Coast Guard History
Frequently Asked Questions
Victor Mature
Victor John Joseph Mature
Born January 29, 1913 – Died August 4, 1999
Leading Actor of the 40’s and 50’s, Victor Mature was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He was the son of a an Austrian/Greek scissors grinder who went on to a successful manufacturing business. Early in his youth Mature decided that he wanted acting as a career, much to the concern of his parents. His some 70 films include John Ford’s "My Darling Clementine" (1946), ‘Kiss of Death" (1947), "Samson and Delilah" (1949), "The Robe" (1954) and "The Egyptian" (1954).
Mature enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1942 after trying to enlist in the Navy. The Navy told the actor he was color blind and wouldn’t enlist him, but the Coast Guard took more interest in the actor and had him re tested and enlisted him immediately. Mature enlisted as a seaman recruit and immediately reported to the Cutter Storis in Boston Harbor. Known in Hollywood as "beautiful hunk of man", his Coast Guard shipmates, who took an immediate liking to the unpretentious actor, dubbed him "hunk of junk". Mature worked hard, eventually working his way up to Chief Boatswain Mate. Between tours sea duty, Mature appeared at Bond rallies for the Coast Guard eventually starring in the Coast Guard show "Tars and Spars", a morale show which toured the country during WWII. After the war he returned to acting but made his mark in real estate. Always proud of his Coast Guard service the actor died of cancer in 1999.
He was quoted as saying: "I'm not an actor, and I have sixty-four pictures to prove it."
