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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 10 July 2018

Actor Tab Hunter, star of 'Damn Yankees!' movie, dies age 86

By SHAWN MARSH New York City, the second
Associated Press son of a mechanic and his
Tab Hunter, the blond ac- German immigrant wife. His
tor and singer who was a father left the family two
heartthrob for millions of years later and the boy
teenagers in the 1950s with took his mother's name,
such films as "Battle Cry" Gelien. Young Arthur Ge-
and "Damn Yankees!" and lien grew up in San Fran-
received new attention cisco and Long Beach,
decades later when he California, and joined the
revealed that he was gay, Coast Guard at 15, lying
has died. He was 86. about his age.
Producer and spouse Al- While in New York, he saw
lan Glaser said Hunter died Broadway plays and be-
Sunday of a blood clot in came interested in acting.
his leg that caused cardiac Back in California, Willson
arrest. Glaser called the arranged for a two-word
death "sudden and unex- role in a small Western, "The
pected." Lawless." He got $500 and a
Hunter was a star for sev- new name.
eral years. In addition to his In his memoir, he said that
hit movies, his recording of his career flourished despite
"Young Love" topped the some innuendo and smear
Billboard pop chart in 1957. articles in the scandal
But in his 2005 memoir, sheets — "clear evidence
"Tab Hunter Confidential: that despite its self-righ-
The Making of a Movie teous claims, 'Confidential'
Star," Hunter recounted magazine did not influence
the stresses of being a love In this Aug. 13, 2013 file photo, actor Tab Hunter arrives at the Hollywood Foreign Press the taste and opinions of
object to millions of young Association Luncheon in Beverly Hills, Calif mainstream America."
women when he was, in re- Associated Press Writing the book was diffi-
ality, a gay man. cult, he told The Associated
"I believed, wholeheartedly you have any hobbies?" "Damn Yankees!," an ad- 300-pound transvestite, Press in 2005, "because I'm
— still do — that a person's His client answered, "I ride aptation of the hit Broad- notably John Waters' 1981 a really private person. I
happiness depends on be- horses. Hunters." Agent: way musical with Gwen "Polyester" and Paul Bartel's grew up full of denial. I just
ing true to themselves," he "That's it! We'll call you Tab Verdon and Ray Walston 1985 "Lust in the Dust," co- didn't like any suggestions
wrote. "The dilemma, of Hunter." in their Tony-winning New produced by Hunter him- or questioning of my sexu-
course, that was being true With no dramatic training, York roles and the original self. ality."
to myself — and I'm talking Hunter was cast in a minor director, George Abbott, Of "Polyester," Hunter In 1960, Hunter's boy-next-
sexually now — was impos- role in the 1950 drama, "The sharing direction with Stan- wrote: "Everybody got the door reputation did take a
sible in 1953." Lawless." The fuss over the ley Donen. joke. ... For both John and hit when he was charged
Among those stars honoring young actor began two Besides the movies, he dis- me, our collaboration paid with cruelty for allegedly
Hunter on Monday includ- years later when he ap- played his athletic skills — huge dividends: I'd helped beating his dog. (He was
ed Harvey Fierstein, who peared bare-chested op- he had been a figure skat- 'legitimize' his brand of acquitted). In recent years,
called Hunter a "gay icon" posite Linda Darnell in the er as well as horseman — in movie, and he made me Hunter appeared in dinner
and a "true gentleman" on British-made "Island of De- a TV special, "Hans Brinker, 'hip' overnight." theaters and organized film
Twitter, adding, "We shared sire." Soon his handsome or the Silver Skates." Hunter appeared on projects.
some good laughs back in face and muscular build As with so many pop idols, Broadway in 1964 in Ten- After living on a ranch in
the 80's. I was always fond appeared on magazine his fans grew up and a nessee Williams' "The Milk New Mexico for a time, he
of this dear man." covers. Warner Bros., alert new generation sought Train Doesn't Stop Here took a home in Montecito
Zachary Quinto on Insta- to the increasingly impor- other favorites. His slide fol- Anymore" opposite the in Santa Barbara County
gram also cheered Hunter's tant youth market, signed lowed the classic pattern: formidable Tallulah Bank- with Glaser.
"vital and generous nature" him to a contract. to a television series ("The head. The play closed with- He didn't dwell on his Holly-
and called him a "pioneer Hunter made a flurry of Tab Hunter Show," on NBC, in days, and he said it was wood career or regret los-
of self-acceptance" who movies in the latter half of 1960-62); European films "completely buried under ing it. "I had my fling, and I
moved through the world the 1950s, aimed at capi- ("The Golden Arrow") and Tallulah's offhanded trade- was very fortunate," he re-
"with authenticity as his talizing on his popularity cheap kid flicks ("Ride the mark campiness." marked. "But that's all in my
guide." GLAAD tweeted with young girls. The films Wild Surf.") In his memoir, Hunter was born in 1931 in past."q
"Our hearts are with Tab's included such war dramas he took pains to note that
loved ones." as "Battle Cry" (with Van "Ride the Wild Surf" was his
Born Arthur Andrew Kelm, Heflin) and "Lafayette Es- only beach-party movie;
his screen tab (slang for cadrille" (Clint Eastwood in his "Operation Bikini," de-
"name" at the time) was a small role). He made the spite its title, was "yet an-
fabricated by Henry Will- Westerns "The Burning Hills" other war movie."
son, the same talent agent (Natalie Wood) and "They Over the years, he also
who came up with the Came to Cordura" (Gary played small roles in "The
names Rock Hudson and Cooper, Rita Hayworth). Loved One," ''The Life and
Rory Calhoun. And he made romantic Times of Judge Roy Bean"
The legend goes that Will- comedies like "The Plea- and "Grease 2."
son said to the young man: sure of His Company" (Fred In the 1980s, he won new
"We've got to find some- Astaire, Debbie Reynolds.) fans by appearing in cult
thing to tab you with. Do A highlight was the 1958 movies with Divine, the