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Tab Hunter (born Arthur Andrew Kelm; July 11, 1931 – July 8, 2018) was an American actor, singer, film producer, and author. Known for his blond hair and clean-cut good looks, Hunter starred in more than forty films. During the 1950s and 1960s, in his twenties and thirties, Hunter was a Hollywood heartthrob, acting in numerous roles and appearing on the covers of hundreds of magazines. His notable screen credits include Battle Cry (1955), The Girl He Left Behind (1956), Gunman's Walk (1958), Damn Yankees (1958), Polyester (1981), and Lust in the Dust (1985). Hunter also had a music career in the late 1950s; in 1957, he released the no. 1 hit single "Young Love". Hunter's 2005 autobiography, Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star, was a New York Times bestseller.
Gelien joined the United States Coast Guard at age fifteen in 1946, lying about his age to enlist. While in the Coast Guard, he gained the nickname "Hollywood" for his penchant for watching movies rather than going to bars while on liberty. When his superiors discovered his true age, they discharged him. Gelien met actor Dick Clayton socially; Clayton suggested that he become an actor.
Hunter's first film role was a minor part in a film noir, The Lawless (1950). Hunter was a friend of character actor Paul Guilfoyle, who suggested him to director Stuart Heisler; Heisler was looking for an unknown to play the lead in Saturday Island (1952) opposite Linda Darnell. The film, essentially a two-hander between Hunter and Darnell, was a hit.
Hunter supported George Montgomery in Gun Belt (1953), a Western produced by Edward Small. Small used him again for a war film, The Steel Lady (1953), supporting Rod Cameron, and as the lead in an adventure tale, Return to Treasure Island (1954). He began acting on stage, appearing in a production of Our Town. Hunter was then offered, and accepted, a contract at Warner Bros. One of Hunter's first films for Warner Bros. was The Sea Chase (1955), supporting John Wayne and Lana Turner. It was a big hit, but Hunter's part was relatively small. Rushes were seen by William A. Wellman, who cast Hunter to play the younger brother of Robert Mitchum in Track of the Cat (1954). It was a solid hit and Hunter began to get more notice.
His breakthrough role came when he was cast as the young Marine Danny in 1955's World War II drama Battle Cry, which was the year's third most financially successful film. His character has an affair with an older woman, but ends up marrying the girl next door. It was based on a bestseller by Leon Uris and became Warner Bros.' largest grossing film that year, cementing Hunter's position as one of Hollywood's top young romantic leads.
In September 1955, the tabloid magazine Confidential reported that Hunter had been arrested for disorderly conduct in 1950. The innuendo-laced article, and a second one focusing on Rory Calhoun's prison record, were the result of a deal Henry Willson had brokered with the scandal rag in exchange for not revealing to the public the sexual orientation of his more prominent client, Rock Hudson. The article had no negative effect on Hunter's career. A few months later, he was named Most Promising New Personality in a nationwide poll sponsored by the Council of Motion Picture Organizations. In 1956, he received 62,000 valentines. Hunter, James Dean, and Natalie Wood were the last actors to be placed under an exclusive studio contract at Warner Bros. Warner decided to promote him to star status, teaming him with Natalie Wood in two films, a Western, The Burning Hills (1956), directed by Heisler, and The Girl He Left Behind (1956), a service comedy. These films also proved to be a hit with audiences. Warners planned a third teaming of Hunter and Wood but Hunter rejected the third picture, thus ending Warners' attempt to make Hunter and Wood the William Powell and Myrna Loy of the 1950s. Hunter was Warner Bros.' most popular male star from 1955 until 1959.
and Peter Potter on the TV show Juke Box Jury (1957)]]Hunter received strong critical acclaim for a television performance he gave in the debut episode of Playhouse 90 ("Forbidden Area", 1956) written by Rod Serling and directed by John Frankenheimer.
Hunter's acting career was at its peak. William Wellman used him again in a war film, Lafayette Escadrille (1958). Columbia Pictures borrowed him for a Western, Gunman's Walk (1958), in which he played a villian against his usual roletype. Hunter claimed, "When Gunman's Walk premiered the following summer, it was one of the proudest moments of my career." Hunter starred in the musical film Damn Yankees (1958), in which he played Joe Hardy of Washington, D.C.'s American League baseball club. The film had originally been a Broadway theatre musical, and Hunter was the only one in the film version who had not appeared in the original cast. The show was based on the best-selling 1954 book The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant by Douglass Wallop. Hunter later said the filming was hellish because director George Abbott was interested only in recreating the stage version word for word. He also appeared in the western They Came to Cordura (1959) (with Gary Cooper and Rita Hayworth) and starred in the romantic drama That Kind of Woman (1959) (with Sophia Loren).
Hunter had another hit single, "Ninety-Nine Ways", which peaked at No. 11 in the United States and No. 5 in the United Kingdom. His success prompted Jack L. Warner to enforce the actor's contract with the Warner Bros. studio by banning Dot Records, the label for which Hunter had recorded the single (and which was owned by rival Paramount Pictures), from releasing a follow-up album he had recorded for them. He established Warner Bros. Records specifically for Hunter.
Hunter had a starring role as Debbie Reynolds's love interest in the romantic comedy The Pleasure of His Company (1961). He played the lead in an Italian swashbuckler shot in Egypt, The Golden Arrow (1962). He was in a war movie for American International Pictures, Operation Bikini (1963). In 1964, he starred on Broadway opposite Tallulah Bankhead in Tennessee Williams' The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore.
He had a starring role in Ride the Wild Surf (1964), a surf film for Columbia, followed by a movie in Britain, the crime drama Troubled Waters (1964). He stayed in England to make another picture for AIP, the science fiction film War Gods of the Deep (1965) starring Vincent Price. Back in Hollywood, he had a supporting role in the comedies The Loved One (1965) and Birds Do It (1966). He starred in a film directed by Richard Rush, the low budget comedy The Fickle Finger of Fate (1967).
For a short time in the late 1960s, after several seasons of starring in summer stock and dinner theater in shows such as Bye Bye Birdie, The Tender Trap, Under the Yum Yum Tree, and West Side Story with some of the New York cast, Hunter settled in the south of France and acted in some Italian films including Vengeance Is My Forgiveness (1968), The Last Chance (1968), and Bridge over the Elbe (1969).
Hunter's autobiography, Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star (2005), co-written with Eddie Muller, became a New York Times bestseller, as did the paperback edition in 2007. In his memoir, Hunter officially came out as gay, confirming rumors that had circulated since the height of his fame. The book was nominated for several awards. It entered the New York Times bestseller list for a third time on June 28, 2015, upon the release of Tab Hunter Confidential, an award-winning documentary based upon the memoir. The documentary was directed by Jeffrey Schwarz and produced by Allan Glaser. As of June 2022, a feature film about Hunter to be produced by Glaser, J. J. Abrams and Zachary Quinto was in development at Paramount Pictures. Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning writer Doug Wright is attached to create the screenplay.
Hunter has a star for his contributions to the music industry on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6320 Hollywood Blvd. In 2007, the Palm Springs Walk of Stars dedicated a Golden Palm Star to him.
Hunter seriously pondered marrying his Lafayette Escadrille costar Etchika Choureau as they grew closer, but decided against it as that would not be living true to himself. Additionally, Joan Perry, a close friend of his, proposed to him after her divorce from Laurence Harvey, but he rejected her as he wanted their relationship to remain platonic.
Hunter was raised in his mother's Catholic faith. Except for a period in his youth, Hunter was a practicing Catholic for the rest of his life. Hunter, whose father and husband were Jewish, was questioned about his own identity and responded that he did not consider himself Jewish. Hunter was an avid horse owner.
Personal life
Hunter came out publicly as gay in his 2005 memoir. According to William L. Hamilton of The New York Times, detailed reports about Hunter's alleged romances with close friends Debbie Reynolds and Natalie Wood during his young adult years had been strictly the product of studio publicity departments. As Wood and Hunter embarked on a well-publicized but fictitious romance, insiders had developed their own headline for the item: "Natalie Wood and Tab Wouldn't". Regarding Hollywood's studio era, Hunter said, "life was difficult for me, because I was living two lives at that time. A private life of my own, which I never discussed, never talked about to anyone. And then my Hollywood life, which was just trying to learn my craft and succeed..." The star emphasized that the word gay' ... wasn't even around in those days, and if anyone ever confronted me with it, I'd just kinda freak out. I was in total denial. I was just not comfortable in that Hollywood scene, other than the work process." "There was a lot written about my sexuality, and the press was pretty darn cruel," the actor said, but what "moviegoers wanted to hold in their hearts were the boy-next-door marines, , and swoon-bait sweethearts I portrayed."
Hunter had a relationship with actor Anthony Perkins after having met him at the Chateau Marmont during the filming of Friendly Persuasion in 1956. Their relationship spanned two to four years, and Hunter has said that they only broke up because of Perkins's movie studio, Paramount, and the studio system. However, he remembered Perkins as a "special part of my journey. He wanted to be a movie star more than anything. I wanted that too, but not with the same kind of drive he had. We were such opposites — but then maybe that was the attraction." He also had relationships with champion figure skater Ronnie Robertson, actor Neal Noorlag, and Soviet-born ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev before settling down and marrying his partner of more than 35 years, film producer Allan Glaser.
Death
On July 8, 2018, three days shy of his 87th birthday, Hunter died after suffering cardiac arrest that arose from complications related to deep vein thrombosis. According to his husband, Allan Glaser, Hunter's death was "sudden and unexpected."
Filmography
1950 The Lawless Frank O'Brien also released under the title The Dividing Line 1952 The Island of Desire Marine Corporal Michael J. "Chicken" Dugan also released under the title Saturday Island 1953 Gun Belt Chip Ringo The Steel Lady Bill Larson also released under the title Treasure of Kalifa 1954 Return to Treasure Island Clive Stone also narrator Track of the Cat Harold Bridges 1955 Battle Cry Danny Forrester The Sea Chase Cadet Wesser 1956 The Burning Hills Trace Jordan The Girl He Left Behind Andy L. Shaeffer 1958 Gunman's Walk Ed Hackett Lafayette Escadrille Thad Walker Damn Yankees Joe Hardy also released under the title What Lola Wants in the UK 1959 They Came to Cordura Lt. William Fowler That Kind of Woman Red directed by Sidney Lumet 1961 The Pleasure of His Company Roger Henderson 1962 The Golden Arrow Hassan 1963 Operation Bikini Lt. Morgan Hayes 1964 Ride the Wild Surf Steamer Lane Troubled Waters Alex Carswell 1965 City Under the Sea Ben Harris released as War Gods of the Deep in the U.S. The Loved One Whispering Glades Tour Guide 1966 Birds Do It Lt. Porter 1967 The Fickle Finger of Fate Jerry a.k.a. El Dedo del Destino and The Cup of San Sebastian Hostile Guns Mike Reno 1968 Vengeance Is My Forgiveness Sheriff Durango The Last Chance Patrick Harris 1969 Bridge over the Elbe Richard 1972 Sweet Kill Eddie Collins The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean Sam Dodd 1975 Timber Tramps Big Swede 1976 Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood David Hamilton 1981 Polyester Todd Tomorrow 1982 Pandemonium Blue Grange Grease 2 Mr. Stuart And They're Off Henry Barclay 1985 Lust in the Dust Abel Wood Executive producer 1988 Out of the Dark Driver Grotesque Rod Cameron's Closet Owen Lansing Executive producer 1992 Dark Horse Perkins Executive producer and film story credit 2015 Tab Hunter Confidential Self Autobiographical documentary
Television
1955 Ford Theatre Gig Spevvy Episode: "While We're Young" 1955; 1957 Climax! Jimmy Piersall 1956 Conflict Donald McQuade Episode: "The People Against McQuade" 1956; 1958 Playhouse 90 Donald BashorStanley Smith 1958 Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates Hans Brinker TV film 1959 General Electric Theater Daniel Episode: "Disaster" The Tab Hunter Show Paul Morgan 32 episodes; Title character and producer 1962 Saints and Sinners Sergeant Eddie Manzak Episode: "Three Columns of Anger" Combat! Del Packer Episode: "The Celebrity" 1964 Burke's Law Barney Blake Episode: "Who Killed Andy Zygmut?" 1970 San Francisco International Airport Stayczek 1 episode The Virginian Cart Banner Episode: "The Gift" 1971 Disneyland Tim Andrews Episode: "Hacksaw"; Rebroadcast and syndicated as two episodes. 1972 Cannon Bob Neal Episode: "Treasure of St. Ignacio" Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law Howard Reimer Episode: "Starting Over Again" 1973 Ghost Story Bob Herrick Episode: "The Ghost of Potter's Field" 1975 The Six Million Dollar Man Arnold Blake Episode: "The Cross-Country Kidnap" 1976 Ellery Queen John Randall Episode: "The Adventure of the Black Falcon" Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman George Shumway No. 2 Several un-credited cameo appearances McMillan & Wife Roger Thornton Episode: "Greed" 1977 The Love Boat Dave King Episode: "The Joker Is Mild/Take My Granddaughter, Please/First Time Out" Forever Fernwood George Shumway 1 episode; several un-credited cameo appearances 1978 Hawaii Five-O Mel Burgess Episode: "Horoscope for Murder" Elliot Bender TV film Police Woman Martin Quinn "Blind Terror" 1979 The Kid from Left Field Bill Lorant TV film 1979 Sweepstakes Chip 1 episode 1980 Charlie's Angels Bill Maddox Episode: "Nips and Tucks" 1981 Strike Force Vorhees Episode: "Night Nurse" 1982 Benson Roy Lucas season 4 episodes 1 & 2 Fridays Self-Guest Host season 3 episode 13 Madame's Place Self Episode: "Come Fly with Me" 1984 The Fall Guy Anthony Haley Episode: "Bite of the Wasp" Masquerade Whitney Episode: "Spying Down to Rio" 1989 Hollywood on Horses Self (presenter) Direct-to-video documentary; credited as producer
Discography
1957 "Young Love"/ 1 1 "Red Sails in the Sunset" 57 — "Ninety-Nine Ways" 11 5 "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" 74 — 1958 "Jealous Heart" 62 — 1959 "(I'll Be with You) In Apple Blossom Time" 31 — "There's No Fool Like a Young Fool" 68 — 1962 "Born to Lose" /
"I Can't Stop Loving You"— —
Roles turned down
According to Hunter, he turned down the following roles:
Notes
External links
Categories: Official Site, 1931 Births, 2018 Deaths, 20th-century American Lgbtq People, 20th-century American Male Actors, 20th-century American Male Singers, 20th-century American Singers, 21st-century American Lgbtq People, 21st-century American Male Actors, American Gay Actors, American Gay Musicians, American Gay Writers, American Lgbtq Military Personnel, American Lgbtq Singers, American Male Film Actors, American Male Stage Actors, American Male Television Actors, American People Of German Descent, American People Of Jewish Descent, Burials At Santa Barbara Cemetery, Catholics From California, Catholics From New York, Deaths From Thrombosis, Dot Records Artists, Jewish American Military Personnel, Lgbtq People From New York, Lgbtq Roman Catholics, Male Actors From Manhattan, Military Personnel From California, Military Personnel From New York, Military Personnel From New York City, United States Coast Guard Personnel Of World War Ii, Warner Bros. Contract Players, Warner Records Artists
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