70 years since Armi Kuusela’s Miss Universum victory

Today, Wednesday marks exactly 70 years since Finland’s Armi Kuusela was crowned Miss Universe in Long Beach, California.

The 1952 Miss Universe had a total of 29 participants. 17-year-old Armi ended up in the international competition after winning the Finnish Maiden competition organized by the Society and the Brothers’ Association of the Military Invalid.

In addition to the Miss Universum place, she was awarded a box of chocolates and a gold bracelet.

In practice, Armi’s participation in the Miss Universe was against the rules, as she was a minor. However, it did not bother anyone, and so only the Finnish maiden was crowned the most beautiful.

Armi won a cream-colored convertible and a valuable diamond watch. The award would also have included a seven-year filming contract with Universal Studios, the film company that organized the competition, but it was not accepted by Armi.

The victory of the whole of Finland

We lived in the 1950s, and the Finnish press did not really run in California. Information about Arm’s victory came to his homeland as a correspondent for New Finland who worked in London Max Jakobson Based on a news telegram received by the Daily Mail from the United States.

Armi’s victory was an insane achievement for a small Finland rising from the war.

In addition to the end of the Helsinki Olympics and war reparations, it has been considered to have significantly raised the self-esteem of Finns. Doctor of Political Science Jukka Tarkan According to Armi’s victory, the Finns began to feel internationally viable.

The choice could also have political implications. The film company Univers Universios was hosted by Universal Studios and Pan American Airways, but was also influenced by the US CIA.

Supplier Nina af Enehjelmin Armi Kuusela’s biography, published in 2003, revealed that the United States specifically wanted Finland to send its representative to the Miss Universum competition, because the country’s struggle for independence in the Winter and Continuation War had aroused great admiration in America.

It may be that it was the CIA that won the Armin race to draw the attention of the United States and the world to Finland, which was under threat of occupation by the Soviet Union.

One way or another, the presidential couple also rejoiced in Armi’s victory. JK Paasikivi and Alli Paasikivi received information about it at the Gold Coast of Naantali.

– I am especially pleased that Finland is coming to the attention of people all over the world on the eve of such an Olympics, Alli Paasikivi said in an interview with Helsingin Sanomat.

Huge spin

Armin’s parents, merchant Aarne Kuusela and Martta Kyrö, met in Ontario, Canada, where they married and had their first child. Aarne was from Uusikaupunki and Martta Kestilä. A total of five daughters and one son were born to the family.

Kuuselat later moved to Muhos, where Armi was born.

She attended secondary school in Muhos and then started the Porvoo Women’s College in 1951. However, studies were allowed to stay as the doors to the world opened.

After his victory, Armi spent an entire month in the United States and Canada.

When Armi landed at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport on August 1, he received a glorious reception.

On the same evening, a welcome party was held at Töölö ball court. Niilo Tarvajärven tens of thousands of people attended the event.

During August and September 1952, Armi performed on 60 events in 35 locations across Finland on a tour organized by the Brotherhood of War Invalids. The program of the tour was close, as Kuusela could perform at several events and in several different places during the same day.

The film was also filmed The most beautiful girl in the world, where Armi performed together with Tauno Palo. Olavi Virta recorded the blow Armiwhich later became the theme song of the Miss Finland Games.

Mother of five children

In the winter of 1953, Armi went on a trip around the world and met a Filipino businessman, Virgilio Hilarion. The couple married the same year in Tokyo and they settled in the Philippines.

Hilari had five children.

Armi appeared in the Philippines in two films. He learned to speak Tagalog, even though the family’s home language was English.

Hilariot first visited Finland together in January 1955. In 1962, they were invited to the Castle Festival. In the summer of 1967, the whole family of seven traveled to Finland.

In 1972, Hilariot visited Päiviö Pyysalon directing and Matti Raninin in the Equalization Program.

As Armi rarely visited Finland, his arrival was always a big deal.

Virgilio was appointed Honorary Consul of Finland to the Philippines in 1969.

Withdrawal from publicity

In the 1970s, a celebrity boom began in the Finnish magazine press. Armi was the first Finn whose life was regularly reported on the pages of magazines. Until then, the most beautiful in the world had enjoyed a certain kind of immunity. Now everything that was obtained was taken away from the family.

Virgilio died of a heart attack in September 1975, shortly after Hilariot had returned from his last joint trip to Finland.

Armi met with an American diplomat Albert Williamsinwith whom he married in the summer of 1978.

The couple visited Finland in August 1979 and held a press conference. After that, Armi withdrew from the public eye. He simply no longer gave interviews.

Later, Armi has told her that the hysteria created by the victory of the Universe Universe was an unreasonably heavy experience for her.

The Williams have lived in many different parts of the world. Eventually, they settled in California.

Armi is now 87 years old and he continues to shy away from publicity.

Armi last visited Finland in 2014.