Fans of Tab Hunter, who died at the age of 86 on Sunday, have taken to social media to pay tribute to the late actor.
“RIP to the most handsome and special man. ‘Young Love’ forever. #RIPTabHunter E xx,” legend Elton John posted on Twitter.
Actor Zachary Quinto, who is producing and starring in a film about Hunter, wrote, “so sad to wake up to the news of the passing of tab hunter. i was honored to get to know him in the past year and am so grateful to have experienced his sheer joy and love of life.”
“Tab passed away tonight three days shy of his 87th birthday,” his Facebook page announced late Sunday night. “Please honor his memory by saying a prayer on his behalf. He would have liked that.”
Hunter, who starred in such films as 1955’s “Battle Cry,” 1956’s “The Burning Hills” and the 1958 musical “Damn Yankees,” also parlayed his onscreen success into music, scoring a Billboard hit with the 1956 single “Young Love.” The star later found a younger cult audience following a role in John Waters’ 1981 film “Polyester” and Paul Bartel’s 1985 film “Lust in the Dust.”
In his 2005 memoir “Tab Hunter Confidential,” he disclosed that he had remained a closeted gay man in Hollywood’s golden age — with studio-approved relationships with female co-stars like Natalie Wood to cover for his actual affairs with men like “Psycho” star Anthony Perkins.
See reactions below.
RIP to the most handsome and special man. “Young Love” forever. #RIPTabHunter E xx pic.twitter.com/TIrAjpbRtw
— Elton John (@eltonofficial) July 9, 2018
so sad to wake up to the news of the passing of tab hunter. i was honored to get to know him in the past year and am so grateful to have experienced his sheer joy and love of life. and… https://t.co/ykU7fl6tBc
— Zachary Quinto (@ZacharyQuinto) July 9, 2018
Stay beautiful on Heaven forever Tab Hunter
— Diane Warren (@Diane_Warren) July 9, 2018
RIP Tab Hunter. pic.twitter.com/TBdo6Y6AR9
— Mario Cantone (@macantone) July 9, 2018
Sad to report that Tab Hunter, the gawjuss gay icon, and true gentleman, has left the building. We shared some good laughs back in the 80’s. I was always fond of this dear man.
— Harvey Fierstein (@HarveyFierstein) July 9, 2018
Tab Hunter was such a popular movie star in the 50s but spent decades fearing that he’d be outed for being gay. He eventually came out and at age 84 joined me on @SIRIUSXM #121 to discuss how far we’ve come, and what it’s like to hide in the spotlight. With @FrankConniff pic.twitter.com/RKe8a0UetA
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) July 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/DavidCampbell73/status/1016255977597702144
More to come…