Bess Myerson became the first Jewish American and the first Miss New York to win Miss America pageant in 1945. She appeared on various television shows in the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1970s and 1980s, she was involved in New York City politics.
Experienced a mild stroke in 1981, from which she made a full recovery.
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Gave birth to her only child at age 24, a daughter named Barbara Carol Wayne (aka Barra Grant) on December 24, 1948 in New York, New York, U.S. Child's father is her now ex-1st husband, Allan Wayne. She later was adopted by her 2nd husband, Arnold M. Grant, who she later divorced too.
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She can play the flute.
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In 1988, Bess Myerson was arrested in Pennsylvania for shoplifting $44 in goods from a drug store. She was fined. At the time, she was involved in a stressful lawsuit over a different matter. She was facing charges for bribery and conspiracy stemming from hiring a judge's daughter, presumably to influence the judge to rule favorably toward Myerson's lover in his divorce case. The scandal became known as the "Bess Mess".
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Served as Commissioner of Cultural Affairs for New York City (1983-1987).
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Served as Commissioner of Consumer Affairs for the city of New York (1969-1973) and was responsible for passing the best consumer protection legislation in the U.S. at that time.
Entered the Miss America pageant in 1945 in order to win the scholarship (the first year they offered one) with the aim of pursuing a career as a symphony conductor.
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Is an ovarian cancer survivor.
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Miss America 1945. The first and only Jewish woman to ever win the pageant to date (2014).
$3 Million
