Jacqueline V. "Jackie" Loughery (sometimes credited as Evelyn Avery, is a retired American actress and former beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned "Miss Rockaway Point" in 1949 before becoming crowned Miss New York USA 1952 and later, was the first-ever winner of the

Miss USA Miss USA is an American beauty pageant that has been held annually since 1952 to select the entrant from United States in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operated both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA, until 2020, ...

competition ( Miss USA 1952).

Early life

Loughery was born and raised in

Flatbush, Brooklyn Flatbush is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood consists of several subsections in central Brooklyn and is generally bounded by Prospect Park to the north, East Flatbush to the east, Midwood to the south, ...

, New York, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Loughery. She attended St. Francis Xavier Academy for Young Ladies.

Career

Miss USA

In 1952, Loughery won the Miss USA title after a second ballot broke a first-place tie. Loughery, a redhead, went on to represent the US at the first Miss Universe pageant, where she placed ninth.

Entertainment

Loughery appeared in several films, including the 1956 comedy ''

Pardners ''Pardners'' is a 1956 American comedy western film starring the comedy team of Martin and Lewis. It was released on July 25, 1956 by Paramount Pictures. A western spoof directed by Norman Taurog, this was the penultimate film of the 16 screen c ...

'' with Martin and Lewis and the 1957 drama '' The D.I.'', with Jack Webb, whom she married in 1958. In 1951, Loughery appeared in the short-lived variety show '' Seven at Eleven''. In 1954, she was Johnny Carson's assistant in the short lived game show ''Earn Your Vacation''. In 1956, she co-starred with

Edgar Buchanan William Edgar Buchanan II (March 20, 1903 – April 4, 1979) was an American actor with a long career in both film and television. He is most familiar today as Uncle Joe Carson from the ''Petticoat Junction'', ''Green Acres'', and ''The ...

and Jack Buetel in the syndicated

western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

television series ''

Judge Roy Bean Phantly Roy Bean Jr. (c. 1825 – March 16, 1903) was an American saloon-keeper and Justice of the Peace in Val Verde County, Texas, who called himself "The Only Law West of the Pecos". According to legend, he held court in his saloon along the ...

'', as Judge Bean's niece, Letty. In 1957–58, she made five guest appearances on '' The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show''; three as "Joyce Collins" and the other two as "Vicki Donovan". In 1963, she appeared on ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...

'' as murderer Nell Grimes, the title character, in "The Case of the Bigamous Spouse." She appeared as Martha, sister of Sheriff Sam Phelps in the May 18, 1961 episode of the series ''Bat Masterson'', "Farmer with a Badge". She was featured in the film ''

Eighteen and Anxious ''Eighteen and Anxious'' is a 1957 American drama film directed by Joe Parker and written by Katherine Eunson and Dale Eunson. The film stars William Campbell, Martha Scott, Jackie Loughery, Jim Backus, Ron Hagerthy, and Jackie Coogan. The fil ...

'' (1957) and top-billed in ''

The Hot Angel ''The Hot Angel'' is a 1958 American drama film directed by Joe Parker and written by Stanley Kallis. The film stars Jackie Loughery, Ed Kemmer, Mason Alan Dinehart, Emory Parnell, Lyle Talbot and Boyd Santell. It was released in December 1958 ...

'' (1958).

Personal life

Jackie Loughery and Jack Webb marriage license (cropped)

In October 1952, aged 23, Loughery married

Guy Mitchell Guy Mitchell (born Albert George Cernik; February 22, 1927 – July 1, 1999) was an American pop singer and actor, successful in his homeland, the UK, and Australia. He sold 44 million records, including six million-selling singles. In the fa ...

, a singer. After that marriage ended, she wed, in July 1958, actor/producer Jack Webb. (A 1964 newspaper brief reported that Loughery and Webb were wed June 24, 1958 in Studio City.) Loughery divorced Webb in March 1964. She married Jack W. Schwietzer in 1969, and they remained married until his death in 2009.Clemens, Samuel. "Jackie Loughery", ''Western Clippings''. December 2022 In December 2022, Jackie was featured in ''Western Clippings'' where she discussed her onscreen career.

Filmography

References

External links

*
Jackie Loughery pictures at allstarpics.net

{{DEFAULTSORT:Loughery, Jackie American film actresses American television actresses Living people Miss Universe 1952 contestants Miss USA 1950s delegates Miss USA winners People from Flatbush, Brooklyn 20th-century American people 21st-century American women Year of birth missing (living people)