He enlisted in the Coast Guard at age 15 (he lied about his age) and, at 18 made his film debut in The Lawless. He had no previous acting experience. Though his acting was stiff and unimaginative, 1950s teenagers adored his blond, boy-next-door appearance and physique. His best-known early film was Battle Cry. The role most remembered today is the part of Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees!. In 1960-1 he had his own TV series The Tab Hunter Show, and he appeared regularly as George Shumway in TV's Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. He co-starred three times with female impersonator Divine: Polyester, Out of the Dark, and Lust in the Dust. He wrote the story for his most recent (his 32nd) movie Dark Horse, directed by David Hemmings.