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Lee Ann Meriwether Ends Reign As 'Miss America’ With TV Starring Role Not too long ago, a bathing beauty was 36-22-36, and nothing else mat¬ tered. Nowadays, though. Miss Ameri¬ ca’s mind often has to be superior, too. The present beauty queen—nearing the end of her reign—reads John Mil¬ lington Synge and thinks a girl’s best friend is her Master’s degree. Last December, Lee Ann Meri¬ wether proved herself not only intel¬ ligent but also a gifted actress when she appeared in TV Playhotise’s “Run, Girl, Run.” Even the trade-paper critics, some of whom had awaited her TV acting debut like headhunters contemplating a victim, were charmed. This Sunday, Sept. 4, six days be¬ fore she crowns her successor, Lee will grace another TV Playhouse drama — “The Miss America Story.” Despite the play’s title and its star, it is neither docvumentary nor bio¬ graphical. In fact, to keep it safely “make-believe,” author Roger Hirson refused to meet Lee until his script was completed. So, although the drama will recite the experiences of a beauty-contest winner, they won’t be Lee’s. Not that she hasn’t had a host of dramatic experiences during her year as Miss America. With Mary Korey, her Pageant Committee-appointed companion, she has flown 125,000 miles and visited 31 states, Canada, Peru, Chile and Brazil. Lee has met mayors, governors, movie stars, the Shah of Iran and Vice President Nixon. She now has acquired a $5000 cotton wardrobe made by “name” designers, a mink, an ermine stole and “Golly-I don’t-know-how-many” wristwatches. She has a $5000 scholarship for any school of her choice, and she’s been promised a car—a pink one, she hopes. She has earned $60,000 doing TV commercials for four sponsors and furnishing commentary for fashion shows. And she learned to water ski. Lee believes many more girls would enter the Miss America competition if they knew the score. “I mean, it isn’t all bathing suits, except for that one time.” Even “that one time” didn’t bother her. “I’m an actress, so I just made-believe I was some other girl.” She is determined to latch on to a degree in drama now, while the tech¬ niques of costuming, scenery design, directing and producing are still fresh in her mind. But Dave Garroway has been dangling a Today job in front of her. “Golly!” she exclaims. “Wouldn’t that be great! But golly, how would I get my Master’s degree? Golly,” she says breathlessly, “look at all that’s happened to me !”—Kathy Pedell Lee Ann Meriwether discusses TV Play¬ house role with producer Gordon Duff. 5