DUNEDIN “SCARLETT O'HARA”

Evening Star, Issue 24006, 3 October 1941, Page 7

DUNEDIN “SCARLETT O'HARA”

HONOUR TO ST. HILDA GIRL MISS TESS O'CONNOR SELECTED Miss Tess O’Connor, of 22 Driver street, St Kilda, is Dunedin’s “ Scarlett O’Hara.” This announcement was made yesterday afternoon in the D.1.C., when there paraded before a judging committee and several hundred spectators the entrants in the contest to find a Dunedin girl as near as possible in facial resemblance to Scarlett O’Hara, the heroine of the M-G.M. film, ‘ Gone With the Wind.’ In all, 101 entries were received, and 75 took part in the parade, which was a pleasant little affair. If a large number of the contestants really did not look very much like Scarlett O’Hara, they were at least very attractive young women, and the judges would have appreciated being in the position of making other awards. Miss O’Connor, who was thirty-ninth to appear, is only 16 years old. which is the age of Scarlett O’Hara when tbo story, ‘ Gone With tho Wind,’ opens. She possesses a really close facial resemblance to the heroine of Miss Mitchell’s book; in fact, afterwards Mr Harry

Strachan, of Sydney, special representative of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayei- Company, who is travelling with the film, stated that of the various contests so far held in the Dominion, Miss O’Connor bore the greatest likeness of all to Scaflctt O’Hara. Miss O’Connor’s win was all the more commendable in that she had not troubled to make up, and she was dressed in ordinary street clothes, whereas many of the other competitors were in evening dress and had had their hair reset according to the style adopted by Scarlett O’Hara. When, after the award was announced. Miss O’Connor reappeared in crinolines and wide, sweeping bonnet of the O’Hara style, everyone ;was forced to agree that the decision was the" correct one, and Miss O’Connor wasrdundly applauded. As prizes, Miss O’Connor has received the Scarlett O’Hara, frock and hat referred to above, silk stockings, evening shoes, and a complete lingerie set (donated by the D.1.C.), while, for the remainder of the picture’s season, she will appear in the foyer of the Regent Theatre as personality hostess. Miss O’Connor will also take part in a mannequin parade at the D.I.C. at 7.30 to-night. “I never thought I had any chance in the world, although many of my friends told me I looked like Scarlett O’Hara,” said Miss O’Connor to the ‘ Star ’ afterwards. “It was only the day before that 1 decided to enter and prove them all wrong. I was never •more surprised in my life than when I was told the judges had selected me as the winner.” Miss O’Connor is rather a shy young woman, and for some time has been looking after her mother, who has been unwell. She admitted she contemplated her noriod as personality hostess with rather mixed feelings, but said she was very pleased to think she had won tho contest.

Runners-up in the contest were Misses Norah Syron and Margaret Spence.