May 8, 2015
(This is part
of a 365 project during my 70th year where I write and illustrate a blog on
each day's gift.)
As lockers clanged open, the hallway became a metal
art gallery. Every girl at Woodbourne Junior High School in the 50’s had taped
pictures of handsome movie stars and musicians inside their locker door. These
photos were cut from the popular movie magazines that we all read and drooled
over. It was the age of crushes and giggles. It was a time of daydreams. I had pictures
of the Everly Brothers, Pat Boone, Ricky Nelson and Tab Hunter. (My mother
discouraged anything related to Elvis because she feared his pelvis might
adversely affect her daughters.) Tab Hunter was a clean-cut, handsome young
man, the kind mothers would love for their daughters to date. Yes, a wholesome
star.
Fast forward to today when I watched the “Tab
Hunter Confidential” documentary at the Maryland Film Festival. Director
Jeffrey Schwarz did an excellent job of portraying Hunter’s background, career
and the man himself. What my mother did not know— what none of us knew when I was 12—was
that Tab Hunter had a secret. His studio made sure his image continued as a heartthrob. Mention of his preference for the same sex would have tarnished
their star's reputation and most certainly would have resulted in loss of profits for the studio. Until 1957, homosexuals could be
prosecuted for gross indecency. Oscar Wilde was sentenced to two years in
prison for being gay. Recently I saw “The Imitation Game”, about Alan Turing, the brilliant and gay man
who helped break the Enigma code during World War II. Turing committed suicide
shortly after his prosecution. We’ve certainly come a long way. Now 37 states
allow same sex marriage.
What struck me about Schwarz’s biography of Hunter
was how he communicated the three-dimensional human being behind the iconic
face. Hunter is handsome (even at 84 now), talented (acting, singing, ice skating,
horseback riding) and a nice guy who lives happily with his partner, dogs and beloved
horse. His song “Young Love” was part of the movie’s soundtrack and I was surprised that
I remembered the words from more than 50 years ago. When I came home tonight, I
looked up my old sheet music, which I paid 50 cents for in the 1950’s, and
played it on my piano. It brought back good memories and a refreshed sense of well-being knowing
that Tab Hunter lives in a more accepting world today.
My
gift today was young love.
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You can find links to my other
posts on this project here: http://bjschupp.blogspot.com/2014/12/365-gifts.html
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