Albert A. Marks Jr., 76; He Was ‘Mr. Miss America’

Albert A. Marks Jr., the man known as “Mr. Miss America” who ran the venerable beauty pageant with an iron fist for 35 years, died Sunday in an Atlantic City hospital. He was 76.

Marks died of complications from a heart attack Sept. 11, Shore Memorial Hospital spokesman Bill Elliott said.

“He had a capacity for making quick decisions and never looking back,” commented Leonard Horn, a pageant attorney who became its first paid director after Marks retired two years ago.

Arranged TV Coverage

Most noteworthy among those decisions were arranging to televise the pageant in 1954, firing popular host Bert Parks in 1980, and stripping the first black Miss America, Vanessa Williams, of her title in 1984 after nude pictures of her were published by Penthouse magazine.

With less fanfare, Marks also issued final decisions on musical compositions, television production plans, and choice of sponsors and judges for the pageant, which was first staged in 1920.

Although Marks fully supported introduction of gambling casinos in Atlantic City more than a decade ago, he adamantly forbade Miss America contestants to stay in or even visit hotels with gaming rooms. He wanted nothing to tarnish the wholesome image of Miss America or diminish the pageant’s television ratings.

Scrapped Theme Song

Marks scrapped the show’s famous theme song, “There She Is,” from 1982 until 1985 because of a dispute with the song’s author, Bernie Wayne, over the amount of payment. The song was reinstated after the dispute was resolved.

An investment banker, Marks was senior vice president and director of the firm Advest Group Inc. and worked for the pageant without pay from 1952 until 1987.

“It has been a great experience,” he said when he stepped down, “but I simply cannot keep doing this forever.”

Always a booster of Atlantic City, Marks was a past president of its Chamber of Commerce and had collected 11 “Man of the Year” awards from various civic groups.

But he had no illusions about the boardwalk city, sadly telling a Los Angeles Times reporter only last month: “You have the ultimate in glitz and luxury in one small part of the city, and abject poverty everywhere else.”

Marks is survived by his wife, Mary Kay.