Last night I watched Tab Hunter Confidential on Amazon Prime

[milestogo]

Last edited Sat Aug 6, 2022, 10:28 AM - Edit history (1)

The movie is based on his autobiography, which came out in 2005.

Its the story of a gay man who was a movie star in the 1950s and 1960s. He made a lot of films, and became a pretty good actor. He was very attractive, movie-star looks.

Like most of that generation, he never came out of the closet during most of his life. The studios built him up as a heart throb - and part of the job was playing the role of a straight man always surrounded by beautiful women - in real life.

Of course the studios knew he was gay, but they worked very hard to keep that information private.

I found it to be a very interesting story, and also sad. He didn't get to live his own life until he got out of the spotlight.

[marble falls]

1. I was suprised and impressed at what a good human being he was. Someone I'd have ...

... as a friend. Really glad I caught that one, too.

[milestogo]

3. Yes, I agree.

[Haggard Celine]

2. If you get a chance to see Scotty, check it out.

I saw it on Hulu or Prime, don't remember which. It's about this old man who wrote a book about his life in 50s and 60s Hollywood. He was a sort of pimp to the gay stars of that period. He also had sex with some of them, but is now married to a woman. Anyway, his book tells the names of these famous dead stars and what they were like and he talks about his own life. It's pretty good!

[dflprincess]

5. Scotty Bowers

And the documentary is "Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood". I just watched it a couple weeks ago (and can't remember if it was Hulu or Prime, though I lean toward Prime).

[Haggard Celine]

6. Yes, thank you!

That guy has led quite a life! It's a wonder he's lived this long to tell his tale.

[dflprincess]

7. He died in 2019 - 96 years old

I agree it's amazing he made that far - what a life!

I think I may have to read his book "Full Service: My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Live of the Stars".

And Netflix had a miniseries loosely based on Scotty - it created a truly fictionalized version of Hollywood . Mildly entertaining if you know can suspend your belief. (Scotty & the gas station were probably the closest things to reality in it.)

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/hollywood-ryan-murphy-scotty-bowers-gas-station-sex-ring-994838/

[Haggard Celine]

8. Yeah, I think I might have to read that book, too.

Talking about him has gotten me all interested in the subject again.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

4. This was on NETFLIX a few years ago.

Heartbreaking as well as heartfelt.