Tab Hunter

Biography

Arthur Andrew Gelien (née Kelm; July 11, 1931 – July 8, 2018), known professionally as Tab Hunter, was an American actor, singer, producer and author.

Career Overview

Tab Hunter has 86 screen credits in a career dating back to 1950. Their work is anchored in the Grease universe with 1 titles. Signature works include Polyester, Sweet Kill, The Burning Hills. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For

Acting

Gender

male

Known Credits

86

Birth Date

1931-07-11 00:00:00

Birth Place

New York City, New York, USA

Known For

• 

  Polyester
• 

  Sweet Kill
• 

  The Burning Hills
• 

  Tab Hunter Confidential
• 

  Lust in the Dust
• 

  Shotgun

Associated Universes

• Grease (1 titles)

Frequent Collaborators

• Divine (3 collaborations)
• Natalie Wood (2 collaborations)
• Noah Wyle (2 collaborations)
• Lainie Kazan (2 collaborations)
• Neal Noorlag (2 collaborations)
• Edith Massey (1 collaborations)
• David Samson (1 collaborations)
• Mary Garlington (1 collaborations)
• Ken King (1 collaborations)
• Mink Stole (1 collaborations)

Credits

• writing (3 credits)

  • Tab & Tony

    book

    writing
    2026
  • Tab Hunter Confidential

    author

    writing
    2015
  • Dark Horse

    story

    writing
    1992

• actors (80 credits)

  • New Line: Independent Legacies

    Self (archive footage)

    actor

    actors
    2026
  • Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2021
  • Return to Chili Verde: Making ‘Lust in the Dust’

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2019
  • Sniffing Out ‘Polyester’

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2019
  • Merely Marvelous: The Dancing Genius of Gwen Verdon

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2019
  • Tab Hunter Confidential

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2015
  • I Am Divine

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • The Brothers Warner

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Wrangler: Anatomy of an Icon

    Self (archive)

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Rita

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2003
  • Ballyhoo: The Hollywood Sideshow!

    actor

    actors
    1996
  • God Save the Queens

    actor

    actors
    1995
  • Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick

    Self

    actor

    actors
    1995
  • Dark Horse

    Perkins

    actor

    actors
    1992
  • Hollywood Heaven: Tragic Lives, Tragic Deaths

    (archive footage)

    actor

    actors
    1990
  • Hollywood on Horses

    Self - Presenter

    actor

    actors
    1989
  • Cameron's Closet

    Owen Lansing

    actor

    actors
    1988
  • Grotesque

    Rod

    actor

    actors
    1988
  • Out of the Dark

    Driver

    actor

    actors
    1988
  • James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

    Self

    actor

    actors
    1987
  • Lust in the Dust

    Abel Wood

    actor

    actors
    1985
  • That's Dancing!

    From 'Damn Yankees' (archive footage)

    actor

    actors
    1985
  • Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady

    actor

    actors
    1982
  • And They're Off

    Henry Barclay

    actor

    actors
    1982
  • Grease 2

    Mr. Stuart

    actor

    actors
    1982
  • Pandemonium

    Blue Grange

    actor

    actors
    1982
  • Polyester

    Todd Tomorrow

    actor

    actors
    1981
  • The Kid from Left Field

    Bill Lorant

    actor

    actors
    1979
  • Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold

    Elliot Bender

    actor

    actors
    1978
  • The Love Boat

    - The Joker is Mild/First Time Out/Take My Granddaughter, Please (1977) ... Dave King actor actors
    1977
  • Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

    David Hamilton

    actor

    actors
    1976
  • Charlie's Angels

    - Nips and Tucks (1980) ... Bill Maddox actor actors
    1976
  • Timber Tramps

    Big Swede

    actor

    actors
    1975
  • Police Woman

    - Blind Terror (1978) ... actor actors
    1974
  • The Six Million Dollar Man

    - The Cross-Country Kidnap (1975) ... Arnold Blake actor actors
    1974
  • The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean

    Sam Dodd

    actor

    actors
    1972
  • Sweet Kill

    Eddie Collins

    actor

    actors
    1972
  • Hacksaw

    Tim Andrews

    actor

    actors
    1971
  • Cannon

    - Treasure of San Ignacio (1972) ... actor actors
    1971
  • San Francisco International

    Stayczek

    actor

    actors
    1970
  • The Legion of No Return

    Richard

    actor

    actors
    1969
  • Hawaii Five-O

    - Horoscope For Murder (1978) ... Mel Burgess actor actors
    1969
  • The Last Chance

    Patrick Harris

    actor

    actors
    1968
  • Shotgun

    Sheriff Durango

    actor

    actors
    1968
  • The Fickle Finger of Fate

    Jerry

    actor

    actors
    1967
  • Birds Do It

    Lieutenant Porter

    actor

    actors
    1966
  • The Loved One

    Whispering Glades Tour Guide

    actor

    actors
    1965
  • War-Gods of the Deep

    Ben Harris

    actor

    actors
    1965
  • The Man with Two Faces

    Alex Carswell

    actor

    actors
    1964
  • Ride the Wild Surf

    Steamer Lane

    actor

    actors
    1964
  • Operation Bikini

    Lt. Morgan Hayes

    actor

    actors
    1963
  • Burke's Law

    - Who Killed Andy Zygmunt? (1964) ... Barney Blake actor actors
    1963
  • The Golden Arrow

    Hassan

    actor

    actors
    1962
  • The Merv Griffin Show

    - Episode 70 (1966) ... Self actor actors
    1962
  • Combat!

    - The Celebrity (1962) ... Del Packer actor actors
    1962
  • The Pleasure of His Company

    Roger Henderson

    actor

    actors
    1961
  • The Mike Douglas Show

    - Episode 234 (1971) ... Self actor actors

    - Episode 204 (1963) ... Self actor actors

    - Episode 201 (1963) ... Self actor actors
    1961
  • That Kind of Woman

    Red

    actor

    actors
    1959
  • They Came to Cordura

    Lt. William Fowler

    actor

    actors
    1959
  • Meet Me in St. Louis

    John Truett

    actor

    actors
    1959
  • Damn Yankees

    Joe Hardy

    actor

    actors
    1958
  • Gunman's Walk

    Ed Hackett

    actor

    actors
    1958
  • Lafayette Escadrille

    Thad Walker

    actor

    actors
    1958
  • Portrait of a Murderer

    Donald Bashor

    actor

    actors
    1958
  • Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates

    Hans Brinker

    actor

    actors
    1958
  • The Girl He Left Behind

    Andy L. Shaeffer

    actor

    actors
    1956
  • Forbidden Area

    Stanley Smith

    actor

    actors
    1956
  • The Burning Hills

    Trace Jordan

    actor

    actors
    1956
  • The Sea Chase

    Cadet Wesser

    actor

    actors
    1955
  • Battle Cry

    Pvt Dan 'Danny' Forrester

    actor

    actors
    1955
  • Track of the Cat

    Harold Bridges

    actor

    actors
    1954
  • Return to Treasure Island

    Clive Stone

    actor

    actors
    1954
  • Climax!

    - Fear Strikes Out (1955) ... Jimmy Piersall actor actors
    1954
  • The Steel Lady

    Bill Larson

    actor

    actors
    1953
  • Gun Belt

    Chip Ringo

    actor

    actors
    1953
  • The Oscars

    - The 30th Annual Academy Awards (1958) ... Self actor actors
    1953
  • Saturday Island

    Marine Corporal Michael J. Dugan

    actor

    actors
    1952
  • The Lawless

    Frank O'Brien

    actor

    actors
    1950
  • What's My Line?

    - Episode 349 (1957) ... Self - Panelist actor actors

    - Episode 348 (1957) ... Self - Mystery Guest actor actors
    1950

• production (3 credits)

  • Dark Horse

    producer

    production
    1992
  • Hollywood on Horses

    co-executive producer

    production
    1989
  • Lust in the Dust

    producer

    production
    1985