Tab Hunter – the handsome, golden-haired actor who was a major Hollywood sex symbol in the 50s and 60s – has died at the age of 86 at his home in Santa Barbara County, California.
A Facebook fan page long associated with Hunter announced the news early Monday, stating "Tab passed away tonight three days shy of his 87th birthday. Please honor his memory by saying a prayer on his behalf. He would have liked that."
The cause of death was a blood clot, CBS Los Angeles reported.
One of the world’s biggest heartthrobs among teenage girls, Hunter was secretly gay, and remained closeted until 2005, when he published a tell-all memoir "Tab Hunter Confidential" and revealed how the studio paired him with female stars like Natalie Wood to cover his affairs with men, including "Psycho" actor Anthony Perkins.
"I lived a very don't-ask, don't-tell life," he said.
Hunter was born Arthur Gelien in New York City, but grew up in San Francisco, Long Beach and Los Angeles, where as a teen he became a noted skater. At the age of 15, Hunter joined the Coast Guard by lying about his age, but was later kicked out when the truth emerged.
After a friend suggested he could go far in the movies with his boyish, surfer boy looks, Hunter signed with an agent who changed his name and began getting him cast in movies.
His big break was appearing as Robert Mitchum's younger brother in the 1954 drama "Track of the Cat." Other big films included: "Battle Cry" "The Burning Hills" and Damn Yankees. In 1956, he had a No. 1 hit record with "Young Love," which sold over a million copies.
He also starred as Debbie Reynolds's love interest in "The Pleasure of His Company," played a surfing stud in the beach movie "Ride the Wild Surf" and appeared on Broadway opposite Tallulah Bankhead in Tennessee Williams' "The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore."
In 1981, cult director John Waters cast Hunter opposite drag queen Divine in the R-rated black comedy "Polyester" bringing him new recognition to younger audiences.
The actor was in a long-term relationship with producer Allan Glaser, who starred him in "Lust in the Dust," and who survives him.
Hunter’s three-year romance with Perkins is being made into a movie called "Tab & Tony," with star Zachary Quinto.
Quinto said on Twitter: "So sad to wake up to the news of the passing of tab hunter. I was honored to get to know him in the past year and am so grateful to have experienced his sheer joy and love of life."
Playwright Harvey Feirstein tweeted: "Sad to report that Tab Hunter, the gawjuss gay icon, and true gentleman, has left the building. We shared some good laughs back in the 80’s. I was always fond of this dear man."
Hunter was never completely comfortable with the glossy sheen Hollywood covered him with. He once said: "I don't care whether people like me or dislike me. I'm not on earth to win a popularity contest. I'm here to be the best human being I possibly can be."
And he knew that stardom was fickle. "Hollywood cools," Hunter said. "And when it cools you have to go to where the work is. I ran off to Italy to do spaghetti westerns."
Hunter also said living as a closeted gay man "was difficult" as his star rose.
"I was living two lives at that time. A private life of my own, which I never discussed, never talked about to anyone. And then my Hollywood life, which was just trying to learn my craft and succeed..."
"[What] moviegoers wanted to hold in their hearts were the boy-next-door Marines, cowboys and swoon-bait sweethearts I portrayed."
Hunter has a star for his contributions to the music industry on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.