead of controversial, will perhaps help others like Clare win during the Long Beach aquatic events scheduled July 14-30, 2028. We will have to wait and see.

Claudine Burnett is a retired research librarian who has written more than 10 books on Long Beach history as well as numerous journal articles. For more, visit her website www. claudineburnettbooks.com.