Tab Hunter
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Tab Hunter (born July 11, 1931 in New York City, New York) is an American actor and singer.
He was born Arthur Kelm, the son of Jewish parents, Charles Kelm and Gertrude Gelien. A few years after his birth, his parents divorced and his mother moved with her two sons to California and all three took her maiden name of Gelien. Arthur's older brother Walt was killed in the Vietnam War.
Signed to a film studio contract, as "Tab Hunter" he was one of many Hollywood B-picture actors whose rights were owned by the studio. His good looks got him pegged as a teen idol and he obtained a role in the film Island of Desire chiefly for this reason. Although he had only a mediocre singing voice, based on his teen idol status he had a 1957 hit record with a cover of the Sonny James hit song, 'Young Love', which topped the charts for over a month. His own "Tab Hunter Show" had a brief run (1960-61). During this time he met Anthony Perkins, with whom he had an off-and-on sexual relationship for several years but his homosexuality was covered up by the studio.
For his contribution to the recording industry, Tab Hunter has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6320 Hollywood Blvd.
His career revived in the 80s by starring opposite Divine in two films. He also wrote the story for, and appeared in, the movie "Dark Horse" (1992).
Tab Hunter currently lives in Santa Barbara and has signed a contract with Simon and Schuster to write his biography.
He has appeared in over fifty films which include:
- Saturday Island aka Island of Desire (1952)
- Gun Belt (1953)
- The Steel Lady (1953)
- Return to Treasure Island (1954)
- Battle Cry (1955)
- The Burning Hills (1956) (opposite Natalie Wood)
- Damn Yankees (1958)
- That Kind of Woman (1959)
- Operation Bikini (1963) (with Frankie Avalon)
- Ride the Wild Surf (1964) (with Fabian)
- The Loved One (1965)
- Judge Roy Bean (1972)
- Polyester (1981) (opposite Divine)
- Lust in the Dust (1985) (opposite Divine)