‘Queen for a Day’ acted out at Diamante CC
Diamante Country Club’s Ladies’ Night out featured a satirical rendition of the old “Queen for a Day” daytime television show with approximately 70 ladies in attendance.
John Lauer, who played the part as Jack Bailey, the show host, interviewed the four contestants: Bev Thompson, Carol Schramm, Pam Sullivan and Jeanne Ballard. Each contestant’s story depicted those of the former TV show which had an extensive run on daytime television in the 1950s. Terry Lee was the main announcer for the show.
Ballard’s tale of her little boy, Johnny, who was stricken with polio, suffered in an iron lung, and now walking with the aid of crutches and braces won the hearts of the audience and earned her a spot on the Queen for a Day throne. Ballard’s request for polio vaccinations for all the little children in her town of North, S.C., was granted.
Thompson told how her life changed following the death of her husband, a West Virginia coal miner, who was tragically killed in a mine accident. She asked for financial assistance in attending nursing school.
Schramm, wife of a baker and pastry shop owner, requested a new commercial oven for their bakery after an oven explosion left her husband with lasting facial deformities and their bakery business completely inoperable.
Sullivan, mother of six little children, requested an automatic washer and dryer after her wringer washer injured her hand and arm, rendering it paralyzed and useless in caring for all her little children, who now suffered from lack of clean clothes. Sullivan was left emotionally damaged and afraid of using the monster wringer washer again.
Throughout the program models Sylvia Day, Pat Shaha, Nancy Webb, Faith Heinrichs, Marsha Huff, Connie Lauer and Carolyn O’Hara were kept busy modeling clothes and products described by the announcers Lee and Robyn Wiley.
The queen was chosen by the audience via an Applause-O-Meter.
This Queen for a Day was a Faith Heinrichs/Jeanne Ballard production.