From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Thu Jul 11, 2002  1:14 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Tab Hunter
 
TAB HUNTER

Born Arthur Gelien, 11 July 1931, New York City, New York

Vocalist / actor. Hunter used his mother's maiden name, Gelien, until
he was spotted in 1948, working at a stable, by talent scout Dick Clayton.
He introduced him to Rock Hudson's Hollywood agent Harry Wilson, who
said "We've got to tab you something", then named him Tab Hunter.
He made his screen debut in the 1950 film The Lawless and two years
later co-starred with Linda Darnell in the British film Saturday Island (US
title: Island Of Desire ). In late 1956 he received a phone call from Randy
Wood, president of Dot Records, asking him to record a song recently cut
by country star Sonny James, the lilting ballad "Young Love". Both versions
went to the top of the US charts, Hunter staying at number 1 for six weeks
and also topping the UK chart. The follow-up was a cover of Charlie Gracie's
"99 Ways", which narrowly missed the US Top 10 but made the UK Top 5
(1957). In 1958 he appeared in the film version of the Broadway show Damn
Yankees, with Gwen Verdon and Ray Walston. As Warner Bros had him under
contract to make films, they resented him recording for Dot and established
their own record label in 1958. He signed, with moderate success, and in
1960 starred in his own NBC US television series. He continued his acting
and appeared opposite Fabian in the 1964 "beach party" film Ride The Wild
Surf. He was still acting in the 80s, notably with the late Divine in Polyester
and Lust In The Dust, and also in the Grease sequel, Grease 2. In the late
80s Hunter moved to Mexico to write, and set up a film production company,
one of the fruits of which was the "family" picture Dark Horse (1992).