Audrey Smaltz in a 1950s Ballantine Beer ad with other top models of the day, Lucille Rich, Barbara Ford, Rita Robinson and Judelle Moore. Moore postponed her studies at Spelman to pursue modeling and acting according to cover story on her in the June 4, 1959 issue of Jet. Lucille Rich won second prize in a 1952 beauty contest to Diane Johnson, later Diahann Carroll. She also appeared on the September 8, 1955 cover of Jet. I found this photo via Audrey Smaltz’s Facebook page.
Audrey Smaltz and Eunice Johnson watch as Karl Lagerfeld sketches a design in Italy. Ebony, January 1976.
Harlem-born Audrey Smaltz, Miss Transit of 1954 in Jet, November 25, 1954. Ms. Smaltz would go on to be personal assistant to Eunice Johnson and eventually a commentator and producer of the Ebony Fashion Fair shows. Today, she is CEO of Ground Crew, a backstage management company for the fashion industry. In November 2011, she married her partner of 12 years, 1976 Olympic Silver Medalist Gail Marquis.
