At 86, Gay Icon Tab Hunter Reveals Shocking Truths About His Hollywood Love Life – And It Isn’t Good

When you hear the name Tab Hunter, perhaps you picture a golden-haired, blue-eyed heartthrob gracing the covers of 1950s fan magazines—a symbol of innocence, masculinity, and Hollywood’s golden age. But behind that dazzling smile was a life of hardship, secrecy, and courage. At the age of 86, Tab Hunter finally revealed the shocking, often painful truths about his hidden love life in Hollywood—a journey from abandoned child to international sex symbol, filled with betrayal, dark secrets, and ultimately, the triumph of resilience.

From Abandoned Boy to Hollywood’s Next Big Thing

Tab Hunter was born Arthur Andrew Kelm on July 11, 1931, in New York City. His mother, Gertrude Gelien, was a 20-year-old German immigrant, and his father—a man so absent he didn’t even name his son—left behind only a cheap candy bar at the hospital before disappearing for good. The birth certificate simply read: “Male.” Gertrude was left to raise Arthur and his older brother Walt alone, battling poverty and social stigma as a single mother in Depression-era America.

Arthur grew up shy, reserved, and longing for a father’s love. His mother provided everything except emotional warmth, and he was raised under the strict rules of Catholicism. When the family moved to Los Angeles in the 1940s, Arthur felt more like an outsider than ever. His stunning looks—blonde hair, blue eyes, athletic build—drew attention from girls at school, but he was painfully aware that his attraction was to boys, a secret that filled him with guilt and confusion in an era when homosexuality was considered both a crime and a mental illness.

A Secret Too Dangerous to Share

Arthur’s early attempts to explore his sexuality left him wracked with shame. He once confessed to a priest, only to be met with harsh condemnation and expulsion from the church. In the 1940s and ‘50s, being gay meant risking everything: your freedom, your family, your future. Arthur drifted through odd jobs—selling orange juice, working at a pharmacy, even joining the Coast Guard under a false age—searching for belonging. Even a failed attempt to reconnect with his estranged father ended in rejection.

But a chance encounter would change his life. While horseback riding in Griffith Park—a hobby that became his emotional refuge—Arthur met Dick Clayton, a minor actor who saw star potential in the shy, handsome teen. Clayton introduced him to the notorious talent agent Henry Willson, who gave Arthur a new name: Tab Hunter. It sounded tough, masculine—a Hollywood invention.

From Star-Making to Scandal

Tab’s first role in “The Lawless” (1950) was small, but it paid more than any job he’d ever had. He used the money to support his first boyfriend, figure skater Ronnie Robertson, and to pursue his love of horses. But Hollywood was a dangerous place for a young gay man. Tab’s agent, Henry Willson, was known for “managing” the personal lives of his clients, often using them as arm candy for parties and pushing them into sham relationships to hide their sexuality.

The real danger came in 1950, when Tab was arrested at a private party for gay men. In those days, such a charge could destroy a career. A studio lawyer managed to suppress the press coverage, but the incident haunted Tab for years. When he later fired Willson, the agent retaliated by spreading damaging rumors and, according to Tab, even traded Tab’s secret to the tabloid Confidential in exchange for protecting Rock Hudson.

The Price of Fame: Love in the Shadows

Despite the risks, Tab’s career soared. He starred in hits like “Battle Cry” (1955), “The Burning Hills” (1956) with Natalie Wood, and the musical “Damn Yankees” (1958). Studios paired him with starlets like Natalie Wood and Debbie Reynolds, manufacturing romances to keep the public fooled. Meanwhile, Tab’s real love life was hidden in the shadows.

Tab’s most famous secret romance was with Anthony Perkins, the future star of “Psycho.” Their two-year relationship was sweet but fraught with danger. They went to movies separately, sat together only after the lights dimmed, and used back entrances to each other’s homes. Studios insisted they date women publicly. Even Tab’s own neighbor blackmailed him over his male friends.

Tab’s personal struggles were compounded by family tragedy—his mother suffered a mental breakdown and underwent electroshock therapy, and his beloved brother Walt died in Vietnam. Tab shouldered the burden alone, even as his fame faded and he was forced to take low-budget films and dinner theater gigs just to survive.

Scandal and Survival: The Confidential Magazine Nightmare

The 1950s were the heyday of scandal magazines like Confidential. When they published details of Tab’s 1950 arrest, his career seemed doomed. But Warner Bros. fought back, flooding the press with positive stories and awards. The studio’s power, and Tab’s boy-next-door image, helped him survive, but he learned the high cost of Hollywood secrets.

Reinvention and Redemption

By the 1970s, Tab’s career had stalled. He moved to Virginia, raised horses, and lived quietly with his partner John. But in the 1980s, cult director John Waters offered Tab a role opposite drag queen Divine in the outrageous comedy “Polyester” (1981). Tab hesitated, but realized he had nothing left to lose. The film was a surprise hit, and Tab was reborn for a new generation.

He embraced his camp status, starring in “Grease 2” (1982) and “Lust in the Dust” (1985), where he met his life partner Allan Glaser. Together, they produced films and lived openly—a happiness Tab never thought possible in his youth.

Coming Out, Legacy, and Final Peace

In 2005, Tab published his memoir, “Tab Hunter Confidential,” finally telling the truth about his sexuality and Hollywood’s hidden world. The book became a bestseller, and the 2015 documentary of the same name won awards and brought Tab’s story to new audiences. He married Allan Glaser in 2013, finding peace and love in his final years.

Tab Hunter died on July 8, 2018, three days before his 87th birthday, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, courage, and authenticity. From abandoned boy to Hollywood icon, to queer pioneer, Tab’s life is a lesson in surviving betrayal, embracing your truth, and finding joy in simple things—like the love of a good man and the peace of a horse stable.

Reflections: The Real Hollywood Story

Tab Hunter’s life is more than a Hollywood scandal—it’s a human story of hope, pain, and triumph. He survived an era when being gay meant risking everything, yet he found happiness by living authentically, even if it came late in life. His story reminds us how far society has come—from a time of shame and secrecy to today’s Pride celebrations and same-sex marriage.

Tab’s journey—from abandoned child, to sex symbol, to survivor—teaches us to never give up, to find joy in the small things, and to always live true to ourselves, no matter the cost.