Customer Reviews

Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Pop star, matinee idol and alternate darling/demon of the 50's & 60's tabloids, Tab Hunter has had an amazing life in the public eye. Now he recollects memorable moments and reveals his behind-the-scenes experiences in this thoughtfully written autobiography.

Less of a "tell all" and more of a "tell ABOUT," Tab recounts encounters with an amazing array of friends, lovers and co-stars. Film buffs will especially enjoy reading anecdotes about Tallulah Bankhead, Natalie Wood, Sophia Loren, Debbie Reynolds, Gwen Verdon and Anthony Perkins--with whom Tab had a secret, intimate relationship.

Tab never sells out. Though now open about his sexuality, he remains a staunch Catholic with some pretty conservatives views about marriage, sexuality, politics and fame. It makes for exceptionally compelling reading in this day and age of celebrity-driven headlines.

Great collection of photos, too, that show Tab was (and is) more than mere beefcake!

I was picking up my drink order at Starbucks the other night, my book in hand, when the Barista asked my what I was reading. I showed her the book and told her it was about Tab Hunter. Her face fell a bit, unsure what to say. I then asked her if she had even heard of him, and she admitted she had not. I quickly explained to her that he was the one of the first pretty-boy screen idols of the 1950's, a sort of Ashton Kutchner (a sad comparison, I know) of his day. I showed her the pictures in the book of the handsome "Sigh Guy" and she suddenly understood what the book was all about.

While I've seen very little of Hunter's work, I've always been fascinated by him. But he was also part of the old Hollywood that I love so much. And he was just so damn good looking.

The genetic perfect, you love them and hate them. Art Gelien won the genetic lottery and like so many "movie stars" of today, became a hit -even if they had no talent (hello, Ashton). Still, Tab Hunter turned out not be just another pretty face. Even he knew that his rise to fame came because he had perfect cheekbones and looked very, very, very good shirtless. But unlike today's pretty-boys, Hunter knew he could be better and was determined to show the world that there was something below the surface. Even if the studios didn't fully understand who they had in their pocketbooks.

Tab Hunter Confidential is perhaps the best autobiography of Hollywood superstar I've read. With honesty and a great sense of humor, Hunter takes us on a glorious ride through old Hollywood, when the studio ways were ending. Where movies began to be pitched towards teenagers instead of adults, where character pieces and epic story telling were pushed aside for empty, marshmallow war dramas and beach films.

And where being gay was almost as bad as being a communist.

I don't remember where I first saw a picture of Hunter, but I had heard of him from my mother, who, while 4 years younger than him, was the demographic the his films vied for. And, when I first saw Polyester back in the 80's, I knew deep down in me that Hunter was gay. After all, it took one to know one. Still handsome, I would look through old Hollywood books and see his picture and sort of think that had I been around during his popularity, I would've been one of his biggest fans.

Years later, when I saw his striking image on the cover of Shirtless! The Hollywood Male Physique in 2001, I drooled all over it. The sad thing is I never bought the book for myself, but did give it as a birthday present to a good friend who loved these guys as much as I did.

But I love old Hollywood, as I've read many books by the men and women who starred in those great films, to the biography's of the men who made Hollywood. The sad, one striking thing that remains, is Hollywood's treatment of gay actors and singers who cannot live openly due to the parochial, conservative attitudes that has run rampant over the last 20 years since AIDS.

For every Rupert Everetts, there are 10 or more who still need to live in the closet because coming out could STILL destroy their careers. Because while this December's Brokeback Mountain will be one of the first Hollywood films to portray a gay romance, its still played by two heterosexuals (as the studios think that while gay men will see the film, the straight women who take their husbands and boyfriends need the leads of a gay love story to be straight; lest otherwise their fantasies of Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger be taken away. Like every straight man's dream of being with two women at the same time, I think every straight women's dream is make a gay man like women).

While Hunter is satisfied with being "forgotten", I will always remember him, if only because of Polyester, Lust in the Dust and the horrible-its-so-good campfest that is Grease 2. Still, he does deserve to commended for surviving the 1950's tabloid years with all his gears in tact, something I don't think Tony Perkins ever did. He took his God-given good looks and tried to mold himself into a better person and actor in a time when the word "actor" being replaced in world by movie stars.

Even at 74, he remains as handsome and charismatic as he was during his golden years. If I ever get a chance to meet him, I would love to tell him that he will always be remembered by me. That sounds a bit creepy, but I say it only because he is someone to be admired and respected. And he deserves much more than a footnote in history as just the Sigh Guy.

David

To me, the most telling line in the book is on page 351 when Hunter describes actress Evelyn Keye's support of psychoanalysis. He writes, "by contrast, I've never spent one minute of my life in any kind of analysis." And that, in my opinion, is what makes this otherwise well-written book disappointing. I respect Hunter's decision not to "out" people, or provide detailed descriptions of sexual encounters, but I found myself wanting to know how he really felt, not the bland descriptions of his feelings. Hunter presents a fascinating glimpse into the gay Hollywood atmosphere of the 50s & 60s, but I found his endless recounting of various B movies and stage productions boring. Part of the problem is that the book is surprisingly myopic-- but for a few references to the times (JFK's assassination, for example) you would have no idea that the decade of the 60s occurred or the vast changes in the film industry- other than the decline of the studio system which is well documented. I would have liked to know what he thought about "Easy Rider" for example and the groundbreaking films of the 70s-- instead that's when he focuses on mediocre TV shows.
I would also have welcomed his insights into how the gay culture evolved over those years and how Hollywood responded-- again, we're left with one or two lines about AIDS-- and nothing about how times were changing for gay people from the 50s to the present.
All-in-all, a well-written, but too carefully crafted book which documents the events of a life, but not the heart & soul of it.

I have to agree with most of the reviews here on AMAZON, this has to be one of the most honest and revealing biographies of a Hollywood star ever. I didnt know too much about fabulous Tab until reading about him in the book on Henry Wilson. Well he was certainly gorgeous.. surely one of the most beautiful men around during the late 50's and 60's...but...he was more than just looks, and underneath that nordic God exterior is a man of depth and intelligence. Tab writes about his rise in Hollywood, the highs and the lows, as well as his struggle with his sexual identity and is quite revealing about some of his relationships. Its straight forward, not pretentious at all and very readable.

At a party some years ago, when everyone was asked to name the celebrity whose "memory banks" he most wanted to plunder, I chose Tab Hunter. Being of a certain age, I still thought of him as "the golden boy" from the last golden age of Hollywood. Naturally, when I found out that he was writing his memoirs, I expected to be regaled with some titillating gossip from the era of James Dean and Marilyn Monroe. In other words, I expected glitz and glamour galore. On reading the actual book, however, my impression changed with the first chapter, which recounts a grim childhood worthy of Dickens, and presided over by a strong-minded, but harsh and mentally unbalanced mother. His extraordinary good looks did little to ease Hunter's transition out of adolescence, plagued as he was by insecurities and doubts, not the least of which concerned his sexuality. His discovery by a movie agent while working in a stable and his signing a 7-year contract with Warner's are the stuff of legends and there are plenty of tales about the end of the studio era which will make lovers of 50's movies sigh with nostalgia. But the general impression I came away with, after finishing his book, is that for this "golden boy" life was anything but glittering. After leaving Warner's while still in his 20's, he had to scramble just to make a living, often working in projects that were nothing short of embarrassing. Not that he had such a lavish life style to maintain. In fact, we discover that he chose to contribute to the support of his mother (despite her constant criticisms) and his widowed sister-in-law with her seven children, over the course of many years. With few complaints (and who could blame him), he describes the innuendoes and insults he at times had to put up with from certain colleagues, journalists and members of the public, just to keep drawing a paycheck, often in spaghetti-westerns or dinner theater drivel. Yet the emphasis in this book is always on the positive. Hunter is more eager to celebrate a friend or tout a project he's keen on than to grind axes or settle old scores. Not that he's the Pollyanna type; in fact, the character he most resembles is Voltaire's Candide, the much-battered optimist who's struggling to gain some hard-earned wisdom. He doesn't present himself as a saint, but comes across in this book as a basically decent guy, who takes pride in his achievements but has no illusions about his abilities, one who wants to be honest but prefers to keep his private life just exactly that. Consequently, there was less gossip and "dirt" in this book than I had anticipated. However, the story he has to tell and his way of recounting it kept me totally engrossed from the first to the last page. It gave a far darker, but also a more interesting "take" on his more-gilded-than-golden life. Consequently, these memoirs are not what I had been expecting. But, in the end, they make for far better reading.

I knew almost nothing about Tab Hunter, except the name, and hearthrob status, before reading this autobiography. Now I feel as though I virtually know, and LIKE the man. That is the highest praise I could imagine giving for such a work. The book is highly readable and comes across as conversational and intimate. It is neither sordid nor prurient, and those looking for same will find instead an insider's look at the fame treadmill and the honest, warts and all story behind a Hollywood male heartthrob. This book, much more so than THE MAN WHO MADE ROCK HUDSON, made me want to rent or buy the films of the former Arthur Gelien and reread the book while watching, to add to the experience. This is a wonderful item to have while the author is still living, and still vital. Hats off to Mr. Gelien!

I loved this book. And I think, in many ways, Tab Hunter shows that you can write a compelling, interesting, and downright funny book without having to give every sordid detail about every other celebrity in Hollywood. And yet there are enough personal revelations to make him real and very much a "regular guy" in an irregular business. It's also refreshing to read a "matinee idol" autobiography where the writer doesn't cut corners or dodge questions about why he succeeded in Hollywood. He's frank about his great looks playing a key role in his early success and I found this refreshing and without conceit. About 10 years ago, I saw Tab Hunter at Mirabelle's restaurant in Los Angeles, and whispered to my dinner companion "Look at that guy over there--you see, you really can be 60 and still be a stunner." My friend laughed and said, "Yeah, but it's probably easier if you're Tab Hunter you knucklehead" But after reading this book, I'm glad to know that he's much more than a just a great looker: he's a hard working, talented, and honest human being who deserves all the success he's achieved. Thank goodness nice guys sometimes finish first-and Tab Hunter is one of those guys.

Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star is Fantastic! I couldn't put the book down. I've read biographies before, but this one is by far one of, or possibly the best! I became an instant fan. His career, his hidden life, it's all told candidly and honestly. How difficult it must have been to be Gay in the 50's. The photos alone of gorgeous Tab Hunter was worth the price. This is one book that I totally recommend! He's not "in your face" Gay. He tells his story with class. Anyone looking for a trashy tabloid type book. Look elsewhere! This is written by a gentleman. I've never reviewed any book I've purchased on Amazon before. This one I'm passionate about and rates the five stars! I'd give it 10 if I could.

Tab Hunter's ethics seem to have been shaped to fit his impulses in this well-written, well-paced autobiography. He takes us for a swim in the shallow end of the pool but that doesn't mean we don't enjoy the water.

Hunter is a proud and practicing Catholic, even after being chased out of the church by a torrent of abusive language after confessing to homosexual thoughts when he was young. This passage, one of the most startling in the book, makes you wonder why Hunter would ever want to return. But he does, saying he decided to imagine that God loves him just like everyone else. He has always been attracted to the pomp and ceremony of his religion and learns to comparmentalize the way he feels about things. To him, it is a practical matter. Not an ethical one. If they disapprove of what I am, I will change to suit their expectation of me, at least on the outside.

This of course is basic training for a career in acting.

From his late teens to his late twenties, Arthur Gelien (Hunter) is alternately groomed and groped up the ladder of success by a succession of drooling agents and producers who can't resist his golden good looks and the money to be made from them. A willing commodity, Hunter hooks up with the notorious Henry Willson, Rock Hudson's agent. Rock Hudson, Rip Torn, Reb Wheeler, Rory Calhoun, Tab Hunter. Willson was famous for giving his actors these odd names, and for taking a personal interest in them as well. Hunter eagerly follows Willson's plans for him.

The rumor mill had it that Henry, a particularly homely gentleman, slept with all his clients. Hunter doesn't go there in this book, though admits to taking a cruise with him to Bermuda (hmmmm). Later, the two men have a permanent break when Hunter suspects Willson of giving him up to Confidential Magazine to protect Rock Hudson, a story that is most-likely true.

Perhaps it's the fact that Hunter has grown so used to repressing his feelings that the reader finds himself reading a travelogue of facts and tidbits devoid of much human emotion. "These things happened to me. Here they are."

We get the whole story, and it's a pretty good one, but we never really make it into the deep end of the pool. It's like having a perfectly satisfactory meal. You can't really complain about it, but it doesn't leave you either raving about the food or wanting any more.

I don't blame some of these older actors like Tab Hunter and Richard Chamberlain for waiting until their 70's to "come out" with their autobiographies after spending their careers staying in. Of course, it's career suicide for a gay man to come out, even now. Women all over the world have a stake in the actors they turn into romantic idols, and they want them to be straight in real life too, not just on the screen.

I found the biography of Tony Perkins, Split Image, to be an interesting bookend to Tab Hunter's reminiscenses. Perkins entered intensive pschotherapy to come to terms with his conflicted sexual desires. Hunter dislikes psychiatry and endless bouts of self-investigation.

We get an image of Tony Perkins as being quite the kinkster in Split Image, which made me wonder what Tab Hunter left out. A lot, it seems. He focuses on his career and "studying his craft" even after most actors his age have mastered it. As career options dwindle at the end of his twenties, Hunter gently steps off the Hollywood merry-go-round and heads for Europe.

Tab Hunter is at least honest in the depiction of the positive and negative reviews of his work. He is most often described as being wooden. But he accomplished a lot in his career. He knocked Elvis Presley off the top of the charts with his insipid pop song "Young Love," and he was adored by millions of young girls around the world. Without a doubt, Tab Hunter was one of the top pop idols of the 50's.

While I would have liked a bit more candor in his big sell-out, tell-all moment, I was satisfied by the story he told. It was interesting and well done. I don't know if this is due to the input of Mr. Hunter or of his writer, but the result was a readable, enjoyable portrait of a conflicted teen idol and his hidden life.

Perhaps no decade of the 20th century was more image conscious than the vexed 1950's. It's likely the obsession was driven by a combination of Cold War Mc Carthyism and Madison Avenue commercialism. But whatever the cause, respectable conformity was not just an option, but a necessity. Celebrities, in particular, were caught up in the wave, having to maintain wholesomely conventional appearances lest they lose their standing as marketable "commodities". The two greatest taints were `'communist" and "homosexual". Either meant a spot in the unemployment line, at best, or jail time and a beating, at worst.

I picked up Hunter's biography, hoping for insight into what it was like to be a gay celebrity during those oppressive times. I'm sorry to say, I was disappointed, not only with that aspect, but with the book as a whole. Hunter comes across as a basically decent sort. Yet, with a few notable exceptions (his childhood, and relations with his mother), he never reverals much about himself or what it was like during that tricky studio period. I understand he's not an introspective personality, nonetheless writer Eddie Muller should have gotten him to open up more about his feelings and and the times he lived through.

As the book stands, it resembles a series physical movements minus the underlying motivations, something like a travelogue without the sound. Thus, he goes here and there and back again pursuing a waning career, yet with scant context that would reveal either the man or his reasons. Then too, people (lovers?) come and go in his life with very little explanation. It may be that he didn't want to betray friendships with a "kiss and tell" book (with exceptions of Tony Perkins and Mikhail Baryshnikof). No doubt that reluctance may make him an honorable friend, but it nonetheless lends the narrative a fragmented and elusive quality.

I'm glad Hunter is now proudly gay, and no longer closeted. Still, some disclosures about how he coped during the spotlight years would be valuable not only as a cultural document, but as a help to young gays who know very little about how homophobia stunted the lives of even the privileged few. As a consequence, we end up knowing very little about the personal tactics he was forced to use to maintain a straight appearance, or how adversely his life may have been affected in the process.

There are some redeeming parts, particularly the colorful (to say the least) portrait of Tallulah Bankhead in decline-- that in itself is almost worth the purchase price. There are other revealing snapshots, both flattering and unflattering, of such diverse figures as George Abbot, Luchino Vischonti, and Harry and Joan Cohn. However, the rather curious relationship with Joan Cohn, which seems an important part of his life, is typically left unexplored such that we never glimpse his true feelings. In sum, I'm afraid that Tab Hunter, Confidential, is not nearly as confidential as the title suggests, nor does the inner man become much more accessible than in those old Photoplays and Screen Stars.