Leona Gage life and biography

Leona Gage born Mary Leona Gage, 1939 won the title of Miss USA in 1957, representing the state of Maryland. The next day, she was stripped of her crown when it was revealed that she was married and the mother of two children. She had also lied about her age and was only 18, not 21.

Gage was born in Longview, Texas. At the time of her win, the Miss USA and the Miss Universe pageants both took place in Long Beach, California. Gage had competed in the Miss Universe preliminary and had been already announced as a Miss Universe semifinalist when she was deposed. Her successor, Charlotte Sheffield of Utah, failed to qualify for semi-finals because she did not take part in the preliminary judging. The vacant spot went to Miss Argentina, Mónica Lamas.

The Miss Universe title ultimately was won by Peru's Gladys Zender. Zender also nearly lost her crown when her age was revealed to be only 17, and therefore under the minimum age requirement. Pageant officials, however, allowed her to retain her title.

When news of Gage's marriage broke, she was showered with television appearances. She revealed at a press conference that she had also been married once before. Her first marriage, at age 14, was annulled after a week. Her subsequent appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was one of CBS's highest rated shows at the time.

Gage went to Las Vegas as a featured showgirl at the Hotel Tropicana. An attempt at an acting career failed, and she enrolled at hairdressing school. She performed in night clubs, worked as a model, and did television commercials.

Married 6 times, Mary Leona Gage died at age 71 on October 5, 2010, in Los Angeles due to heart failure. She had five children, three of whom survived her.

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