Tab Hunter: The Life Story Behind Hollywood's Handsome Star

Tab Hunter was the kind of star who seemed to have been made in a Hollywood dream factory, with blond hair, blue eyes, a bright smile, and a voice that made teenage girls scream in the 1950s. He was a singer, an actor, and a heartthrob, and for a few years he was one of the most popular young men in America. Yet behind that perfect image there was a young man who had grown up poor, who had joined the Coast Guard as a teenager, and who had to hide a central part of who he was, because Hollywood in the 1950s would not allow a leading man to be openly gay. His later honesty about that secret, in a memoir published fifty years later, made him a hero to a new generation.

He was born Arthur Andrew Kelm on 11 July 1931 in New York City, the son of German immigrants, and he grew up in California after his family moved there when he was still young. His parents divorced, his father left, and young Arthur, who would later become Tab Hunter, was raised by his mother, Gertrude, a strong and loving woman who worked hard to support her two sons. He grew up in a modest home, he loved horses, he loved the outdoors, and he dreamed of a life that was bigger than the one he knew.

He joined the United States Coast Guard when he was still a teenager, lying about his age to get in, and he served for a short time before being discharged. After that, he worked in different jobs, he rode horses, and he was discovered by a talent agent who saw him riding a horse and who thought he had the looks to be a star. He was given a new name, Tab Hunter, and a contract with Warner Bros., and he became a star almost overnight, even though he had no acting training and no experience on stage.

A New York Birth and a California Childhood

Tab Hunter was born Arthur Kelm in New York City on 11 July 1931, the son of Charles Kelm, a German immigrant, and Gertrude Gelien, who was also of German descent. His parents divorced when Arthur was young, and his father left the family, a loss that stayed with Arthur for the rest of his life. His mother moved with her two sons to California, where she tried to build a new life, working hard to support her family in a modest home in San Francisco and later in Long Beach.

As a boy, Arthur was handsome, athletic, and quiet, and he loved horses more than almost anything else. He spent time at stables, he learned to ride, and he dreamed of becoming a cowboy or a horse trainer, a life that seemed more real to him than the world of school and city life. He was not a natural student, and he did not always do well in his classes, but he was good with animals, good with his hands, and good at making friends with people who shared his love of the outdoors.

He also loved films, and he went to the cinema whenever he could, watching Westerns and adventure films and dreaming of a life on screen. He was a handsome boy, with blond hair and blue eyes, and people often told him that he should try acting, but he did not take those suggestions seriously at first. He thought of himself as an ordinary boy from California, not as a future movie star, and he had no idea how his life would change in the years to come.

When he was fifteen, he joined the United States Coast Guard, lying about his age to get in, because he wanted to see the world and to get away from home. He served for a short time, but he was discharged when the Coast Guard discovered that he was underage. That experience gave him a taste of military life, and it also gave him a sense of independence, a feeling that he could take care of himself and make his own decisions, even when he was still very young.

Discovery, a New Name, and Warner Bros.

After leaving the Coast Guard, Hunter worked in different jobs in California, including as a stable hand, where he looked after horses and where he was happy to be outdoors. It was at a horse show that he was discovered by Henry Willson, the same talent agent who had discovered Rock Hudson, a man who was known for finding handsome young men and turning them into stars. Willson saw Hunter riding a horse, he liked his looks, his height, and his natural charm, and he offered him a contract, giving him the new name Tab Hunter, a name that sounded exciting and modern.

Hunter had no acting training, and he had to learn on the job, taking acting lessons, working in small parts, and studying how other actors worked on a film set. He was signed to Warner Bros., and he was given a series of roles in films that used his looks and his youth, playing soldiers, cowboys, and romantic leads. He was patient, he was willing to learn, and he was grateful for the chance he had been given, even though he knew that he was still learning his craft.

His first major film was The Lawless in 1950, a small drama, and he followed it with other films that gave him more experience. He was a handsome young man, and audiences, especially teenage girls, loved him, writing him fan letters and following his career in magazines. He was becoming a teen idol, a star who was known as much for his looks as for his acting, and Hollywood was investing in him, giving him better roles and better publicity, because they believed he could become a major star.

By the mid 1950s, he was one of the most popular young actors in America, and he was also becoming a singer, recording songs that became hits with young audiences. He was a star in two worlds, film and music, and he was enjoying the fame, even as he worked hard to improve his acting and to be taken seriously as an artist, not just as a handsome face.

Battle Cry, Damn Yankees, and Teen Idol Fame

The film that made Tab Hunter a true star was Battle Cry in 1955, a war drama directed by Raoul Walsh, about a group of young Marines training for combat in the Pacific during the Second World War. Hunter played Danny Forrester, a young and innocent Marine who falls in love and who has to grow up fast in the face of war. The film was a huge success, and audiences loved Hunter as a brave, handsome, and sympathetic young soldier. It was a role that suited him perfectly, because he was young, he was handsome, and he had a natural warmth that made the character feel real.

He followed that success with other popular films, including The Burning Hills in 1956, a Western, and The Girl He Left Behind in 1956, a comedy about a young man in the Army. He was becoming known as a reliable leading man, a star who could carry a film and who could appeal to young audiences. He also recorded music, and in 1957 he had a number one hit with the song Young Love, a sweet and simple love song that became one of the biggest hits of the year. The song made him a pop star as well as a film star, and it showed that he had a talent for singing that many people had not expected.

In 1958, he starred in Damn Yankees, a musical film based on the Broadway hit, in which he played Joe Hardy, a middle aged baseball fan who makes a deal with the devil to become a young baseball star and to help his favourite team, the Washington Senators, beat the New York Yankees. The film was a bright, funny, and energetic musical, and Hunter played Joe with a charm and a athleticism that made the role work. He sang, he danced, and he played baseball, and audiences loved him for it. The film was a success, and it showed that Hunter could handle a musical as well as a drama or a Western.

During these years, Hunter was at the height of his fame, and he was one of the most popular young stars in America. He was on magazine covers, he was on television, and he was followed by fans wherever he went. He was a teen idol, a role that brought him fame and money, but that also brought pressure, because he had to maintain a perfect image, and because he had to hide a part of who he was from the public.

A Secret Life and the Pressure of the Image

Behind the perfect image of the blond, blue eyed teen idol, Tab Hunter lived a private life that he had to hide from the world. He was gay, in a time when Hollywood would not allow a leading man to be openly gay, and when being gay could end a career overnight. His studio, Warner Bros., worked hard to protect his image, arranging dates with young actresses, planting stories in fan magazines, and making sure that the public saw him as a romantic hero who was interested in women. Hunter went along with that image, because he knew that his career depended on it, and because he was afraid of what would happen if the truth came out.

He had relationships with men, including a long and loving relationship with the actor Anthony Perkins, who was also a star who had to hide his sexuality, and with other men who understood the pressure he was under. Those relationships were private, and they were kept secret from the public, from the press, and from the studio, because exposure would have meant the end of his career. It was a lonely way to live, and it took a toll on Hunter, who often felt that he could not be himself, even with the people who loved him most.

The pressure of maintaining a false image also affected his work, because he was often cast in roles that did not suit him, playing romantic leads in films that asked him to be a heterosexual hero, when his own life was very different. He did the work professionally, and he was always prepared and always on time, but he knew that he was playing a part off screen as well as on it, and that part was exhausting. He was a kind and gentle man, and he did not like to lie, but he felt that he had no choice, because Hollywood in the 1950s gave him no other option.

In the 1960s, his film career began to slow down, as younger actors took the leading roles, and as the studio system changed. He worked in television, he appeared in Westerns, and he took on smaller roles, but he was no longer the teen idol he had been. He was still a handsome man, and he was still a talented actor, but the world had moved on, and he had to find a new way to live and to work, away from the glare of the Hollywood spotlight.

Polyester, a Memoir, and Honesty at Last

In the 1980s, Hunter found a new kind of fame when he appeared in Polyester in 1981, a comedy directed by John Waters, a cult film maker known for his strange and funny films. Hunter played Todd Tomorrow, a handsome and charming man who falls in love with a housewife played by Divine, a drag performer who was a star in Waters’s films. The film was a campy, funny, and subversive comedy, and Hunter played his role with a sense of humour and a willingness to laugh at his own image as a 1950s heartthrob. The film was a success with cult audiences, and it introduced Hunter to a new generation of fans who loved his work for its irony and its warmth.

He also worked on television, appearing in shows such as The Tab Hunter Show in the early 1960s, a sitcom about a young bachelor in California, and in other series that kept him working and kept him in touch with audiences. He was a professional who never stopped working, even when the big film roles were gone, and he was respected by directors and actors for his kindness, his humour, and his professionalism.

The most important moment of his later life came in 2005, when he published his memoir, Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star, a book in which he finally told the truth about his life, about being gay, about the pressure of hiding his sexuality, and about the relationships he had kept secret for fifty years. The book was a success, and it was praised for its honesty, its warmth, and its humour. It gave Hunter a new kind of fame, not as a teen idol, but as a brave man who had lived a difficult life and who was finally willing to tell the truth about it. The book was later made into a documentary film, also called Tab Hunter Confidential, in 2015, which brought his story to an even wider audience.

He lived in California with his partner, Allan Glaser, a film producer whom he had met in the 1980s, and with whom he stayed for more than thirty years, until his death. Glaser was a loving and supportive partner, and he helped Hunter to write his memoir and to tell his story. Hunter died on 8 July 2018 in Santa Barbara, California, at the age of eighty seven, after suffering a blood clot, and he was mourned by fans and by actors who remembered him as a kind, handsome, and brave man.

Television, Westerns, and a Working Actor in the 1960s

In the 1960s, Tab Hunter’s film career began to slow down, as younger actors took the leading roles and as the studio system that had made him a star began to change. He did not give up, and he did not leave Hollywood. He worked in television, appearing in his own sitcom, The Tab Hunter Show, from 1960 to 1961, a light comedy about a young bachelor in California who runs a surf shop and who gets into funny situations with his friends. The show was a modest success, and it showed Hunter as a charming, funny, and likeable television star, a man who could make audiences laugh in their own homes, week after week.

He also worked in Westerns, a genre he loved, appearing in films such as Gunman’s Walk in 1958, a Western about a father and son who are on opposite sides of the law, and in other films that used his love of horses and his athletic ability. He was a good rider, he was comfortable on a horse, and he brought a natural, outdoor energy to those roles that made them feel real. He also appeared in war films, in dramas, and in comedies, taking on a wide range of roles, because he loved to work and because he wanted to keep learning as an actor, even when the big film roles were gone.

During these years, he also recorded music, he appeared on stage, and he worked in Europe, making films in Italy and in other countries where his name was still popular. He was a professional who turned up on set, knew his lines, and gave his best, even when the film was not a great one, because he believed that every role deserved his full attention. That professionalism earned him respect from directors and actors, and it kept him working for decades, long after many other teen idols had disappeared from Hollywood.

He lived in California, he kept his love of horses, and he built a life that was quieter than the life of a teen idol, but that was also happier, because he was surrounded by friends who knew the truth about him and who loved him for who he was. He was a kind and gentle man, and he was known for his warmth, his humour, and his willingness to help young actors who were starting out, sharing what he had learned about Hollywood, about fame, and about how to survive in a business that can be cruel to people who are no longer young.

A Quiet Life in California and a Lasting Love

Tab Hunter lived a quiet life in California in his later years, with his partner Allan Glaser, in a home that was filled with books, with art, and with memories of a long career in film and television. He did not seek publicity, he did not chase fame, and he did not try to be a teen idol again. He was content to live with the man he loved, to write his memoir, to meet fans who remembered his films, and to enjoy the simple pleasures of a life that was finally honest, after fifty years of hiding.

That quiet life was a happy one, and it was a fitting end to a long and complicated story, because it showed that Hunter had finally found what he had been looking for all his life, which was not fame, not money, but love, honesty, and peace. He died in 2018, surrounded by the people who loved him, and he was remembered as a kind, handsome, and brave man, a star who had finally told the truth about who he was.

He was also a man who loved to sing, and his hit song Young Love, which became a number one hit in 1957, showed a talent for music that many people had not expected from a film star. He sang with a sweet, simple voice, and the song became one of the biggest hits of the year, making him a pop star as well as a film star, and giving him a second career that brought him fame, money, and a new audience of young fans who loved his music.

He was also a man who loved California, the state where he grew up, where he learned to ride horses, where he was discovered, and where he lived for most of his life, and that love of California, of its sun, its beaches, and its open spaces, stayed with him until the end, giving him a home that was his own, away from the noise of Hollywood.

My Take:

When I think about Tab Hunter, I think about a man who had to hide who he was for most of his life, and who finally found the courage to tell the truth when he was in his seventies. That is a powerful story, because it shows that it is never too late to be honest, and that honesty can bring a new kind of freedom, even after fifty years of silence. I admire him for writing his memoir, because it must have been hard to look back on a life of secrets and to decide to share it with the world. He did it anyway, and that bravery matters.

I admire his early films, especially Battle Cry, because they show a young man who was handsome, brave, and sympathetic, and who had a natural warmth that made audiences love him. He was not a trained actor, but he had a presence, a charm, and a sincerity that made his characters feel real. Battle Cry is a war film, but it is also a film about young men growing up, about love, loss, and courage, and Hunter plays his part with a gentle honesty that still works today.

What I love most about his story is his love of horses, because it shows a different side of him from the Hollywood heartthrob. He was a boy who loved animals, who worked in stables, and who was discovered while riding a horse, and that love of the outdoors stayed with him for his whole life. It is a reminder that stars are not just images on a screen. They are real people, with real interests, real passions, and real lives that go beyond the films they make.

I also think about the pressure he faced as a teen idol, and how hard it must have been to maintain a perfect image while hiding a central part of who he was. He was young, he was famous, and he was told to pretend to be someone else, to go on dates with actresses, to smile for the cameras, and to never tell the truth about his private life. That is a heavy burden for a young man, and I feel sympathy for him, because no one should have to live like that, and because the world has changed since then, partly because men like Hunter finally told their stories.

His relationship with Anthony Perkins is a part of his story that I think about with sadness, because both men were stars who had to hide, and both men loved each other in a time when that love could not be spoken about openly. That is a tragic part of Hollywood history, and it is a reminder of how much talent and happiness was lost because of prejudice. I am glad that Hunter lived long enough to tell that story, and to be honest about a love that had been kept secret for so long.

What I find most inspiring about Polyester is that it shows Hunter laughing at his own image. He played a handsome man in a campy comedy, opposite Divine, a drag queen, and he did it with humour and grace, not with embarrassment. That takes a special kind of courage, because it means being willing to let people laugh at the image you once worked so hard to protect. Hunter did that, and he did it well, and the film introduced him to a new audience who loved him for his sense of humour and his willingness to try something new.

I am moved by his long relationship with Allan Glaser, because it shows that Hunter finally found a lasting love, a partner who stayed with him for more than thirty years, who helped him to write his memoir, and who was with him until the end. That is a beautiful part of his story, because it shows that even after a life of secrets, a person can find happiness, can find someone who loves them for who they are, and can build a life together based on truth and trust. That is a hopeful message, and it is one that I think many people need to hear.

There is a sadness in his story too, which is that he had to wait until he was seventy four to tell the truth about his life. He lost fifty years of honesty, fifty years when he could have been open, could have been himself, and could have lived without fear. That loss cannot be undone, but his memoir helped other people who were still hiding, and it helped the world to understand the cost of prejudice. That is a valuable legacy, even if it came late.

What I learn from Tab Hunter is that a perfect image is not a real life. He had the perfect image, the blond hair, the blue eyes, the hit song, the successful films, but his real life was more complicated, more painful, and more human than the image suggested. That does not make his films less valuable. It makes them more valuable, because they show a man who gave his best to his audience, even when his own life was difficult. That is a generous way to live, and it is a lesson for anyone who thinks that fame means happiness.

I think about the young boy from California who loved horses, and who became a star, and I wonder what he would say to a young person today who is afraid to be honest about who they are. I think he would say, be patient, be brave, and tell the truth when you are ready, because the truth will set you free, even if it takes a long time. That is a good message, and it is one that I hope young people will hear when they read his memoir or watch the documentary about his life.

In the end, I see Tab Hunter as a man who lived two lives, one in public, as a handsome teen idol, and one in private, as a gay man who loved other men and who had to hide that love. He finally brought those two lives together in his memoir, and in doing so, he became a hero to a new generation, not just as a star, but as a brave and honest man. His films will be watched for many years, but his honesty will be remembered even longer, because it helped to change the world, even a little, for the better.

I keep thinking about Young Love, his hit song, and how sweet and simple it sounds, and how that song hid a more complex truth about love. He sang about young love, but his own young love had to be kept secret, and that is a sad irony. I am glad that he lived long enough to sing a different kind of song, a song of truth, in his memoir, and that people listened to it with respect and with love.

When I watch his films now, I do not just see a handsome star. I see a man who worked hard, who loved horses, who loved other men, who hid his truth for fifty years, and who finally found the courage to tell it. That is a human story, and it is one that deserves to be remembered, not just for the glamour, but for the bravery behind it.

I also think about his television work, because it shows a man who was willing to adapt when film roles became fewer. He did not give up, and he did not become bitter. He worked on television, he made Westerns, he recorded music, and he kept his sense of humour, even when the world had moved on from teen idols. That adaptability is a valuable lesson, because careers change, audiences change, and a person who can adapt, who can find new ways to work, will survive longer than a person who clings to the past. Hunter adapted, and that is why he was still working, still loved, and still relevant in his eighties.

Another thing that stays with me is his love of horses, and how that love gave him a life outside Hollywood. He was not just a star. He was a man who loved animals, who loved the outdoors, and who found peace in a stable, away from cameras and premieres. That is a healthy way to live, because fame can be overwhelming, and a person needs a place to go, a thing to do, that is not about fame. Horses gave Hunter that place, and that peace, and I think that is one of the reasons he was able to survive the pressures of Hollywood for so long.

I think about his work in Westerns, and how his love of horses made those roles feel real. He was not pretending to be a cowboy. He was a man who knew horses, who could ride, and who understood the world of the West, even if he had grown up in California. That knowledge made his performances feel honest, and it is a reminder that the best acting often comes from real experience, not just from a script. Hunter brought his real life to his films, and audiences could feel the difference.

There is also a lesson here about the value of persistence. Hunter was a teen idol in the 1950s, he was a television star in the 1960s, he was a cult film star in the 1980s, and he was a memoirist in the 2000s. Each decade brought a new chapter, a new kind of work, and a new audience, and he embraced each one with humour and grace. That is a remarkable career, not because it was always successful, but because it was always honest, always hard working, and always willing to try something new.

Finally, I think about his memoir, and how it gave him a new kind of fame, not as a heartthrob, but as a brave man who told the truth. That is a powerful ending to a long life, because it shows that it is never too late to be honest, and that honesty can bring a new kind of freedom, even after fifty years of silence. I hope young people who read his memoir will understand that, and that they will be braver about telling their own truths, because Hunter showed them that it is possible, and that it is worth doing.

I also think about how his honesty in his memoir gave hope to other people who were still hiding, and how that honesty changed the way the world saw him, from a teen idol to a brave man who told the truth. That is a powerful transformation, and it shows that it is never too late to be honest, and that honesty can bring a new kind of freedom.

When I watch his films now, I see a man who worked hard, who loved horses, who loved other men, and who finally found the courage to tell his story. That is a human story, and it is one that deserves to be remembered with respect and with love.

I also think about how his love of horses gave him a life outside Hollywood, a place to go, a thing to do, that was not about fame, and that peace helped him to survive the pressures of being a teen idol. He was not just a star. He was a man who loved animals, who loved the outdoors, and who found happiness in simple things, away from cameras and premieres.

When I watch his films now, I see a man who worked hard, who loved other men, who hid his truth for fifty years, and who finally found the courage to tell it. That is a brave story, and it is one that deserves to be remembered with respect, with compassion, and with love.

In the end, I will remember Tab Hunter as a handsome star who became a brave and honest man, a man who showed the world that it is never too late to tell the truth, and that honesty can set you free.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Tab Hunter’s real name?

He was born Arthur Andrew Kelm on 11 July 1931 in New York City, the son of German immigrants, and he later changed his name to Tab Hunter when he signed with Warner Bros.

How did Tab Hunter become famous?

He became famous through Battle Cry in 1955, playing a young Marine, and through his hit song Young Love in 1957, which became a number one hit and made him a teen idol.

Did Tab Hunter serve in the military?

Yes, he joined the United States Coast Guard at fifteen, lying about his age, and served for a short time before being discharged when his real age was discovered.

What was Tab Hunter’s memoir about?

His memoir, Tab Hunter Confidential, published in 2005, told the truth about his life as a gay man in Hollywood, the pressure to hide his sexuality, and his relationships that had been kept secret.

Who was Tab Hunter’s long term partner?

His long term partner was Allan Glaser, a film producer whom he met in the 1980s, and with whom he lived for more than thirty years until his death in 2018.

When did Tab Hunter die?

He died on 8 July 2018 in Santa Barbara, California, at the age of eighty seven, after suffering a blood clot, and he was mourned by fans who remembered him as a kind and brave star.