With Doc Now Released, Tab Hunter Gets Confidential

Tab Hunter may be the only Hollywood actor to have on-screen kisses with Sophia Loren and Divine. With Loren it was in 1958's "That Kind of Woman" when Hunter was one of the filmdom's leading hunks; with Divine it was the 1980s when he co-starred with the drag superstar in a pair of cult classics "Polyester" and "Lust in the Dust."

Asked which actress was a better kisser, Hunter laughed. "Well, Divine was more of an armful. But Sophia was Sophia. Wow. There is only one of each of them and both were a joy to work with."

EDGE spoke to Hunter at his California home earlier this summer when the 86-year old actor was preparing for an East Coast trip with his long-time partner of some 30 years Allan Glaser that brought him to Provincetown for a gala dinner and screenings of "Polyester" and Jeffrey Schwartz's recent documentary on his life, "Tab Hunter Confidential."

Schwartz's film is now available on DVD, VOD and various streaming services including Amazon and Netflix.

Working with Divine

Hunter has fond memories of working with Divine. "I like to call him a beached whale. You know he was a very serious actor and was a joy to work with."

He came to co-star in "Polyester," in which he played the owner of a drive-in that plays European art movies who has an affair with beleaguered housewife Francine FIshpaw (Divine), when the script was pitched him by Waters. Already an admirer of Waters' work, he jumped at the opportunity, though his Hollywood agent advised him to nix the deal.

"I did have an agent back in Hollywood, but I wasn't getting any work out of Hollywood," he recalled. "The agent said, you don't want to do it? And I said, why not? I have nothing to lose. I have everything to gain working with John. He's a very fine director and I worked with some really terrific directors: Luchino Visconti, Sidney Lumet, Arthur Penn, John Frankeheimer."

The All American Boy

That was in the 1950s when Hunter epitomized the All American Boy in a series of films when he was under contract for Warner Brothers: "Battle Hymn" (which made him a star), ''That Kind of Woman,'' "The Girl He Left Behind," ''They Came to Cordura,'' and ''Damn Yankees" (a personal favorite). His blonde good looks made him one of the decade's leading cover boys for fan magazines who reported his every move, though much of it was fabricated by the studio's publicist. In reality Hunter was a closeted gay man working in a blatantly homophobic industry.

In 1955 his personal life was nearly exposed when Confidential Magazine (the TMZ of its day) published that Hunter had been arrested while attending a pajama party a few years earlier that insinuated he was gay. He survived the scandal, but it left him soured on the press even to this day. "That was a bunch of bull shit because that's what they labeled it. I don't like the fact that people label things -- that he's like that or she's like that -- because they don't really know. They should call it what it was, not what they want to color something. That's the problem with the press and one reason why I don't like the press. They're not really accurate."

Dating Tony Perkins

During his studio years, Hunter was romantically linked with such stars as Natalie Wood (his fellow contract player at Warners) and Debbie Reynolds, though in reality he was dating another Hollywood up-and-comer, Anthony Perkins. Their relationship lasted two years and ended abruptly when Perkins scored the role in a film version of a television drama that Hunter had starred in. Asked if he thought Perkins was overly competitive at the cost of his personal relationships, Hunter replied: "I don't look at it as competitive. I look at it that he had a goal and wanted to work towards it. Tony was a very fine actor and a wonderful contributor to the industry. Tony was Tony, and you accept things as they are and not what you want them to be."

In the late 1950s, Hunter took a bold career move and bought out what remained of his contract at Warners. The reason? "Because they weren't giving me things I really want to do for my growth. So I left and did some freelancing on films and did some television. The studios were in a terrible position. Audiences were changing, the influence of television was monumental, teenagers were changing, European films were making a major impact, people wanted to see movies with real people in real situations. It was just a totally different industry.

His comfort zone

"The moguls were getting rid of their studios and going into television. Movies were changing. The whole business was changing. Now I don't even recognize it. I have no idea. I occasionally see an interesting film or two when they send it to me to vote, but there isn't a heck of a lot out there I want to see. Because my mother use to say something to me: the problem is people play down to people as opposed to lifting them up and elevating their thinking. Once in awhile we get something that does that and what a pleasure that is."

Today Hunter lives with Glaser, a Hollywood producer who met the actor in the 1980s, and the horses that he owns. In fact had he not become an actor, he would have likely happily raised horses. They have long been his solace, most notably when the intensely private actor was living in the glare of being a Hollywood superstar.

"My comfort zone when I was in Hollywood would be out riding my horses every minute I could - I would be out in the barn. I loved the movies. I was always a major fan of film, even when I was a kid. I use to go see everything. So I loved that the movies happened for me, but the public part was not my comfort zone. You do it because it's part of your job."

A private person

Being such a private person, why did he consent to writing his autobiography, the best-selling "Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star" with writer Eddie Muller?

"I wrote the book because of what my friend Allan said to me: 'you know someone is going to write a book about you and I think you should write it.' I said, 'no I would never do a book.' Then I thought about it and you know what? I don't want some shmuck writing about me after I am dead and gone and putting a spin on my life. Get it from the horse's mouth, not some horse's ass after I am dead and gone and they can put what the hell they want out there as a bunch of bs. Look, I have nothing to hide. This is my journey. Take it or leave it. I have go down the road doing the best I possibly can. Like Geraldine Page said, 'if they get your message, fine, if they don't, that's there problem, not yours.' I love her for saying that, and furthermore, I pass that on to so many young people today that are so confused about so many things. If people understand you, fine; if they don't, that's their problem, not yours as long as you are moving forward in some direction and trying to contribute."

The doc on his life, "Tab Hunter Confidential," came about when Hunter and Glaser were asked by filmmaker Jeffrey Schwartz to participate in "I Am Divine," his film on the life of Divine. "I met Jeffrey when he asked Allan and myself for a brief interview for 'I Am Divine.' Then Allan liked his work and approached him about doing a documentary."

His attitude

Being a Roman Catholic is a major part of Hunter's life, which raised the question as to how he would reconcile his being gay with the Church's views on the lifestyle. "I don't label anything as anything. I live my life as best I possibly can and I am very thankful for everything. Every day is a thank you day. That is what's important. And my religion is between me and my maker. That's important. It is a major part of my life. Too many people don't want to confront things - they want things they way they want it. We are very selfish human beings. We need to fight that constantly."

What advice would he give an up-and-coming actor in a position similar to his from decades ago?

"I can't give advice. Good lord. Just be truthful to yourself. I don't like people who are in your face. That's very important."

And where did he get his great attitude towards life?

"I had a very strong German mother who was quite wonderful. She was very hard-headed. When I got mad at her, I use to call her Eva Braun. She was very interesting and very strong and very loving. I think a lot of young people could use that today. They lack the direction she gave me."

For more on "Tab Hunter Confidential" visit the documentary's website.

Watch the trailer to "Tab Hunter Confidential":