--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I had come out during my acting career…" description: "\"If I had come out during my acting career in the 1950s, I would not have had a career.\" — Tab Hunter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/tab-hunter-14724_1950s_if-i-had-come-out-during-my-acting-caree_843048.jpg" --- # If I had come out during my acting career in the 1950s, I… ![“If I had come out during my acting career in the 1950s, I would not have had a career.” quote by Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/tab-hunter-14724_1950s_if-i-had-come-out-during-my-acting-caree_843048.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/tab-hunter-14724_1950s_if-i-had-come-out-during-my-acting-caree_843048.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/tab-hunter-14724_1950s_if-i-had-come-out-during-my-acting-caree_843048.jpg) > “If I had come out during my acting career in the 1950s, I would not have had a career.” [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The actor fears that being openly gay in the 1950s would have ended his career. **In simple terms:** Being gay then risked career loss. Key Takeaway Authenticity may cost success. Themes identity career social norms Mood reflective somber Type historical personal When to use this quote - entertainment industry - LGBTQ history - personal branding Key Concepts courage conformity Questions to Reflect On - What would you risk for truth? - How have attitudes changed? A Different Perspective Societal acceptance varies over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [1950s](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zz-1950s-413/) [1950S Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/1950s-career-664294/) [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-career/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Career 1950S](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career-1950s-664293/) [Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) ## Related quotes > [I started my acting career at around when I was getting stressed from my singing career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seo-in-guk/i-started-my-acting-career-at-around-when-i-was-getting-stressed-from/) [Seo In-guk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seo-in-guk/) > [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/) [Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/) > [What I believe will make my acting career successful going forward is hard work. I like to challenge myself. Then it's the people I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkhad-abdi/what-i-believe-will-make-my-acting-career-successful-going-forward-is/) [Barkhad Abdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkhad-abdi/) > [That pesky acting career has always gotten in the way of me doing something with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chiklis/that-pesky-acting-career-has-always-gotten-in-the-way-of-me-doing/) [Michael Chiklis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chiklis/) > [Acting is my career. I am pursuing it with passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyamani/acting-is-my-career-i-am-pursuing-it-with-passion/) [Priyamani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyamani/) > [Without a doubt, my sexuality was something that I just never discussed, especially in the 1950s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/without-a-doubt-my-sexuality-was-something-that-i-just-never/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [Unless you're of a certain age, you may not know my name, but you can Google it - I was a pretty big movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/unless-you-re-of-a-certain-age-you-may-not-know-my-name-but-you-can/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [Well, basically I started when I was 12 years old in Montreal doing different Canadian children shows, which amounts to basically relative obscurity in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-baruchel/well-basically-i-started-when-i-was-12-years-old-in-montreal-doing/) [Jay Baruchel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-baruchel/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) > [In the late 1950s a major topic under discussion was whether Canada should acquire nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/in-the-late-1950s-a-major-topic-under-discussion-was-whether-canada/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [“The 1950s witnessed especially rapid expansion of electronic and electrical firms, of tobacco, soft drink, and food-processing companies, and of the chemical, plastics, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/the-1950s-witnessed-especially-rapid-expansion-of-electronic-and/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [In the early 1950s, during the near avalanche of discoveries, rediscoveries, and redefinitions of subcellular components made possible by electron microscopy, those prospecting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-emil-palade/in-the-early-1950s-during-the-near-avalanche-of-discoveries/) [George Emil Palade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-emil-palade/) > [What we're most aware of in 'Eight-Legged Freaks' is how similar it is to other movies, a recombinant mutated species itself, the product of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/what-we-re-most-aware-of-in-eight-legged-freaks-is-how-similar-it-is/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [I am a product of the 1950s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-jo-rupp/i-am-a-product-of-the-1950s/) [Debra Jo Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-jo-rupp/) > [We had a very upwardly mobile economy, and that peaked around the 1950s when the typical middle-class American family consisted of a father with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/we-had-a-very-upwardly-mobile-economy-and-that-peaked-around-the/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) ## More by Tab Hunter > [I knew Jimmy Dean. He tested for 'Battle Cry'. Paul Newman tested for 'Battle Cry'. I did nine tests to finally get that role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-knew-jimmy-dean-he-tested-for-battle-cry-paul-newman-tested-for/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [Unless you're of a certain age, you may not know my name, but you can Google it - I was a pretty big movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/unless-you-re-of-a-certain-age-you-may-not-know-my-name-but-you-can/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [I don't care about being in the public eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-don-t-care-about-being-in-the-public-eye/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [I've been a very, very fortunate man. I've had a lot of highs - and a great deal of lows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-ve-been-a-very-very-fortunate-man-i-ve-had-a-lot-of-highs-and-a/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [Divine was like a 400-pound beached whale. He was one of my favorite leading ladies, I've got to tell you. He was really terrific.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/divine-was-like-a-400-pound-beached-whale-he-was-one-of-my-favorite/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [I love singing. You know, my mother always used to encourage me, 'Sing, sing,' and I was in a choir in church, yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-love-singing-you-know-my-mother-always-used-to-encourage-me-sing/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [There would be no Tab Hunter if it were not for Dick Clayton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/there-would-be-no-tab-hunter-if-it-were-not-for-dick-clayton/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [I was born in New York. I grew up in San Francisco, Long Beach, and Los Angeles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-was-born-in-new-york-i-grew-up-in-san-francisco-long-beach-and-los/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [My sexuality is only a thread of the tapestry of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/my-sexuality-is-only-a-thread-of-the-tapestry-of-my-life/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [I turned into a workaholic to the point of where my health was in jeopardy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-turned-into-a-workaholic-to-the-point-of-where-my-health-was-in/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [I never mentioned my sexuality to Warner Bros. at all, and they never mentioned it to me, thank God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-never-mentioned-my-sexuality-to-warner-bros-at-all-and-they-never/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [Without a doubt, my sexuality was something that I just never discussed, especially in the 1950s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/without-a-doubt-my-sexuality-was-something-that-i-just-never/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [I'd work for John Waters again, because he's so off the wall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-d-work-for-john-waters-again-because-he-s-so-off-the-wall/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [I lived a very don't-ask, don't-tell life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-lived-a-very-don-t-ask-don-t-tell-life/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [I did Polyester, and I don't regret one minute of it. It was wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-did-polyester-and-i-don-t-regret-one-minute-of-it-it-was-wonderful/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) [Explore all 44 Tab Hunter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) ## More 1950s quotes > [Unless you're of a certain age, you may not know my name, but you can Google it - I was a pretty big movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/unless-you-re-of-a-certain-age-you-may-not-know-my-name-but-you-can/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [“The 1950s witnessed especially rapid expansion of electronic and electrical firms, of tobacco, soft drink, and food-processing companies, and of the chemical, plastics, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/the-1950s-witnessed-especially-rapid-expansion-of-electronic-and/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [In the late 1950s a major topic under discussion was whether Canada should acquire nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-polanyi/in-the-late-1950s-a-major-topic-under-discussion-was-whether-canada/) [John Charles Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-polanyi/) > [In the early 1950s, during the near avalanche of discoveries, rediscoveries, and redefinitions of subcellular components made possible by electron microscopy, those prospecting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-emil-palade/in-the-early-1950s-during-the-near-avalanche-of-discoveries/) [George Emil Palade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-emil-palade/) > [What we're most aware of in 'Eight-Legged Freaks' is how similar it is to other movies, a recombinant mutated species itself, the product of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/what-we-re-most-aware-of-in-eight-legged-freaks-is-how-similar-it-is/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [I am a product of the 1950s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-jo-rupp/i-am-a-product-of-the-1950s/) [Debra Jo Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-jo-rupp/) > [We had a very upwardly mobile economy, and that peaked around the 1950s when the typical middle-class American family consisted of a father with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/we-had-a-very-upwardly-mobile-economy-and-that-peaked-around-the/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [“Nixon had sought the treatment of a psychiatrist throughout the 1950s.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colapietro-roger-stone/nixon-had-sought-the-treatment-of-a-psychiatrist-throughout-the-1950s/) [Mike Colapietro Roger Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colapietro-roger-stone/) > [“Disneyland was one perfect answer. It provided, an almost sacred space where it is permissible and safe to let one's guard down, take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-le-mon/disneyland-was-one-perfect-answer-it-provided-an-almost-sacred-space/) [Leslie Le Mon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-le-mon/) > [“When they reached their ship, Ed gazed out at the bay. It was black. The sky was black, but the bay was even blacker.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-zlotchew/when-they-reached-their-ship-ed-gazed-out-at-the-bay-it-was-black-the/) [Clark Zlotchew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-zlotchew/) > [“In the 1950s at least less was expected of women. Now we're supposed to build a career, build a home, be the supermum that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/in-the-1950s-at-least-less-was-expected-of-women-now-we-re-supposed/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [The whole 1950s notion was find the right girl, get married, move to the suburbs and then hang out with the guys while she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-hefner/the-whole-1950s-notion-was-find-the-right-girl-get-married-move-to/) [Hugh Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-hefner/) > [I started with very tonal 19th-century music because I wanted to be a violinist as a child. So this was my first music, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krzysztof-penderecki/i-started-with-very-tonal-19th-century-music-because-i-wanted-to-be-a/) [Krzysztof Penderecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krzysztof-penderecki/) > [“The country is like a great sponge—it finally absorbs you. Eventually you will get malaria or you will get dysentery and whatever you do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/the-country-is-like-a-great-sponge-it-finally-absorbs-you-eventually/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [“Don't make a career out of underestimating me." — Claire de Haven”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellroy/don-t-make-a-career-out-of-underestimating-me-claire-de-haven/) [James Ellroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellroy/) [Browse all 123 1950s quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zz-1950s-413/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I had come out during my acting career in the 1950s, I would not have had a career.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tab Hunter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/if-i-had-come-out-during-my-acting-career-in-the-1950s-i-would-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "1950s" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/if-i-had-come-out-during-my-acting-career-in-the-1950s-i-would-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/tab-hunter-14724_1950s_if-i-had-come-out-during-my-acting-caree_843048.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/tab-hunter-14724_1950s_if-i-had-come-out-during-my-acting-caree_843048.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/tab-hunter-14724_1950s_if-i-had-come-out-during-my-acting-caree_843048.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I had come out during my acting career in the 1950s, I would not have had a career.” — Tab Hunter", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tab Hunter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I had come out during...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/if-i-had-come-out-during-my-acting-career-in-the-1950s-i-would-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/if-i-had-come-out-during-my-acting-career-in-the-1950s-i-would-not/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```