GEORGE WAYNE Q&A

Tab Hunter finally tells

Raised Arthur Gelien in New York City in the 1930s, Tab Hunter shot to the heartthrob stratosphere in the 1950s with his blond good looks and roles in films such as Island of Desire. A frequent tabloid target, Hunter, in his recently released autobiography, Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star, looks back at his old life. Our correspondent catches up with him to discuss the trauma of being abused by a choirmaster, his relationship with Tony Perkins, and what he may have left out of his book.

Tab Hunter: I had so much fun at my photo shoot. They put me in a straitjacket!

George Wayne:That's hysterical, because they outed you as early as 1955. As a raging homo!

T.H. Well, I was very frightened back then about a lot of stuff. Because I was in show business, and I did lead a very private life.

G.W.Exactly. So how was this possible? You were the romantic heartthrob, the poster boy at the time, the big, beautiful, all-American blond. I mean, you weren't, like,

"the limp-wristed lad," as the gutter press of the day referred to homosexuals.

T.H. The press was pretty tough—they really were. And I was scared to death of them because I was living two lives. I was loving every moment of being in the movies. I was a kid, for God's sake.

G.W.So, what provoked the witch hunt?

T.H. I don't know. I really don't know.

G.W.Was it because of your agent, Henry Wilson?

T.H. Henry's reputation wasn't the most sterling. He actually didn't get me my first role, though. My first role came through a wonderful character actor by the name of Paul Guilfoyle. Dick Clayton was the one agent really responsible for my career. I had known him since I was 13, when I was a stableboy. He was Jimmy Dean's, Angie Dickinson's, Jane Fonda's, and Burt Reynolds's agent.

G.W.It's not been an easy life for Tab Hunter. His Catholic choirmaster abused him when he was 12, which you really didn't delve into much in your book.

T.H. I tried to be as up-front as I could. I did this book because I heard that somebody was going to do a book on me. And my friends suggested I do a book.

G.W.But you didn't open up enough. I mean, have you had any catharsis, any closure, about the fact that you were abused by your choirmaster?

T.H. At 12 years old there is only so much that I remember. I remember his cigar breath and that's about it.

G.W.Who coined the name Tab Hunter? You grew up as Arthur Gelien.

T.H. Well, Henry and Dick said, "We've got to tab you something," and I used to show horses—hunters and jumpers. It could have been Tab Jumper!

G.W.Tab Hunter works, and Henry was also Rock Hudson's agent. And yet, you didn't talk in the book about your love affair with Rock Hudson.

T.H. I didn't have a love affair with Rock.

G.W.Never?

T.H. No.

G.W.It's hard to imagine that you didn't.

T.H. No, no, no.

G.W.What about James Dean?

T.H. Jimmy was a wonderful guy. G.W.And nothing happened there either?

T.H. When I knew Jimmy, he was dating Ursula Andress.

G.W.As far as I'm concerned, you spend too much time in this book talking about your "beard',' Natalie Wood, and not enough time on the real juicy stuff. You admit to only one important love affair—with Tony Perkins. I'm sure you had sex with a lot of other famous actors that you just don't want to talk about.

T.H. No. I didn't really associate with a lot of actors. My touch of reality were my horses.

G.W.Do you currently have a boyfriend?

T.H. I have a relationship that I've had for 20-some years.

G.W.And what was it like being in the Coast Guard in 1946? I'm sure you were mounting some hillbilly on the ship you were stationed on.

T.H. I was not interested in sex in those days. I was 15 years old and all I cared about were horses. The barn was my life. G.W.So, Tony Perkins was your only real serious relationship. T.H. The Tony relationship was only a thread in the tapestry of my life. It was three years. I am 74 years old.

G.W.I must tell you that I despise the fact that you hate that you are a gay icon.

T.H. Those are labels I have never been comfortable with, George. I am a very private person. Some people are very inyour-face, and I am just not comfortable with any of that.

G.W.That notorious John Waters film that you did, Polyester, is really what made you iconic.

T.H. He is one wonderful human being. He's like your friendly undertaker. I love John. And Divine was one of my favorite leading ladies.