Tab Hunter Biography
- Home /
- Tab Hunter /
- Biography
- Born July 11, 1931
Tab Hunter (born Arthur Andrew Kelm; July 11, 1931 – July 8, 2018) was an American actor, singer, film producer and author. He appeared in over forty films and was a well-known Hollywood star and heartthrob of the 1950s and 1960s, known for his blond, clean-cut good looks.\n', '
Hunter was born in Manhattan, New York City, the son of Gertrude (née Gelien) and Charles Kelm. His father was Jewish and his mother was a German Catholic immigrant, from Hamburg. He had an older brother, Walter.\n', 'Hunter’s father was reportedly abusive, and within a few years of his birth, his parents divorced. He was raised in California living with his mother, brother, and maternal grandparents, John Henry and Ida (née Sonnenfleth) Gelien, living in San Francisco, Long Beach and Los Angeles. His mother reassumed her maiden surname, Gelien, and changed her sons’ surnames, as well. As a teenager, Arthur Gelien, as he was then known, was a figure skater, competing in both singles and pairs. Hunter was sent to Catholic school by his religious mother.\n', '
He joined the United States Coast Guard aged 15, lying about his age to enlist. While in the Coast Guard, he gained the nickname “Hollywood” for his penchant for watching movies rather than going to bars while on liberty. When his age was discovered, he was discharged by the Coast Guard. He met actor Dick Clayton socially; Clayton suggested that Hunter become an actor.\n', '
Return to Tab Hunter Autograph Profile
Stats
Join the RACC Facebook Group!
The Real Autograph Collectors Club (RACC) on Facebook is the largest community of in person autograph collectors and fans in the world, with 25,000 members and growing!
When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Useful Links
WORLDWIDE RACC (Our Top Cities)
New York, NY
USA
Los Angeles, CA
USA
London
United Kingdom
Chicago, IL
USA
Toronto, ON
Canada
