These Iconic Photos Of Tab Hunter Show A Rarely Seen Side To The Star

In every Hollywood era, there’s always a “golden boy.” And if you were around back in the 1950s, then that guy was Tab Hunter. People just couldn’t get enough of his boy-next-door good looks and classic charm! Yet behind the scenes the star had a side that he chose to hide from the public. And the reason that Hunter lived this secret life is truly sad.

The ‘sigh guy’

With his sculpted jaw and broadly masculine features, Hunter came to epitomize an idea of manliness that existed in America during the mid-20th century. The actor had a charm and wholesomeness that people seemed drawn to, and it made him a star. Known by his nickname the “sigh guy,” he took the country by storm.

Star power

At his pinnacle in the ’50s, Hunter was appearing in audience favorites such as Damn Yankees, Battle Cry and The Burning Hills. Things slowed down a little after that, but then in the 1980s he proved the longevity of his appeal. Yes, the movie Polyester put Hunter back on the map once again at the turn of that decade.

A different boy next door

But behind all the glitz and glamor of Hollywood movies, Hunter was a very different person to the one people imagined him to be. As he wrote in his 2005 memoir Tab Hunter Confidential, “In my professional life, I longed to be more than the sigh guy. In my personal life, I was quite a different boy next door than the one Mr. and Mrs. Middle America imagined me to be.”

A rich legacy

Hunter was, of course, more than just a handsome Hollywood star. He lived a life of his own – away from the glare of the public and the gossipers. And even though the actor has gone now, he leaves behind quite the legacy. Hunter is an icon to many people, and not just because of his performances on the screen.

East to west

Tab Hunter arrived in the world on July 11, 1931, though he wasn’t always known by that name. His parents named him Arthur Andrew Kelm, and the future star was born in Manhattan, New York City. When Hunter was still young, though, his mom and dad broke up and he and his mother moved out to California. And it’s here where the actor grew up.

A tall tale

Aged just 15, Hunter reportedly signed up to join the United States Coast Guard. Apparently, the teen convinced recruiters that he was older than his real age! Eventually his lie was exposed, though, and Hunter was kicked out. Now, then, he needed a new career path.

A consequential meeting

Soon after his discharge from the Coast Guard, Hunter ended up in Los Angeles, where he aimed to make it as an actor. According to Redbook magazine, he ended up meeting a really successful agent by the name of Henry Willson. And with that, the young man’s life was about to change forever.

Making stars

Willson had apparently developed a reputation around Hollywood for helping handsome young men become outright stars. The talent had already catapulted figures such as Robert Wagner and Rock Hudson into fame, and now he had a new project. In Willson’s opinion, this new kid had the potential to make it big.

A new name

First off, though, Willson was adamant that the name “Arthur Andrew Kelm” wouldn’t do. As per IndieWire, he supposedly said to the young actor, “We’ve got to tab you something.” This is apparently what led to the kid’s new first name, while “Hunter” came about because of his love of horseback riding. That is, he used to ride on “hunters and jumpers.”

Pay to the order of

In those early days, the wannabe star Hunter really wasn’t too keen on his new name. But Willson was very persuasive – eventually breaking the kid down and convincing him to stick with his new moniker. IndieWire notes that he said to Hunter, “Once you see, ‘On pay to the order of,’ it won’t be so bad.”

Getting to work

Willson clearly knew what he was doing, because it wasn’t long before his young client Hunter was cast in his first movie. This was 1950’s The Lawless, which represented quite the achievement for a young man with no previous experience in film. But it was Hunter’s second flick Island of Desire that really brought him some attention in 1952.

Honing his craft

Next came a trio of B-movies, which all helped Hunter hone his craft as an actor. These were The Steel Lady and Gun Belt – both of which came out in 1953 and the following year’s Return to Treasure Island. These movies weren’t exactly blockbusters, but they offered great training for Hunter as he entered the next stage of his career.

Snapped up

Hunter’s hard work had paid off by 1955, when he was snapped up by Warner Bros. With that deal, he’d soon become an outright star and his “boy next door” image was set to be known far and wide. Hunter appeared in his first movie for Warner Bros. that year, which was the World War II flick The Sea Chase.

Beating legends

The same year as The Sea Chase came out, Hunter also showed up in another World War II epic called Battle Cry. As a testament to his charm, it’s been said that he actually beat legendary leading men Paul Newman and James Dean to the part. Yep, not many people can say that!

A star is born

Battle Cry did wonders for Hunter’s career, as it showed off his more serious side. Up until that point, the star’s acting skills had taken a back seat to his good looks and general charisma. But this movie proved that he had impressive acting chops, too. A star had well and truly been born.

Many strings to his bow

Hunter was much more than a pretty face and a talented actor, though. He also had a fine singing voice, which he proved in 1957 with the release of a single. His performance of “Young Love” soared in the charts – even making it to number one. It also showed once and for all that there were many strings to Hunter’s bow.

An unexpected consequence

The success of the chart-topping “Young Love” actually had an unexpected consequence, according to Redbook magazine. Realizing how popular Hunter’s song was, execs at Warner Bros. apparently decided that the company needed to set up a record label. With that, Warner Bros. Records was born, which meant Hunter could release his music through the same company that held his acting contract.

The golden boy

As the 1950s came to a close, Hunter had become the golden boy of Hollywood. Movies such as Damn Yankees, Lafayette Escadrille and They Came to Cordura all added to his appeal. And all this meant that Tab Hunter would sit alongside the likes of James Dean as one of the decade’s ultimate stars.

Created by God... or the devil

George Abbot directed Hunter in the musical film Damn Yankees, so he obviously came to know the star well. Speaking of the actor, the talent really summed up why people were so drawn to him. According to The Guardian, Abbot said, “He had a face that was so handsome that it didn’t look real. He could have been a composite man created by God... or the devil!”

A dip in the tale

Hunter’s popularity must have seemed unshakeable by the end of the ’50s. But as things turned out, this was actually the peak of his career. The 1960s, in fact, represented something of a dip for the actor. He actually negotiated his way out of his Warner Bros. contract around this time – reportedly coughing up $100,000 in order to get out of the deal.

End of an era

Over the next few years, then, Hunter’s career never really managed to recover. The star still showed up in movies, and he even had his own TV show for a while. The Tab Hunter Show wasn’t broadcast for very long, though, and his movie appearances didn’t set the world alight. Sadly, his time as Hollywood’s golden boy appeared to be well and truly over.

On stage

Still, Hunter managed to keep himself busy. He even took to the stage in 1964 – appearing on Broadway in The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore. The production didn’t do too well, though, and it only ran for a small number of nights. Sadly, the actor wasn’t about to reinvent himself as a star of Broadway anytime soon.

European dream

Hunter actually left the States for a while throughout the 1960s and ’70s – taking up residence in Europe. Relaxing in places like Monte Carlo and Rome, the actor was exposed to a new pace of life compared to Hollywood. Still, though, it seems he wanted to return to America to keep some horses.

Modest ambitions

By 1973 Hunter had decided to properly follow his ambition. He rented out some ranches in Oregon and Virginia, which he paid for with his acting talents. Instead of appearing in Hollywood movies, though, Hunter went on tour performing with a dinner theater troupe. It wasn’t quite as glitzy as his past life, but it supported him.

A comeback

In the late 1970s, though, Hunter attempted a bit of a comeback. This started out with an appearance in the TV show Forever Fernwood, but it really came to fruition with the movie Polyester. Directed by John Waters, this flick also starred drag artist Divine and really showed another side to Hunter.

A new man

Polyester proved to be really popular – with Hunter and Divine making a surprisingly effective duo. They took advantage of this chemistry again in 1985, when they both starred in Lust in the Dust. Decades after he’d first made his name as a handsome boy next door, Hunter had now reinvented himself in the public eye.

Dark Horse

Hunter carried on making movies, and his last-ever appearance came in 1992’s Dark Horse. The actor was very much involved in this film behind the scenes, too – taking on some additional roles beyond his acting. Hunter apparently came up with the story for the movie himself, and he produced it alongside a man named Allan Glaser.

Leaving a legacy

Even though he never made another movie or TV show after Dark Horse, Hunter lived a quieter life for many more years. The star reached the ripe old age of 86 before passing away in the summer of 2018. Leaving behind a decades-spanning body of work, the star’s story had now come to an end.

Stepping out

Tab Hunter had been one of the most popular movie stars on the planet for a time, but there’d been a side of his life that he’d kept hidden from public view for most of his career. Though in 2005 the star published his memoir, and he elaborated on that secret. For the first time in his public life, Hunter stated that he was gay.

Tough times

At the height of his fame, Hunter had been forced to put up with a lot because of his sexuality. Times were tough for gay people back in the ’50s, and being in the public eye presumably didn’t make things easier. The press would frequently gossip about the star’s love life – often in a very bigoted manner.

Asking no questions

In 2015 a documentary developed from Hunter’s memoir came out. And in it, he reflected on how film execs dealt with his sexuality. The actor explained, “Jack Warner [the head of Warner Bros.] and I never discussed my sexuality whatsoever. I was making a lot of money for them. As long as I didn’t destroy that image they were creating, that was important to them.”

Hidden relationship

So, in public, Hunter played the part of the all-American heartthrob and concealed his true sexual identity. But in the star’s private life, he had relationships. His first proper one, in fact, was with the Olympic skater Ronnie Robertson. The couple tried not to be observed in public very often, though Hunter did show up at the 1956 world figure skating championship where his partner was competing.

A-list couple

Hunter and Robertson weren’t meant to be, it seems, and eventually the actor moved on. He later started seeing Anthony Perkins – best known for portraying Norman Bates in Pyscho. Speaking of his fellow star in the documentary about his life, Hunter reflected, “I had a wonderful relationship with him.”

In disguise

Hunter also spoke about his relationship with the actor in a chat with The New York Times. Remembering the secretive way they were forced to act, he explained, “I know when [Perkins] and I went to the movies, he would say, ‘Let’s go in disguise.’ We always wore baseball caps. Or he’d say, ‘You go at a certain time. I’ll go later.’ I knew people were talking. I didn’t like that.”

Growing apart

Over time, it became clear to Hunter and Perkins that their relationship wasn’t going to go much further. Apparently, Perkins once told Hunter that execs at his studio Paramount were against the relationship and wanted to put a stop to it. With that, then, the pair “grew apart,” as Hunter put it in his documentary.

Happy ever after

In the end, Hunter would find a long-term partner in Allan Glaser: the man he helped to produce the movie Dark Horse. The pair were together for 36 years – right up until Hunter passed away in 2018. In fact, it was Glaser who really pushed the actor to come out in his memoir.

Tongues wagging

Speaking in an interview in 2015, Hunter explained that Glaser had advised him to talk about his sexuality in the memoir because someone else was planning to gossip about it themselves. The actor told Slant magazine, “[Glaser] said to me, ‘I hear there’s going to be [a] book done on you. I think you should write a book. And I said, ‘Who would want to read a book about me?’ He said, ‘You’d be surprised.’”

From the horse’s mouth

Hunter went on, “So I thought I better get it from the horse’s mouth, not from some horse’s ass after I’m dead and gone. Because people who never knew you will put a spin on your life and make up whatever the heck they want. And that’s not fair. You know, I have nothing to hide.”

A gay icon

As things turned out, Hunter’s admission about his sexuality turned him into something of a gay icon. Coming as he did from a very conservative time, and the fact that he was willing to speak about his sexuality was inspiring to many people. In the end, then, the legacy that the star leaves behind extends far beyond his movies. He’s rightly a hero to a lot of people.