Peruvian Alberto Vargas  was just a guy hired by Esquire magazine to imitate departed star George Petty, who bolted over pay. He initially aped Petty's sleek women with their telephone posing and large-hat lounging; soon, however, his own distinctive, delicate watercolor style emerged. His wide-eyed wonder-women rivaled Betty Grable as the ultimate pin-up girl of World War II. Esquire made him famous, though he was paid poorly. Late in his life, Vargas was given a second shot at fame and fortune by longtime fan Hugh Hefner. His regular Playboy slot in the 1960s and '70s elevated Vargas to a pinnacle eclipsing Petty.