1960
Merv Griffin is emcee. Ronald Reagan and Andy Griffith are back, along with British character actor Charles Laughton. A local kid named Charlie Daniels plays the Ocean Plaza Ballroom at Carolina Beach.
1961
Shelly Fabares, teen co-star of TV’s Donna Reed Show reigns as queen, and a year later records Johnny Angel which becomes a No. 1 hit. Also celebrity John Larkin from The Edge of Night. makes an appearance.
1962
Today Show announcer Jack Lescoulie is the emcee for Azalea Queen Whitney Blake of TV’s Hazel.
1963
Azalea Queen Nancy Malone, then an actress from Guiding Light. Later she returned to Wilmington as a director for episodes of Dawson’s Creek. Guest TV celebs for 1963 include James Drury (The Virginian) with Joe E. Ross and a pre-Munsters Fred Gwynne.
1964
Michael Landon (then “Little Joe” on Bonanza) and singer Frankie Avalon head the guest list.
1965
Singer Ed Ames, alias “Mingo,” the college-educated Indian on TV’s Daniel Boone, attends along with Azalea Queen Patricia Blair, who plays Rebecca Boone on the series. The Air Force Thunderbirds made a fly by overhead.
1966
Ulla Stromstedt, who plays the Swedish marine biologist on TV’s Flipper, reigns as queen While cowboy star Tex Ritter attends as a celebrity.
1967
Melody Patterson (“Wrangler Jane” of F Troop) reigns as our queen. The Four Preps sing.
1968
Washington Redskins star Sonny Jurgenson, a hometown boy, makes an appearance, along with singer Vaughn Monroe, comedian Ed Platt (“The Chief” from Get Smart) and circus clown Emmett Kelly Jr. T
1969
Impressionist Rich Little is emcee. David Hartman from GMA rides a horse in the Azalea parade. Jazz master Al Hirt, funny man Henny Youngman and Latin heartthrob Alejandro Rey (then on The Flying Nun) are among the headliners. The Azalea belles small in number ( only 7) are introduced to the Azalea Festival.
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