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  • tabhunterconfidential_001_Tab_Against_Blue.jpgTAB HUNTER


    Information from IMDb


    Date of Birth
    11 July 1931, New York City, New York, USA


    Birth Name
    Arthur Andrew Kelm


    Nickname
    the Sigh Guy


    Height
    6' (1.83 m)


    Trivia
    Had a #1 hit record, "Young Love", in 1957.


    Born at 3:00am EDT


    His bare chest was chosen to adorn the cover of Donald Reuter's book: "Shirtless! The Hollywood Male Physique."


    He co-executive produced and hosted the cable television series Hollywood on Horses (1989) (V).


    Following the likes of Richard Chamberlain, Tab released his tell-all 2005 memoir revealing his homosexuality. The book entitled "Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star" outlines a late 1950s relationship with actor Anthony Perkins that lasted several years. Other briefer flings mentioned included dancer Rudolf Nureyev, actor Scott Marlowe and ice-skater Ronnie Robertson. The book was actually written in 2003 but held in release for two years.


    Was once arrested following an L.A. raid on a "pajama party" in Walnut Park in 1950. Tab was eventually fined $50 for a reduced "disorderly conduct" charge after originally being charged with "idle, lewd or dissolute conduct."


    The name "Tab Hunter" came from agent Henry Willson who wanted to "tab" the actor wannabe with a catchy new name. "Hunter" came from his skills as a horseman who rode hunters and jumpers.


    Had a lifelong love for horses.


    The younger of two boys, older brother Walt died in Vietnam in 1965 leaving seven children.


    On December 23, 1980, he suffered a heart attack at age 49 while skiing in Taos, New Mexico. In March 1991, he suffered a stroke. He recovered from both.


    He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6320 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.


    Hunter and his companion Allan Glaser met in 1983. The couple co-produced the films Lust in the Dust (1985) and Dark Horse (1992/I).


    Was Warner Bros. Records' first signee.


    Mini Biography-1
    He enlisted in the Coast Guard at age 15 (he lied about his age) and, at 18 made his film debut in The Dividing Line (1950). He had no previous acting experience. Though his acting was stiff and unimaginative, 1950s teenagers adored his blond, boy-next-door appearance and physique. His best-known early film was Battle Cry (1955). The role most remembered today is the part of Joe Hardy in What Lola Wants (1958). In 1960-1 he had his own TV series "The Tab Hunter Show" (1960), and he appeared regularly as George Shumway in TV's "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" (1976). He co-starred three times with female impersonator Divine: Polyester (1981), Out of the Dark (1988), and Lust in the Dust (1985). He wrote the story for his most recent (his 32nd) movie Dark Horse (1992/I), directed by David Hemmings.
    IMDb Mini Biography By: Ed Stephan


    Mini Biography-2
    Dreamy Tab Hunter goes down in the film annals as one of the hottest teen film idols of the 50s era. With blond, tanned, surfer-boy good looks, he was artificially groomed and nicknamed "The Sigh Guy" by the Hollywood studio system, yet managed to continue his career long after his "golden boy" prime. He was born Arthur Kelm in New York City on July 11, 1931, the younger of two sons of Charles Kelm and Gertrude Gelien. His childhood was marred by an abusive father and, following his parents' divorce, his mother moved the children to California, changing their last names to her maiden name of Gelien. Leaving school and joining the Coast Guard at age 15 (he lied about his age), he was eventually discharged when the age deception was revealed. Returning home, his life-long passion for horseback riding led to a job with a riding academy. His fetching handsomeness and trim, athletic physique eventually steered the Californian toward the idea of acting.


    An introduction to famed agent Henry Willson had Tab signing on the dotted line and what emerged, along with a major career, was the stage moniker of "Tab Hunter." Willson was also responsible with pointing hopeful Roy Fitzgerald towards stardom under the pseudonym Rock Hudson. With no previous experience Tab made his first, albeit minor, film debut in the racially trenchant drama The Dividing Line (1950) starring Gail Russell and Macdonald Carey. His only line in the movie was eventually cut upon release. It didn't seem to make a difference for he co-starred in his very next film, the British-made Saturday Island (1952) co-starring a somewhat older (by ten years) Linda Darnell, which was set during WWII on a deserted, tropical South Seas isle. His shirt remained off for a good portion of the film, which certainly did not go unnoticed by his ever-growing legion of female (and male) fans. Signed by Warner Bros., stardom was clinched a few years later with another WWII epic Battle Cry (1955), based on the Leon Uris novel, in which he again played a boyish soldier sharing torrid scenes with an older woman (this time Dorothy Malone, playing a love-starved Navy wife). Thoroughly primed as one of Hollywood's top beefcake commodities, the tabloid magazines had a field day initiating an aggressive campaign to "out" Hunter as gay, which would have ruined him. To combat the destructive tactics, Tab was seen escorting a number of Hollywood's lovelies at premieres and parties. In the meantime he was seldom out of his military fatigues on film, keeping his fans satisfied in such popular dramas as The Sea Chase (1955), The Burning Hills (1956) and The Girl He Left Behind (1956)--the last two opposite the equally popular Natalie Wood.


    At around this time Hunter managed to parlay his boy-next-door film celebrity into a singing career. He topped the charts for over a month with the single "Young Love" in 1957 and produced other "top 40" singles as well. Like other fortunate celebrity-based singers such as Shelley Fabares and Paul Petersen, his musical reign was brief. Out of it, however, came the most notable success of his film career top-billing as baseball fan Joe Hardy in the classic Faustian musical What Lola Wants (1958) opposite Gwen Verdon and Ray Walston, who recreated their devil-making Broadway roles. Musically Tab may have been overshadowed but he brought with him major star power and the film became a crowd pleaser. He continued on with the William A. Wellman-directed Hell Bent for Glory (1958) as, yet again, a wholesome soldier, this time in World War I. More spicy love scenes came with That Kind of Woman (1959), an adult comedy-drama which focused on soldier Hunter and va-va-voom mistress Sophia Loren demonstrating some sexual chemistry on a train.


    Seldom a favorite with the film critics, the 1960s brought about a career change for Tab. He begged out of his restrictive contract with Warners and ultimately paid the price. With no studio to protect him, he was at the mercy of several trumped-up lawsuits. Worse yet, handsome Troy Donahue had replaced him as the new beefcake on the block. With no film offers coming his way, he starred in his own series "The Tab Hunter Show" (1960), a rather featherweight sitcom that centered around his swinging bachelor pad. The series last only one season. On the positive side he clocked in with over 200 TV programs over the long stretch and was nominated for an Emmy award for his outstanding performance opposite Geraldine Page in a Playhouse 90 episode. Following the sparkling film comedy The Pleasure of His Company (1961) opposite Debbie Reynolds, the quality of his films fell off drastically as he found himself top-lining such innocuous fare as Operation Bikini (1963), Ride the Wild Surf (1964) (1965), The City Under the Sea (1965) [aka War-Gods of the Deep], and Birds Do It (1966) both here and overseas. As for stage, a brief chance to star on Broadway happened in 1964 alongside the highly volatile Tallulah Bankhead in Tennessee Williams's "The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore." It lasted five performances. He then started to travel the dinner theater circuit.


    Enduring a severe lull, Tab bounced back in the 1980s and 1990s -- more mature, less wholesome, but ever the looker. He gamely spoofed his old clean-cut image by appearing in delightfully tasteless John Waters' films as a romantic dangling carrot to heavyset transvestite "actress" Divine. Polyester (1981) was the first mainstream hit for Waters and Tab went on to team up with Allan Glaser to co-produce and co-star a Waters-like western spoof Lust in the Dust (1985). He is still working as a film producer at age 70+ in Southern California. Tab also "came out" with a tell-all memoir on his Hollywood years in October of 2005.
    IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh


    Personal Quotes
    The star thing is over. I've knocked around quite a bit in the past few years and now I'm just another actor looking for work. Acting is what I know and what I do best...I'm trying to find a new niche...something to help erase that bland image the studios gave me in the Fifties. I'm looking for roles that will establish me as a more mature actor. - in a 1971 interview


    "It's like the French Riveria without the French. I thank God everyday I'm able to be there." (commenting on his love for Montecito, California).


    [on Gary Cooper] Coop was a lovely guy. His sense of humor was kind of within. He'd do something he knew was funny. He laughed inwardly. It was a delight! He's say things, then chuckle within himself. He was wonderful, low-key, like Fred Astaire, an absolute gentleman. These are quality, quality people. They have their own atmosphere about them. Coop's was very laid-back and easy.


    Salary
    Gun Belt (1953) $750 per week
    Treasure of Kalifa (1953) $750 per week
    Meet Me in St. Louis (1959) (TV) $20,000


    Filmography
    Actor
    1992 Dark Horse...Perkins
    1988 Grotesque...Rod
    1988 Out of the Dark...Driver
    1988 Cameron's Closet...Owen Lansing
    1985 Lust in the Dust...Abel Wood
    1984 Masquerade (TV series)– Spying Down to Rio (1984)
    1984 The Fall Guy (TV series)– Bite of the Wasp (1984) … Anthony Haley
    1982 Benson (TV series)
    – Death in a Funny Position: Part 1 (1982)
    – Death in a Funny Position: Part 2 (1982)
    1982 Grease 2...Mr. Stuart
    1982 Pandemonium...Blue Grange
    1981 Strike Force (TV series)– Night Nurse (1981) … Dr. Voorhees
    1981 Polyester...Todd Tomorrow
    1980 Charlie's Angels (TV series)– Nips and Tucks (1980) … Bill Maddox
    1979 The Kid from Left Field (TV movie)...Bill Lorant
    1979 $weepstake$ (TV series)– Episode #1.7 (1979) … Chip
    1978 Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold (TV movie)...Elliot Bender
    1978 Hawaii Five-O (TV series)– Horoscope for Murder (1978) … Mel Burgess
    1978 Police Woman (TV series)– Blind Terror (1978) … Martin Quinn
    1977 The Love Boat (TV series)– The Joker Is Mild/Take My Granddaughter, Please/First Time Out (1977) … Dave King
    1977 Forever Fernwood (TV series)...George Schumway (post-plastic surgery)
    1977-1978 Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (TV series)– Episode #1.76 (1977) … George Shumway
    1976 Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood...David Hamilton
    1976 McMillan & Wife (TV series)– Greed (1976) … Roger Thornton
    1976 Ellery Queen (TV series– The Adventure of the Black Falcon (1976) … John Randall
    1975 Timber Tramps
    1975 The Six Million Dollar Man (TV series)– The Cross-Country Kidnap (1975) … Arnold Blake
    1973 Ghost Story (TV series)– The Ghost of Potter's Field (1973) … Bob Herrick
    1973 Sweet Kill...Eddie Collins
    1972 The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean...Sam Dodd
    1972 Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law (TV series)– Starting Over Again (1972)
    1972 Cannon (TV series)– Treasure of San Ignacio (1972) … Bob Neal
    1971 Disneyland (TV series)
    – Hacksaw: Part 2 (1971) … Tim Andrews
    – Hacksaw: Part 1 (1971) … Tim Andrews
    1971 Hacksaw (TV movie)...Tim Andrews
    1970 San Francisco International Airport (TV series)– San Francisco International (1970) … Stayczek
    1970 The Virginian (TV series)– The Gift (1970) … Cart Banner
    1969 Bridge Over the Elbe...Richard
    1968 Scacco internazionale...Patrick Harris
    1968 La vendetta è il mio perdono...Sheriff Durango
    1967 Hostile Guns...Mike Reno
    1967 El dedo del destino...Jerry
    1966 Birds Do It...Lt. Porter
    1965 The Loved One...Whispering Glades Tour Guide
    1965 The City Under the Sea...Ben Harris
    1964 Troubled Waters...Alex Carswell
    1964 Ride the Wild Surf...Steamer Lane
    1964 Burke's Law (TV series)– Who Killed Andy Zygmunt? (1964) … Barney Blick
    1963 Operation Bikini...Lt. Morgan Hayes
    1962 Combat! (TV series)– The Celebrity (1962) … Del Packer
    1962 Saints and Sinners (TV series)– Three Columns of Anger (1962) … Sergeant Eddie Manzak
    1962 La freccia d'oro...Hassan
    1961 The Pleasure of His Company...Roger Berk Henderson
    1960-1961 The Tab Hunter Show (TV series)
    – The Invitation (1961) … Paul Morgan
    – Those Happy College Days (1961) … Paul Morgan
    – Personal Appearance (1961) … Paul Morgan
    – Dream Boy (1961) … Paul Morgan
    – Crazy Over Horses (1961) … Paul Morgan
    1959 General Electric Theater (TV series)– Disaster (1959) … Young Man
    1959 They Came to Cordura...Lt. William Fowler
    1959 That Kind of Woman...Red
    1959 Meet Me in St. Louis (TV movie)...John Truett
    1958 What Lola Wants...Joe Hardy
    1958 Gunman's Walk...Ed Hackett
    1958 Hell Bent for Glory...Thad Walker
    1956-1958 Playhouse 90 (TV series)
    Donald Bashor / Stanley Smith
    – Portrait of a Murderer (1958) … Donald Bashor
    – Forbidden Area (1956) … Stanley Smith
    1958 Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates (TV movie)...Hans Brinker
    1956 Conflict (TV series)– The People Against McQuade (1956) … Donald McQuade
    1956 The Girl He Left Behind...Andy L. Shaeffer
    1956 The Burning Hills....Trace Jordon
    1955 Climax! (TV series) – Fear Strikes Out (1955) … Jimmy Piersall
    1955 The Sea Chase...Cadet Wesser
    1955 The Ford Television Theatre (TV series)– While We're Young (1955) … Gig Spevvy
    1955 Battle Cry...Pvt./Cpl. Dan 'Danny' Forrester
    1954 Track of the Cat...Harold Bridges
    1954 Return to Treasure Island...Clive Stone
    1953 Treasure of Kalifa...Bill Larson
    1953 Gun Belt...Chip Ringo
    1952 Saturday Island...Marine Corporal Michael J. 'Chicken' Dugan
    1950 The Dividing Line...Frank O'Brien


    Producer
    1992 Dark Horse (producer)
    1989 Hollywood on Horses (video documentary) (co-executive producer)
    1985 Lust in the Dust (producer)
    1960-1961 The Tab Hunter Show (TV series) (producer - 32 episodes)
    – The Invitation (1961) (producer)
    – Those Happy College Days (1961) (producer)
    – Personal Appearance (1961) (producer)
    – Dream Boy (1961) (producer)
    – Crazy Over Horses (1961) (producer)


    Soundtrack
    1985 Mischief (performer: "Young Love")
    1981 Polyester (performer: "POLYESTER")
    1958 What Lola Wants (performer: "Goodbye, Old Girl", "Two Lost Souls")
    1958 Gunman's Walk (performer: "I'm A Runaway")
    1958 The 30th Annual Academy Awards (TV special) (performer: "April Love")

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited once, last by ethanedwards ().

  • Tab Hunter actor, singer, former teen idol and author
    has starred in over forty major films,
    including Grease 2
    He also appeared in many of the top TV series of the day,
    Hawaii Five-0, Police Woman, Burkes Law,
    MacMillan and Wife, The Virginian,
    and his own series The Tab Hunter Show


    He starred in 1 movie with Duke,
    The Sea Chase ( 1955)...Cadet Wesser

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited once, last by ethanedwards ().

  • Started with Sea Chase (Tab Hunter was kind enough to sign these for me last year) and ended up with the Undefeated.
    The pick-up in my copy of the film was beige. I counted the frames as 22. I would have never noticed, thanks for the heads up. Big Jim

    [ATTACH][ATTACH]
    3742[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]

  • Started with Sea Chase (Tab Hunter was kind enough to sign these for me last year) and ended up with the Undefeated.
    The pick-up in my copy of the film was beige. I counted the frames as 22. I would have never noticed, thanks for the heads up. Big Jim

    [ATTACH][ATTACH]
    3742[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]

  • Started with Sea Chase (Tab Hunter was kind enough to sign these for me last year) and ended up with the Undefeated.
    The pick-up in my copy of the film was beige. I counted the frames as 22. I would have never noticed, thanks for the heads up. Big Jim

    [ATTACH][ATTACH]
    3742[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]

  • Started with Sea Chase (Tab Hunter was kind enough to sign these for me last year) and ended up with the Undefeated.
    The pick-up in my copy of the film was beige. I counted the frames as 22. I would have never noticed, thanks for the heads up. Big Jim

    [ATTACH][ATTACH]
    3742[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]

  • Started with Sea Chase (Tab Hunter was kind enough to sign these for me last year) and ended up with the Undefeated.
    The pick-up in my copy of the film was beige. I counted the frames as 22. I would have never noticed, thanks for the heads up. Big Jim

    [ATTACH][ATTACH]
    3742[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]

  • Started with Sea Chase (Tab Hunter was kind enough to sign these for me last year) and ended up with the Undefeated.
    The pick-up in my copy of the film was beige. I counted the frames as 22. I would have never noticed, thanks for the heads up. Big Jim

    [ATTACH][ATTACH]
    3742[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]

  • Started with Sea Chase (Tab Hunter was kind enough to sign these for me last year) and ended up with the Undefeated.
    The pick-up in my copy of the film was beige. I counted the frames as 22. I would have never noticed, thanks for the heads up. Big Jim

    [ATTACH][ATTACH]
    3742[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]