Janis Paige

Consistent with the American tradition, the people demanded that this event have its queen. To this end, Miss Janis Paige, Warner Bros. screen star, was elected to reign as Miss Damsite of 1947. Miss Janis Paige’s selection as Damsite queen seems very appropriate in view of her many activities which were developed in this Pacific Northwest. A brief review of her history at that time is as follows:

She has more titles than a dowager duchess, beginning with her first of some 300 selections by armed services outfits as queen, honorary colonel, or pin-up princess. She has been called the Contour Queen and the G-Girl (for Glamorous or Gorgeous). The Page Boys of America have named her their queen, and she has ruled over a score or so of sports tournaments. At last year’s Cleveland Air Races, she was “Miss Wingspread of 1946”, and she has been the Black Widow Girls for the airplane of that same name. She also was Miss Naval Air Reserve that year. “I can’t remember half of them”, she admits. “But I’m sure I’ve never been called anything quite so startling as “Miss Damsite”.

Miss Paige, who was born Donna Mae Tjaden, chose the first part of her screen name in honor of the late Elsie Janis, beloved entertainer of troops during World War I. Paige was her maternal grandmother’s name, so she adopted that.

She likes airplanes and sailboats and can handle a tricky Star boat by herself. She wants to learn to fly, and once got as far as taking a physical examination for training. But her studio employers have discouraged activities, at least, while she’s working in a picture. And she’s nearly always working.