"Victor John Mature and James Gilmore Backus
(I knew them when)
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In the year 1928-29, two young men later to become famous in the entertainment world were enrolled as cadets at Kentucky Military Institute. I knew them both, but not well, since they were freshmen while I was a senior.

Our paths as individuals seldom crossed, but they participated in many large-group activities in which I was also involved. Other cadets who knew them better told me during the year that these two nondescript freshmen wanted to go into radio and the movies, but that none of their fellow cadets or teachers thought they had even a slight chance of being successful in entertainment work.

One of them was Victor John Mature, a native of Kentucky and later known nationwide as Victor Mature, the movie actor star. He dropped out of K. M. I. after only one year there and began at age fifteen or sixteen to prepare for an acting career. And as all movie fans of the 1930's and 1940's know, he was highly successful in that endeavor. Large, tall, well built, and quite handsome, he starred in several movies based on stories from the Bible, "The Robe" being one of the better known ones.

The other 1928-29 K. M. I. cadet to receive renown in radio and television was a native of Ohio named James Gilmore Backus, more commonly known as just Jim Backus. His voice became famous soon after he left school as that of the radio character, "Mr. Magoo," a role he created and played successfully for many years. He also starred in many television series, one of which was, "I Married Joan." I have nothing more to tell about these two men. I don't even know whether they are still living. I would just observe as a final comment in this volume of "I Was There" that no one in school ever knows what or who the boy or girl across the aisle will turn out to be.

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Chester c. Travelstead

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