Let me tell you a heartwarming story about two legends of Hollywood who shared a bond that lasted decades. Eight years before they found themselves sharing the screen as an engaged couple in The Pleasure of Your Company, Tab Hunter and Debbie Reynolds went on a date together. It wasn't romantic—it was more like two friends enjoying each other's company. Back in 1953, they attended the premiere of Little Boy Lost, starring Bing Crosby. Imagine these two fresh-faced stars, all smiles for the cameras, embodying the all-American charm that made them so beloved.
A Friendship That Withstood the Test of Time
Here's the thing about Tab and Debbie: their connection wasn't just a passing phase or a fleeting friendship tied to their careers. Their bond endured for decades, even as both of their lives changed dramatically over the years. In her 2013 memoir, Unsinkable, Debbie fondly remembered Tab, saying, "Tab’s a wonderful man who is married to another man now. I’m glad we’ve been friends for so long." That's the kind of genuine affection that only comes from a deep, lasting friendship.
Calling Each Other by Their Real Names
One of the most endearing aspects of their friendship? They called each other by their birth names, not the glamorous monikers Hollywood had bestowed upon them. "I used to call Debbie 'Mary Francis,'" Tab revealed, referring to Debbie's original name. He could relate because he himself had grown up in New York and California answering to Arthur Kelm. That kind of intimacy speaks volumes about how close they were.
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Debbie was one of Tab's earliest friends when he first arrived in Los Angeles. "I’ve known Deb since she was in the Burbank High School band playing the French horn," Tab shared with Closer in 2015. "I could just go anywhere and do anything with Deb because we have such a good time together." That’s the kind of friendship that transcends the glitz and glamour of Hollywood—it's real, it's authentic, and it's built on trust.
Challenging Times in Hollywood
Now, let's talk about the challenges Tab faced during his career. In those days, actors who were gay kept their private lives under wraps. The so-called "lavender scare" was a very real threat, and it almost derailed Tab's career. In 1955, a gossip magazine outed Tab, revealing that he had been arrested years earlier for "disorderly conduct" at a "pajama party." Tab was quick to set the record straight. "It was all bulls–t. When I arrived, there happened to be a couple of guys dancing with a couple of guys and a couple of gals dancing with a couple of gals," he explained. "Moments later, the cops showed up and arrested all of us. That’s exactly how innocent it was."
Warner Bros. could have fired Tab after this revelation, but they chose not to because he had already filmed several upcoming movies for the studio. "In Hollywood, everybody talks, but nothing matters more than the bottom line," Tab noted. And through it all, Debbie stood by her friend. "It was the early 1950s; there was no discussion about being gay back then," she said. "But I knew that Tab was."
Brotherly Love
Debbie never sought romance with Tab. "One night in my parents’ kitchen in Burbank, Tab tried to kiss me goodbye. I told him not to," she recalled about the early days of their friendship. "I thought it would be like kissing my brother. And I was right. Tab is like my brother … We always laughed and had fun when we were together." That’s the kind of bond that only comes from true friendship, one that’s built on mutual respect and understanding.
