Cars & Dolls #23 - Mary Grace Simescu / Nash / Detroit Automotive Jubilee Queen

[Ray B.]

Was she by any chance Mason's wife?

[Otto Puzzell]

No, but she did know of him, and likely had met him, outside of the context of this puzzle.

[Bill Murray]

Lenore Romney?

[Ray B.]

That was my second guess, but Mitt's mother doesn't resemble much this lady. Let's see what Otto says.

[Bill Murray]

Mine was definitely a shot in the dark, Ray, but she was once an aspiring starlet in Hollywood and she did do some "good works" kind of stuff.

As well, Romney took over after Mason when AMC was formed but I do not remember if he was associated with them as early as Otto's photo.

Interesting that we are having so much trouble with this one as he indicates it is "all over the internet" or some such.  I must have 3-4 hours in this one already.

Bill

[Otto Puzzell]

Lenore Romney?

Not her.

[Ray B.]

 

[Otto Puzzell]

As a one-time stage and screen actress, the wife of a well-known executive who later became the governor of a US state and tried to become president of the United States (and the mother of son who did the same thing, more or less), and as a one-time candidate for the US senate, Mrs. Romney was in the public spotlight for a much longer and more intense period than our mystery girl.

[Otto Puzzell]

Another clue:

An article of clothing she wore is in the nation's attic. In excess of 25k others wanted to wear it, but did not.

[nicanary]

Must've been a sash saying Miss United States ?

[Otto Puzzell]

No - this was a one-time event, and not a beauty pageant.

[Otto Puzzell]

Alas, a lass passes to black hole

[pnegyesi]

She's Mary Grace Simescu

Mary Grace Simescu, a stunning brunette from Detroit's west side, was selected Jubilee Queen from more than 25,000 contestants for the Automotive Golden Jubilee in 1946. The Jubilee was a massive celebration in Detroit, attended by more than 300,000 people, where 1,000 feet of Woodward Avenue was painted from curb to curb in gold paint. The Jubilee was organized by Bill Knudsen (former president of General Motors) and George Romney, honored the automotive pioneers of the era, including George Holley, Charles Nash, Barney Oldfield, Ransom Olds, and Henry Ford, General Motors founder William Durant and then chairman, Alfred P. Sloan. Mary's Jubilee Queen dress was recently given and is displayed at the Smithsonian Museum.

Ms Simescu worked at the advertising dept of Nash

[Otto Puzzell]

Holy cow - you got it! Nice solve.