Arlene Howell

Arlene Howell, born Eurlyne Howell on October 25, 1939, is an American model, television actress, and beauty pageant titleholder best known for winning the Miss USA 1958 crown. Representing Louisiana, she became the first contestant from the state to take home the national title. Following her pageant success, Howell pursued a career in entertainment during the late 1950s and 1960s, appearing in several popular television series of the era.

Early Life and Pageantry

Raised in Louisiana, Howell attended Bossier High School before enrolling at Centenary College of Louisiana, where she studied speech and dramatics. Hoping to secure financial support for an acting career, she entered local beauty pageants. In 1958, she was crowned Miss Louisiana USA, earning the right to compete on the national stage. Later that year, at the seventh annual Miss USA pageant held in Long Beach, California, Howell won the title. She subsequently represented the United States at the Miss Universe 1958 contest, where she achieved a third runner-up finish, making her one of the top competitors in the international pageant.

Acting Career

Capitalizing on her pageant exposure, Howell adopted the professional name Arlene Howell and signed a talent contract with Warner Bros. She made her television debut in 1958 on the classic Western series Maverick, playing the recurring character Cindy Lou Brown alongside Jack Kelly and James Garner. In 1959, she landed a starring regular role as secretary Melody Lee Mercer on the ABC detective drama Bourbon Street Beat, set in New Orleans. Throughout the late 1950s and mid-1960s, Howell expanded her television filmography with guest appearances on notable shows, including 77 Sunset Strip, Bronco, Alcoa Premiere, and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.

Legacy and Later Life

Howell stands as a notable figure in American pageant history as the first Miss Louisiana USA winner to claim the Miss USA title. Her smooth transition from beauty queen to contract television actress highlighted the era's pathway for pageant winners entering Hollywood. After stepping away from screen acting in the 1960s, she retired from public entertainment life. Howell remains remembered by classic television enthusiasts and pageant historians for her contributions to mid-century television drama and American beauty pageants.