Growing up in Indiana and Illinois, Merle Pertile dreamt of becoming a movie star where she would rub elbows with Hollywood’s elite. Upon her high school graduation in Hammond, Indiana, the blue-eyed redhead packed her bags and bought herself a one-way ticket for Los Angeles where she appeared in 77 Sunset Strip and eventually, became a regular on Playboy’s Penthouse. Fans of the show went wild for the freckled ginger including Hugh Hefner himself. “I love living in Hollywood,” says our all-natural Miss January 1962. “My ambitions have always been to become an actress, a wife and mother. I’m finally starting to accomplish one of those.” Her nurturing Midwestern personality and full figure have been a lovely addition to California’s repertoire, but she says finding a man on the West Coast hasn’t been easy. “There are a lot of men here who are possessive and ignorant with sloppy appearances and bad manners,” explains our voluptuous Playmate of the Month. “I like men who are sincere and intelligent who could take me to the theater.” Do you have the Midwestern charm Playmate Merle Pertile is looking for?