Miss Celestial Airwaves of the Pacific
Dionne Wheeler won the title of "Miss Celestial Airwaves of the Pacific" sight unseen. She was selected by members of the Coast Guard weather patrol based "solely on descriptions of airline hostesses furnished by their pilot via radio".
She also achieved minor fame in another way. The character of the stewardess named Spalding in Ernie Gann's 1953 bestseller The High and the Mighty (and subsequent 1954 film adaptation) was based on her.
The High and the Mighty was one of the first aviation disaster movies and served as one of the inspirations for 1980's Airplane!
Coast Guard Bulletin - Feb 1952
She also achieved minor fame in another way. The character of the stewardess named Spalding in Ernie Gann's 1953 bestseller The High and the Mighty (and subsequent 1954 film adaptation) was based on her.
The High and the Mighty was one of the first aviation disaster movies and served as one of the inspirations for 1980's Airplane!
Wheeler (right) on the set of The High and the Mighty
Left: actress Doe Avedon; middle: Director William Wellman
Comments
They appear to have made a wise choice…
Posted by Brian on 01/25/22 at 01:20 PM
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Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests | Movies | Air Travel and Airlines | 1950s