Being able to identify true success was something Victoria Cooke never struggled with. During the Hollywood’s Golden Age, her grandparents worked at MGM Studios and her father is real estate developer who has lived quite comfortably. Everything was going well for the athletic blonde who believed she’d follow in her father’s footsteps. She made her way to Arizona and studied real estate and finance at the University of Arizona. However, once she posed for Playboy’s Girls of the Pac 10 in October 1978, she began to question her future. “I had a desire to go to some faraway place, far from school and family and be independent,” admits Victoria. With a chump change in her pocket, hopes of sailing the ocean and a one-way ticket to Hawaii, the busty beauty flew to paradise where she quickly learned success isn’t merely given to those who uproot without any formal planning done. “I had this romantic image that Hawaii was just a bunch of grass huts and deserted beaches,” says the tall Californian. “Boy, was I surprised flying into Honolulu Airport and seeing all those high-rises along the beach: But I decided to stay anyway —mainly because I didn't have enough money to leave.” Her dreams were momentarily deterred when no one would hire her, and got herself a job as selling suntan lotion to sunbathers on the beach. “I became a beach bum. Eleven hours a day on the beach, in the sun, peddling lotions and surfboards,” says all-natural Victoria who also learned a very valuable lesson during her experience. “I've got the gift of gab and I'm excellent at selling things. Always have been.” With her newfound confidence, our Playmate of the Month realized there was, in fact, nothing wrong in following her father’s footsteps—he was successful after all. After appearing on an episode of The Jeffersons, Victoria acquired her real estate license and was so good at selling Hawaiian condos, that she had lots of time to spare and indulged in activities like exercising. Not only did our Playmate become a trainer to the stars working with actors like Linda Evans, but she also worked for Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons at their studios. However, no matter how busy the model/photographer got, Victoria always came back to her first love—sailing. “Sailing is like sex,” says our Miss August 1980. “When you haven’t done it for a while, it’s especially great!” We’d love to sail away with Victoria Cooke.