Carol Morris biography: 13 things about Miss Universe 1956

Who is Carol Morris?

Carol Ann Laverne Morris McCann is an American actress, model and beauty queen. Here are 13 more things about her:

1. She is a resident of Sugar Land, Texas, United States.
2. Aside from Sugar Land, she has lived in other parts of Texas including Houston and Meadows Place.
3. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, USA, she is the only child of Reverend Laverne Morris and Gertrude Morris.
4. From Omaha, she and her family moved to Scott City, Kansas, USA then to Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa, USA. Her father was a pastor of the Davis Street Christian Church in Ottumwa. She was a member of the church choir and she played the violin.
5. While attending Ottumwa High School, she won Miss Ottumwa.
6. She studied elementary education at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa and was a member of the university’s swim team.
7. While attending Drake University, she played the viola with the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra in Des Moines, Iowa.
8. Before becoming Miss USA and Miss Universe, she was a lifeguard at a public swimming pool in Ottumwa.
9. She is the first Miss USA from Iowa.
10. She is the fifth Miss Universe and the second Miss Universe from the U.S.
11. She is 5’7″ tall.
12. She and her first husband Edward George “Buzz” Burke have three children together. After his death, she remarried.
13. She and her second husband Joseph Patrick McCann have one child together.

TIMELINE

1945

• She played Carrie in “The Girl of the Limberlost”, a Columbia Pictures movie released on October 11, 1945.

1954

• On September 11, 1954, she represented Iowa at Miss America 1955 and competed against 49 other candidates at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. She was unplaced.

1956

• On July 18, 1956, she represented Iowa at Miss USA 1956, competed against 42 other candidates at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California, USA and won the title.
• On July 20, 1956, she represented the U.S. at Miss Universe 1956, competed against 29 other candidates at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium and won the title.
• She was a guest on the “What’s My Line” episode that aired on August 5, 1956.
• She played a model in “Playhouse 90” Season 1 episode 3, which aired on October 18, 1956.

1957

• She was a guest on the “To Tell the Truth” episode that aired on April 23, 1957.
• She appeared as Miss Universe 1956 in “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet”, which aired on May 22, 1957.
• On July 17, 1957, she crowned her successor Miss USA 1957 Mary Leona Gage of Maryland at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium.
• On July 19, 1957, she crowned her successor Miss Universe 1957 Gladys Zender of Peru at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium.
• She played Chorine in “Man of a Thousand Faces”, a Universal International Pictures (UI) film released on November 19, 1957.
• She played a nurse in “The Monolith Monsters”, a UI film released on December 18, 1957.

1958

• She played a model in “Playhouse 90” Season 2 episode 21, which aired on January 30, 1958.
• She played Masha in “The Gale Storm Show: Oh! Susanna” Season 3 episode 10, which aired on November 8, 1958.
• She appeared in the episode of “The Ed Wynn Show” that aired on December 11, 1958.

1959

• She played Vera Benson in “The Millionaire” Season 5 episode 34, which aired on May 13, 1959.
• She starred as a seamstress opposite Hugo Haas as a music teacher in Hugo Haas Productions‘ romantic comedy film “Born to be Loved”, which was released on June 1, 1959.
• She played Myra Kendricks in “Richard Diamond, Private Detective” Season 3 episode 16, which aired on June 7, 1959.
• She played a bride in “The Ann Sothern Show” Season 1 episode 35, which aired on June 15, 1959.
• On June 30, 1959, she and Burke got married.

1960

• On April 18, 1960, she gave birth to Christopher Burke.

1962

• She played Susie Wilson in “Paradise Alley”, a Hugo Haas Productions film released on June 1, 1962.

1963

• She played Jean in “ITV Play of the Week” Season 8 episode 27, which aired on March 12, 1963.

1973

• On January 17, 1973, she and McCann got married.

2007

• She executive produced “The Cake Eaters”, which starred Kristen Stewart and premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, New York, USA on April 29, 2007.

2015

• On July 9, 2015, the Des Moines Register reported that in 2007, she declined the publication’s repeated requests for an update on her life.

2024

• On April 8, 2024, she turned 88.