Person Biography:
Tab Hunter, born Arthur Gelien on July 11, 1931, in New York City, was a renowned American actor, singer, and model who rose to fame in the 1950s as one of the hottest teen idols of the era. With his striking blond hair, tanned skin, and surfer-boy good looks, he was artificially groomed and nicknamed "The Sigh Guy" by the Hollywood studio system.
Hunter grew up in California with his mother, older brother, and maternal grandparents after his parents' divorce. He left school at the age of 15 and joined the Coast Guard, where he was eventually discharged due to his age deception. He then worked at a riding academy, where his passion for horseback riding led to a career change.
An introduction to agent Henry Willson led Hunter to sign with Warner Bros. and adopt the stage name "Tab Hunter." He made his film debut in the drama "The Lawless" (1950) and co-starred in "Island of Desire" (1952) opposite Linda Darnell. His shirt remained off for most of the film, which garnered attention from his growing female and male fan base.
Tab's career took off with the WWII epic "Battle Cry" (1955) and other films like "The Sea Chase" (1955),"The Burning Hills" (1956),and "The Girl He Left Behind" (1956). He also had a successful singing career, topping the charts with the single "Young Love" in 1957 and producing other top 40 singles.
Hunter's film career continued with top-billing in the classic musical "Damn Yankees" (1958) opposite Gwen Verdon and Ray Walston. He then appeared in films like "Lafayette Escadrille" (1958),"That Kind of Woman" (1959),and "The Pleasure of His Company" (1961).
The 1960s brought a change for Tab, as he begged out of his contract with Warners and faced trumped-up lawsuits. He starred in his own sitcom "The Tab Hunter Show" (1960),which lasted only one season. He continued to appear in films and television, including over 200 TV programs, and was nominated for an Emmy award for his performance in a Playhouse 90 episode.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Tab made a comeback, appearing in films like "Polyester" (1981),"Lust in the Dust" (1984),and "Grotesque" (1987). He co-starred with Linda Blair in the bizarre horror film "Grotesque" and made his last on-camera appearance in the film "Dark Horse" (1992).
Tab Hunter passed away on July 8, 2018, at the age of 86, in Santa Barbara, California, three days shy of his 87th birthday.
