Part 1: The Tragic Story of Amparo Munoz

 no fairy tale ending

SPAIN CONQUERED THE PHILIPPINES AGAIN. Whenever discussions and debates center on who is considered as the most beautiful Miss Universe ever, the name Amparo Munoz would always be mentioned.

Amparo was the lovely Spanish senorita who was crowned the most beautiful woman of the universe in 1974 and mesmerized an entire generation of Filipinos who witnessed her crowning when the pageant was held in Manila. 

Amparo became the darling of beauty-contest-crazy Filipinos. After relinquishing her crown, Amparo agreed to star in the movie Hayop sa Ganda with our very own Miss Universe (1969), Gloria Diaz.

THE CURSE OF BEING BEAUTIFUL

After the beauty pageant, she left the country to begin what was supposed to be an exciting and memorable year as Miss Universe but sadly, it wasn’t meant to be.

 Amparo as Miss Universe 1974

Amparo Muñoz's life is probably the saddest story you've had of any international beauty queen. Her sheer beauty already made it clear that she was destined for something extraordinary when she grew up but the very same beauty that was her passport to instant fame and fortune was also the root cause of what became of her later on in life.

Everyone would think that winning a beauty contest is a great achievement and a great opportunity but to Amparo, that victory would mark the end of her happiness and her family. Initially ecstatic with her triumph as the first Spaniard to become Miss Universe, Amparo felt stifled and manipulated  halfway through her reign as she had to fulfill her duties with her every move being watched and monitored by chaperones. 

Her sole reason for joining Miss Universe then was to have a bigger and better profile in the movie industry (she was already a movie starlet before she became Miss Universe)

CLICK the link to:  1974 Miss Universe Pageant in Manila

 Miss Universe 1974 & Runners Up

One of the most beautiful Top Five ever

Everything came to a head when her crown was broken into pieces after she hurled it through a window.  Amparo, the fiery and temperamental Spanish beauty, decided not to continue being Miss Universe and resigned in January 1975 but she was never officially dethroned and the title was not offered to any of the other runners up. 

(Her 1^st runner up Helen Morgan of Wales was crowned Miss World later that year but was dethroned a few days later. Read the story HERE)  

The 1974 Miss Universe title then became vacant for six months and it was Miss Universe 1972 Kerry Ann Wells who crowned the 1975 Miss Universe.

       PLEASE CLICK:  PART 2: THE AMPARO MUNOZ STORY