The most explosive personality to rock Hollywood within the past ten years is Victor Mature, now of the U.S. Coast Guard. Self-styled individualist, Mature built his incredible career on the unique premise: "Doing the job better than the next guy isn't enough. Advertise yourself!" By 1941, the "hunk of man" rated star billing. Unimpressed by his success, Mature maintained his million dollar standing by remaining forthright. When Vic went to war, two years ago, tongues wagged. The wiseguys forgot that the only one not to take Mature seriously was Mature. He turned to hero overnight because honesty pays off in the Coast Guard. In October Vic returned to Film Town and, to prove he'd not lost his touch, promptly tore the town apart.

Photo 1-Most youngsters are content to break windows, cause near-riots at Halloween and trample in the neighbor's garden. Vic Mature, son of peace-loving Mr. and Mrs. Marcellus G. Mature, of Louisville, Ky., dismissed this as kid stuff before he wore short pants.

Photo 2-Easy-to-look-at, Vic sported bangs and a hard-to-beat right jab when other boys flashed velvet jackets, flowing ties. At 15 he wrote a play called, "The Incorrigible One." This photo was taken by Mr. J.C. Rieger, Sr. at his studio in Louisville.

Photo 3-Stringing words together failed to satisfy Vic's love of adventure and excitement, so he hopped in an old jalopy and set off for California and gold. Handsome Vic didn't even have a plugged nickel until he took a job as secretary to the actor Onslow Stevens.

Photo 4-This job gave Vic three meals a day, little else. Hard work at the Pasadena Community Playhouse, under Gilmore Brown, brought him a role in "The Housekeeper's Daughter," and 23,204 fan letters.

Photo 5-Victor doing a little reading.

Photo 6-Mature was soon seen with stars like Lana Turner. This romance lasted 6 weeks, ended abruptly. No one yet knows why. They met again for the first time when he and Lana broadcast three months ago.

Photo 7-1,000,000 B.C. brought Mature big returns in publicity. As a result, he hocked his car for $500, entrained for New York the first chance he got, which was on the completion of the film "No, No, Nanette."

Photo 8-Clad in pink tights to best display his six-foot-three frame, Vic was an instant hit in Moss Hart's "Lady in the Dark," starring Gertie Lawrence. Here Vic found his second wife, Martha Kemp.

Photo 9-Snowed under by fan mail and offers from Hollywood studios, Mature returned to Filmland a celebrity--so "Shanghai Gesture," cleaned up!

Photo 10-Vic's marriage to Martha Kemp began on June 17, 1941. They separated the following February and were divorced.

Photo 11-Vic here with staunch friend Robert Preston, with whom he'd studied at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Photo 12-While making "My Gal Sal," he met and fell in love with beautiful Rita Hayworth.

Photo 13-When the war spilled over two years ago and he entered the Coast Guard, Vic had planned to marry Rita. Following her recent sudden marriage to Orson Welles, Vic buried his hurt in this wisecrack: "Apparently the way to a woman's heart is to saw her in half."

Photo 14-The greatest thrill of Mature's 28 years is his popularity with servicemen--like the two survivors of the "Escanaba." On board his ship, "Storis," Vic experienced just two hard days before the men rated him a real guy-not an actor looking for soft duty.

Photo 15-What many hope will be the one lasting love of Mature's life is his latest romance with Anne Shirley, to whom he proposed after his second date. Contrary to common belief, the two are still engaged and plan to wed. They decided it was unwise to marry hastily.

Photo 16-The biggest disappointment in Vic's life, to the surprise of many of his fans, is the fact that he has never become a father. Vic insists that he won't be completely happy until there is a "little hunk" to inspire him to do plenty of tall story-telling. (He now has his pride and joy, his daughter, Victoria.)

Photo 17-Hollywood will never forget Vic. Talking about coming back after the war he said: "I'll be back--isn't it a pity?" :)