Editing Tab Hunter

{{Short description|American actor (1931–2018)}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Tab Hunter
| image              = TABHUnter.jpg
| caption            = Hunter in 1956
| other_names        = Art Gelien
| birth_name         = Arthur Andrew Kelm
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1931|07|11}}
| birth_place        = [[Manhattan]], New York City, U.S.
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|2018|07|08|1931|07|11}}
| death_place        = [[Santa Barbara, California]], U.S.
| resting_place      = [[Santa Barbara Cemetery]], California, U.S.
| occupation         = {{Hlist|Actor|singer|film producer|writer}}
| years_active       = 1950–2015
| spouse             = {{Marriage|[[Allan Glaser]]|2013}}<ref name="Hamilton">{{cite news|last=Hamilton|first=William L.|date=September 18, 2005|title=Did Success Spoil Tab Hunter?|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/18/fashion/sundaystyles/18tab.html|access-date=April 9, 2010}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|tabhunter.com}}
}}
'''Tab Hunter''' (born '''Arthur Andrew Kelm'''; July 11, 1931 – July 8, 2018)<ref name="NewYorkTimes">{{cite news|date=July 9, 2018|title=Tab Hunter, 86, 1950s Hollywood heartthrob, is dead|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/09/obituaries/tab-hunter-86-1950s-hollywood-heartthrob-is-dead.html|access-date=July 19, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Tab Obituary">{{cite news|last1=Bergan|first1=Ronald|date=July 9, 2018|title=Tab Hunter obituary|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jul/09/tab-hunter-obituary|access-date=July 12, 2019}}</ref> 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 heart-throb, acting in numerous roles and appearing on the covers of hundreds of magazines. His notable screen credits include ''[[Battle Cry (film)|Battle Cry]]'' (1955), ''[[The Girl He Left Behind]]'' (1956), ''[[Gunman's Walk]]'' (1958), ''[[Damn Yankees (1958 film)|Damn Yankees]]'' (1958), and ''[[Polyester (film)|Polyester]]'' (1981). Hunter also had a music career in the late 1950s; in 1957, he released a no. 1 hit single "[[Young Love (1956 song)|Young Love]]". Hunter's 2005 autobiography, ''Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star'', was a ''New York Times'' bestseller.

==Early life==
Arthur Andrew Kelm was born in Manhattan, New York City,<ref name =NewYorkTimes/> the son of Gertrude ({{Nee|Gelien}}) and Charles Kelm. Kelm's father was Jewish, and his mother was a German immigrant from [[Hamburg]].{{Efn|A 2003 interview with ''The New York Times'' states that Hunter's parents were both German immigrants, and that his mother was Lutheran.<ref name="nyt2003/09/09"/> However, his obituary from ''The Guardian'' states that only his mother was a German immigrant and adds that she was Catholic.<ref name="Tab Obituary"/>}} He had an older brother, Walter. Kelm's father was reportedly abusive. Within a few years of Kelm's birth, his parents divorced. He was raised in California, living with his mother, his brother, and his maternal grandparents, John Henry and Ida (née Sonnenfleth) Gelien; the family resided in San Francisco, [[Long Beach]] and Los Angeles.<ref name="nyt2003/09/09">{{cite news|last=Weinraub|first=Bernard|date=September 9, 2003|title=A Star's Real Life Upstages His Films; Tab Hunter Looks Back on Sadness and Success and Ahead to a Book|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/09/movies/star-s-real-life-upstages-his-films-tab-hunter-looks-back-sadness-success-ahead.html|access-date=March 8, 2016|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> His mother re-assumed her maiden surname, Gelien, and changed her sons' surnames as well. As a teenager, Arthur Gelien (as he was then known) was a [[figure skater]], competing in both [[single skating|singles]] and [[pair skating|pairs]].<ref name="NME Rock 'N' Roll Years">{{cite book|last=Tobler|first=John|title=NME Rock 'N' Roll Years|publisher=Reed International Books Ltd|year=1992|edition=1st|location=London|page=38|id=CN 5585}}</ref> Gelien was sent to Catholic school by his religious mother.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hunter|first=Tab|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TMOcNOk4MXUC&q=raised+catholic|title=Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star|date=September 8, 2006 |orig-date=2005 |publisher=Algonquin|others=With Eddie Muller|isbn=978-1565128460|page=174|access-date=February 25, 2019|via=Google Books |ref={{sfnref|Hunter|2005}} }}</ref>

Gelien joined the U.S. Coast Guard at age fifteen in 1946, lying about his age to enlist. While in the Coast Guard, he gained the nickname "[[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]]" for his penchant for watching movies rather than going to bars while on liberty.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Piccalo|first1=Gina|last2=Saad|first2=Nardine|date=July 9, 2018|title=Actor Tab Hunter dies at 86; '50s heartthrob's career ranged from ''Battle Cry'' to ''Polyester''|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-tab-hunter-20180709-story.html|access-date=February 25, 2019}}</ref> When his superiors discovered his true age, they discharged him. Gelien met actor [[Richard Clayton (actor)|Dick Clayton]] socially; Clayton suggested that he become an actor.<ref>{{cite news|last=Feinberg|first=Scott|date=March 13, 2015|title=SXSW: Tab Hunter opens up about life as a closeted gay star during Hollywood's golden age|newspaper=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/tab-hunter-opens-up-life-781046|access-date=July 9, 2018}}</ref>

==Career==
===1950s===
[[File:TabHUNTER2.jpg|thumb|upright|Hunter in the 1950s]]
Dick Clayton introduced Gelien to agent [[Henry Willson]], who specialized in representing [[beefcake]] male stars such as [[Robert Wagner]] and [[Rock Hudson]]. It was Willson who named him "Tab Hunter".<ref>{{cite book|last=Hofler|first=Robert|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eTR0idJByUcC&q=The+Man+Who+Invented+Rock+Hudson:+The+Pretty+Boys+and+Dirty+Deals+of+Henry+Willson|title=The Man who Invented Rock Hudson: The pretty boys and dirty deals of Henry Willson|publisher=Carroll & Graf|year=2005|isbn=978-0786716074|url-access=subscription|via=Google Books}}</ref>

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 (actor, born 1902)|Paul Guilfoyle]], who suggested him to director [[Stuart Heisler]]; Heisler was looking for an unknown to play the lead in ''[[Saturday Island|Island of Desire]]'' (1952) opposite [[Linda Darnell]]. The film, essentially a [[two-hander]] between Hunter and Darnell, was a hit.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hopper|first=Hedda|date=February 13, 1955|title=A critic's remark and hard work put Tab Hunter on top: Critic and work spur Tab Hunter|page=D1|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/search/#query=A+Critic%27s+Remark+and+Hard+Work+Put+Tab+Hunter+on+Top&lnd=1&t=4312&p_place=CA|url-access=subscription|access-date=February 25, 2019}}</ref>

Hunter supported [[George Montgomery (actor)|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 (actor)|Rod Cameron]], and as the lead in an adventure tale, ''[[Return to Treasure Island (1954 film)|Return to Treasure Island]]'' (1954). He began acting on stage, appearing in a production of ''[[Our Town]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Scheuer|first=Philip K.|date=November 5, 1953|title=Drama: Skip homeier returns, Murvyn vye with U-I; MGM rushes POW job|page=B11|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/search/#query=Drama%3A+Skip+Homeier+Returns%2C+Murvyn+Vye+With+U-I%3B+MGM+Rushes+POW+Job&lnd=1|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Hunter was then offered, and accepted, a contract at [[Warner Bros.]]
[[File:TabHunter.jpg|thumb|upright|Hunter in a promotional portrait for ''Battle Cry'' (1955)]]
[[File:Natalie Wood and Tab Hunter arriving at the 28th Academy Awards 1956 cropped.jpg|thumb|upright|Hunter with [[Natalie Wood]] at the [[28th Academy Awards]] in 1956]]
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 (film)|Track of the Cat]]'' (1954). It was a solid hit and Hunter began to get more notice.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

His breakthrough role came when he was cast as the young [[United States Marine Corps|Marine]] Danny in 1955's [[World War II]] drama ''[[Battle Cry (film)|Battle Cry]]'', which was [[1955 in film|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.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

In September&nbsp;1955, the tabloid magazine ''[[Confidential (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.{{sfn|Hunter|2005|page=172}} The report 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.{{sfn|Hunter|2005|pages=116–118}} In 1956, he received 62,000&nbsp;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.

[[File:Juke Box Jury May 1957.jpg|thumb|upright|Hunter (right) with [[Anthony Perkins]] 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]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Wolters|first=Larry|date=March 17, 1957|title=Playhouse&nbsp;90 – And why it is a great series: Key to success is its young producer|page=78|newspaper=Chicago Daily Tribune|url=https://chicagotribune.newspapers.com/image/372277250/?terms=Playhouse%2B90%2Band%2Bwhy%2Bits%2Ba%2Bsuccess|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

Hunter's acting career was at its peak. William Wellman used him again in a war film, ''[[Lafayette Escadrille (film)|Lafayette Escadrille]]'' (1958). Columbia Pictures borrowed him for a Western, ''[[Gunman's Walk]]'' (1958). Hunter claimed, "When Gunman's Walk premiered the following summer, it was one of the proudest moments of my career."{{sfn|Hunter|2005|p=193}} Hunter starred in the musical film ''[[Damn Yankees (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|Broadway]] 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&nbsp;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]]).{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

====Music career====
Hunter had a 1957 hit record with the song "[[Young Love (1956 song)|Young Love]]," which was No.&nbsp;1 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart]] for six weeks (seven weeks on the UK Chart), and became one of the larger hits of the [[Rock 'n' Roll]] era.<ref name="NME Rock 'N' Roll Years"/> It sold more than two million copies, and was awarded a [[gold disc]] by the [[RIAA]].<ref name="Discs">{{cite book|last=Murrells|first=Joseph|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UxRAAAAAMAAJ&q=Tab+Hunter|title=The Book of Golden Discs|publisher=Barrie and Jenkins Ltd|year=1978|isbn=978-0214204807|edition=2nd|location=London|page=92|via=Google Books}}</ref>

Hunter had another hit single, "Ninety-Nine Ways", which peaked at No.&nbsp;11 in the United States and No.&nbsp;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.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

===1960s===
Hunter's failure to win the role of Tony in the film adaptation of ''[[West Side Story (1961 film)|West Side Story]]'' (1961) prompted him to agree to star in a weekly television sitcom. ''[[The Tab Hunter Show]]'' had moderate ratings (due to being scheduled opposite ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'') and lasted for one season (1960–61) of 32&nbsp;episodes. It was a hit in the United Kingdom, where it ranked as one of the most watched situation comedies of the year. Hunter's costars in the series included [[Richard Erdman]], [[Jerome Cowan]], and [[Reta Shaw]].<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053542/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm 'The Tab Hunter Show', IMDb. Full cast and credits]</ref>

Hunter had a starring role as [[Debbie Reynolds]]' 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 film)|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]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore – Broadway Play – 1964 Revival|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/the-milk-train-doesnt-stop-here-anymore-2805#OpeningNightCast|website=IBDB}}</ref>

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 film)|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 (film)|The Loved One]]'' (1965) and ''[[Birds Do It]]'' (1966). He starred in a film directed by [[Richard Rush (director)|Richard Rush]], the low budget comedy ''[[The Fickle Finger of Fate]]'' (1967).<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Fickle Finger of Fate (1966) - Richard Rush &#124; AllMovie|url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-fickle-finger-of-fate-v91237/cast-crew|publisher=AllMovie}}</ref>

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'',{{sfn|Hunter|2005|page=297}} 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 film)|The Last Chance]]'' (1968), and ''[[Bridge over the Elbe]]'' (1969).<ref name="slant">{{cite web|last=Raymond|first=Gerard|date=October 21, 2015|title=Interview with Tab Hunter|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/features/article/interview-tab-hunter|access-date=February 25, 2019|website=Slant}}</ref>

===1970s===
Hunter had the lead role in the psychological horror film ''[[Sweet Kill]]'' (1973), the first movie from director [[Curtis Hanson]]. His performance earned good reviews. He won a co-starring role in the successful western film ''[[The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean]]'' (1972), starring [[Paul Newman]]. He had small roles in ''[[Timber Tramps]]'' (1975), ''[[Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood]]'' (1976) and ''[[Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold]]'' (1978). In 1977 he played George Shumway, the father of Mary Hartman (played by [[Louise Lasser]]) on ''[[Forever Fernwood]]'', a spinoff of the soap-like sitcom ''[[Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman]]''.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

===1980s===
Hunter's career was revived in the 1980s,<ref name="NewYorkTimes" /> when he starred opposite actor [[Divine (performer)|Divine]] in [[John Waters]]' ''[[Polyester (film)|Polyester]]'' (1981) and [[Paul Bartel]]'s ''[[Lust in the Dust]]'' (1985). Both of these films were hits with audiences. He played Mr.&nbsp;Stuart, the substitute teacher in the musical ''[[Grease 2]]'' (1982), who sang "Reproduction". Hunter had a major role in the horror film ''[[Cameron's Closet]]'' (1989).{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

===Later career===
[[File:Tab Hunter 2008.jpg|thumb|upright|Hunter in 2008, aged 77]]
Hunter's last film role came in the horse-themed [[family film]] ''[[Dark Horse (1992 film)|Dark Horse]]'' (1992). Hunter, a longstanding horse owner,<ref name="C&I_Conversation">{{cite web|author1=Leydon, Joe|date=July 9, 2018|title=A C&I Conversation with Tab Hunter|url=https://www.cowboysindians.com/2018/07/live-from-montecito-california-with-tab-hunter/|website=Cowboys & Indians}}</ref> wrote the original story and co-produced the film with his life partner, [[Allan Glaser]].

Hunter's autobiography, ''Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star'' (2005), co-written with [[Eddie Muller]], became a ''[[New York Times]]'' bestseller,<ref>{{cite news|last=McNary|first=Dave|date=June 6, 2018|title=JJ Abrams, Zachary Quinto Developing Tab Hunter-Anthony Perkins Movie|newspaper=Variety|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/jj-abrams-zachary-quinto-tab-hunter-anthony-perkins-love-story-1202834923/}}</ref> 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.<ref name=Hamilton/> 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tab Hunter Confidential|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1533089|access-date=August 17, 2015|publisher=[[IMDb]]}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Feinberg|first1=Scott|last2=Kit|first2=Borys|date=June 6, 2018|title=Tab Hunter, Anthony Perkins forbidden love drama in the works from J.J. Abrams, Zachary Quinto|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|department=Exclusive|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jj-abrams-zachary-quinto-making-film-tab-hunter-anthony-perkins-1117878}}</ref>

Hunter has a star for his contributions to the music industry on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] at [[Hollywood Boulevard|6320 Hollywood Blvd.]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Tab Hunter|url=https://www.flimfun.com/search?q=hollywoodstar-walk/tab-hunter|access-date=March 8, 2016|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|department=Hollywood Star Walk}}</ref> In 2007, the [[Palm Springs Walk of Stars]] dedicated a Golden Palm Star to him.<ref>{{cite web|title=Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated|url=https://www.flimfun.com/search?q=hollywood/web-storage/Stars/Stars%20dedicated%20by%20date.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013165655/https://www.flimfun.com/search?q=hollywood|archive-date=October 13, 2012|access-date=August 17, 2018|publisher=Palmspringswalkofstars.com}}</ref>

==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".<ref name=Hamilton/> 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."<ref>{{cite news|last=Parks|first=Tim|date=December 15, 2005|title=The many lives of Tab Hunter|newspaper=[[Gay and Lesbian Times]]|url=https://timparksmediaho.wordpress.com/2010/05/01/the-many-lives-of-tab-hunter/|access-date=February 25, 2019}}</ref> "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 [[Girl next door|boy-next-door]] marines, [[cowboy]]s, and swoon-bait sweethearts I portrayed."<ref name=Hamilton/>

Hunter had a long-term relationship with actor [[Anthony Perkins]] after having met him at the [[Chateau Marmont]] during the filming of ''[[Friendly Persuasion (1956 film)|Friendly Persuasion]]'' in 1956. Their relationship spanned two to four years,{{sfn|Hunter|2005|p=130}} and Hunter has said that they only broke up because of Perkins's movie studio, [[Paramount Pictures|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."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hunter|first1=Tab|date=July 9, 2018|title=Exclusive: Tab Hunter Recounts His Relationship With "Psycho" Star Anthony Perkins|newspaper=Attitude|department=Exclusive|url=https://attitude.co.uk/article/exclusive-tab-hunter-recounts-his-secret-relationship-with-psycho-star-anthony-perkins/18188/}}</ref> 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/spouse of more than 35 years, film producer [[Allan Glaser]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Bayard|first=Louis|date=October 9, 2005|title=The Celluloid Closet|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/06/AR2005100601518_pf.html|access-date=January 7, 2009}}</ref><ref name=NewYorkTimes />

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.{{sfn|Hunter|2005|p=172}} 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.{{sfn|Hunter|2005|p=317}}

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.<ref name=slant/><ref>{{cite news|last=Fillo|first=MaryEllen|title=Hollywood's all-American boy Tab Hunter brings his documentary to Warner Theater|newspaper=[[Hartford Courant]]|url=http://www.courant.com/java/hc-fillo-tab-hunter-1014-20151013-column.html|access-date=March 14, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Lattanzio|first=Ryan|date=October 12, 2015|title=Tab Hunter, Out of the Hollywood Closet and in His Own Words|website=IndieWire|url=http://www.indiewire.com/2015/10/tab-hunter-out-of-the-hollywood-closet-and-in-his-own-words-176331|access-date=March 14, 2018}}</ref> When asked about his Jewish identity, due to his father and partner/spouse being Jewish, Hunter stated that he did not identify as Jewish.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmoNqfDJf5Q&t=7s|title=TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL Q&A: Does Tab I.D. as Jewish?|date=October 13, 2015|time=0:07}}</ref> Hunter was an avid horse owner.<ref name="C&I_Conversation" />

==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]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/tab-hunter-dead-hollywood-actor-films-gay-anthony-perkins-allan-glaser-biopic-a8438286.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220526/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/tab-hunter-dead-hollywood-actor-films-gay-anthony-perkins-allan-glaser-biopic-a8438286.html |archive-date=May 26, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Veteran Hollywood actor Tab Hunter dies aged&nbsp;86 |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |first=Jacob |last=Stolworthy |date=July 9, 2018 |access-date=February 25, 2019}}</ref> According to his partner, Allan Glaser, Hunter's death was "sudden and unexpected."<ref>{{cite news |title=Tab Hunter, iconic 1950s actor, dead at 86 |first1=Lisa Respers |last1=France |first2=Stella |last2=Chan |date=July 11, 2018 |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/07/09/entertainment/tab-hunter-dead/index.html |publisher=CNN |access-date=February 25, 2019}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|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]]''
|-
| rowspan="2" |1953
| ''[[Gun Belt]]''
|Chip Ringo
|
|-
| ''[[The Steel Lady]]''
|Bill Larson
|also released under the title ''Treasure of Kalifa''
|-
| rowspan="2" |1954
| ''[[Return to Treasure Island (1954 film)|Return to Treasure Island]]''
|Clive Stone
|also narrator
|-
| ''[[Track of the Cat (film)|Track of the Cat]]''
|Harold Bridges
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1955
| ''[[Battle Cry (film)|Battle Cry]]''
|Danny Forrester
|
|-
| ''[[The Sea Chase]]''
|Cadet Wesser
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1956
| ''[[The Burning Hills]]''
|Trace Jordan
|
|-
| ''[[The Girl He Left Behind]]''
|Andy L. Shaeffer
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |1958
|''[[Gunman's Walk]]''
|Ed Hackett
|
|-
|''[[Lafayette Escadrille (film)|Lafayette Escadrille]]''
|Thad Walker
|
|-
|[[Damn Yankees (film)|''Damn Yankees'']]
|Joe Hardy
|also released under the title ''What Lola Wants'' in the UK
|-
| rowspan="2" |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 (1962 film)|The Golden Arrow]]''
|Hassan
|
|-
|1963
|''[[Operation Bikini]]''
|Lt. Morgan Hayes
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1964
|''[[Ride the Wild Surf]]''
|Steamer Lane
|
|-
|''[[Troubled Waters (1964 film)|Troubled Waters]]''
|Alex Carswell
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1965
|''[[City Under the Sea]]''
|Ben Harris
|released as ''War Gods of the Deep'' in the U.S.
|-
|''[[The Loved One (film)|The Loved One]]''
|Whispering Glades Tour Guide
|
|-
|1966
|''[[Birds Do It]]''
|Lt. Porter
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1967
|''[[The Fickle Finger of Fate]]''
|Jerry
|a.k.a. ''El Dedo del Destino'' and ''The Cup of San Sebastian''
|-
|''[[Hostile Guns]]''
|Mike Reno
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1968
|''[[Vengeance Is My Forgiveness]]''
|Sheriff Durango
|
|-
|''[[The Last Chance (1968 film)|The Last Chance]]''
|Patrick Harris
|
|-
|1969
|''[[Bridge over the Elbe]]''
|Richard
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |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 (film)|Polyester]]''
|Todd Tomorrow
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |1982
|''[[Pandemonium (1982 film)|Pandemonium]]''
|Blue Grange
|
|-
|''[[Grease 2]]''
|Mr. Stuart
|
|-
|''And They're Off''
|Henry Barclay
|
|-
|1985
|''[[Lust in the Dust]]''
|Abel Wood
|Executive producer
|-
| rowspan="3" |1988
|''[[Out of the Dark (1989 film)|Out of the Dark]]''
|Driver
|
|-
|''[[Grotesque (1988 film)|Grotesque]]''
|Rod
|
|-
|''[[Cameron's Closet]]''
|Owen Lansing
|Executive producer
|-
|1992
|''[[Dark Horse (1992 film)|Dark Horse]]''
|Perkins
|Executive producer and film story credit
|-
|2015
|''[[Tab Hunter Confidential]]''
|Self
|Autobiographical documentary
|-
|}

=== Television ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|1955
|''[[Ford Theatre|Ford Television Theatre]]''
|Gig Spevvy
|Episode: "While We're Young"
|-
|1955; 1957
|''[[Climax!]]''
|Jimmy Piersall
|{{Ubl|Episode: "[[Fear Strikes Out#1955 TV version|Fear Strikes Out]]" (1955)|Episode: "Mask for the Devil" (1957){{Snd}}No on-screen credit}}
|-
|1956
|[[Conflict (American TV series)|''Conflict'']]
|Donald McQuade
|Episode: "The People Against McQuade"
|-
|1956; 1958
|''[[Playhouse 90]]''
|Donald Bashor{{\}}Stanley Smith
|{{Ubl|Episode: "[[Forbidden Area#1956 TV adaptation|Forbidden Area]]" (1956)|Episode: "[[Portrait of a Murderer (Playhouse 90)|Portrait of a Murderer]]" (1958)}}
|-
|1958
|''[[Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates (film)|Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates]]''
|Hans Brinker
|TV film
|-
|1959
|''[[General Electric Theater]]''
|Daniel
|Episode: "Disaster"
|-
|{{nowrap|1960–61}}
|''[[The Tab Hunter Show]]''
|Paul Morgan
|32 episodes; Title character and producer
|-
| rowspan="2" |1962
|''[[Saints and Sinners (1962 TV series)|Saints and Sinners]]''
|Sergeant Eddie Manzak
|Episode: "Three Columns of Anger"
|-
|''[[Combat!]]''
|Del Packer
|Episode: "The Celebrity"
|-
|1964
|[[Burke's Law (1963 TV series)|''Burke's Law'']]
|Barney Blake
|Episode: "Who Killed Andy Zygmut?"
|-
| rowspan="2" |1970
|[[San Francisco International Airport (TV series)|''San Francisco International Airport'']]
|Stayczek
|1 episode
|-
|''[[The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian]]''
|Cart Banner
|Episode: "The Gift"
|-
|1971
|[[Disney anthology television series|''Disneyland'']]
|Tim Andrews
|Episode: "Hacksaw"; Rebroadcast and syndicated as two episodes.
|-
| rowspan="2" |1972
|''[[Cannon (TV series)|Cannon]]''
|Bob Neal
|Episode: "Treasure of St. Ignacio"
|-
|''[[Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law]]''
|Howard Reimer
|Episode: "Starting Over Again"
|-
|1973
|[[Ghost Story (TV series)|''Ghost Story'']]
|Bob Herrick
|Episode: "The Ghost of Potter's Field"
|-
|1975
|''[[The Six Million Dollar Man]]''
|Arnold Blake
|Episode: "The Cross-Country Kidnap"
|-
| rowspan="3" |1976
|[[Ellery Queen (TV series)|''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"
|-
| rowspan="2" |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
|-
| rowspan="3" |1978
|''[[Hawaii Five-O (1968 TV series)|Hawaii Five-O]]''
|Mel Burgess
|Episode: "Horoscope for Murder"
|-
|''[[Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold]]''
|Elliot Bender
|TV film
|-
|[[Police Woman (TV series)|''Police Woman'']]
|Martin Quinn
|"Blind Terror"
|-
|1979
|''[[The Kid from Left Field (1979 film)|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 (TV series)|''Strike Force'']]
|Vorhees
|Episode: "Night Nurse"
|-
| rowspan="3" |1982
|[[Benson (TV series)|''Benson'']]
|Roy Lucas
|season 4 episodes 1 & 2
|-
|[[Fridays (TV series)|''Fridays'']]
|Self-Guest Host
|season 3 episode 13
|-
|''[[Madame's Place]]''
|Self
|Episode: "Come Fly with Me"
|-
| rowspan="2" |1984
|''[[The Fall Guy]]''
|Anthony Haley
|Episode: "Bite of the Wasp"
|-
|[[Masquerade (TV series)|''Masquerade'']]
|Whitney
|Episode: "Spying Down to Rio"
|-
|1989
|''Hollywood on Horses''
|Self (presenter)
|[[Direct-to-video|Video]] documentary; credited as producer
|}

==Discography==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Title
! colspan="2"| Chart positions
|-
! style="width:45px;"|<small>[[Billboard Hot 100|US]]</small>
! style="width:45px;"|<small>UK</small>
|-
|rowspan="4"| 1957
|"[[Young Love (1956 song)|Young Love]]"
| style="text-align:center;"| 1
| style="text-align:center;"| 1
|-
|"[[Red Sails in the Sunset (song)|Red Sails in the Sunset]]"
| style="text-align:center;"| 57
| style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
|"Ninety-Nine Ways"
| style="text-align:center;"| 11
| style="text-align:center;"| 5
|-
|"[[Don't Get Around Much Anymore]]"
| style="text-align:center;"| 74
| style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
| 1958
|"[[Jealous Heart]]"
| style="text-align:center;"| 62
| style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1959
|"[[(I'll Be with You) In Apple Blossom Time]]"
| style="text-align:center;"| 31
| style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
|"There's No Fool Like a Young Fool"
| style="text-align:center;"| 68
| style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1962
|"[[Born to Lose (Ted Daffan song)|Born to Lose]]" /<br />"[[I Can't Stop Loving You]]"<ref name="Billboard 28 Apr 1962">{{cite magazine | title=Spotlight Singles of the Week | magazine = [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] | issn=0006-2510 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IhYEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Tab+Hunter%22&pg=PA31 | language=en | access-date=March 21, 2025 | page=31|date=April 28, 1962}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"|
|}

===Roles Turned Down===
According to Hunter, he turned down the following roles:
* the lead in ''Darby's Rangers''
* the lead in ''Bombers B-52''
* replacing Paul Newman on Broadway in ''Sweet Bird of Youth''

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Tab Hunter}}
* {{Official site|http://www.tabhunter.com/}}
* {{AFI person | 144226-Tab-Hunter }}
* {{IMDb name}}
* {{Tcmdb name}}
* {{IBDB name}}
* {{Discogs artist|Tab Hunter}}
* [http://vimeo.com/4768984 Half-Hour TV Interview] via Vimeo.com
* {{Find a Grave|191236409}}
{{FilmOut Programming Award}}{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunter, Tab}}
[[Category:1931 births]]
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[[Category:20th-century American LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
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[[Category:21st-century American male actors]]
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[[Category:American gay writers]]
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[[Category:Burials at Santa Barbara Cemetery]]
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[[Category:Deaths from thrombosis]]
[[Category:Dot Records artists]]
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[[Category:United States Coast Guard personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Warner Bros. contract players]]
[[Category:Warner Records artists]]