Tab Hunter had his eyes set on acting from the get-go. Even his Coast Guard friends called him “Hollywood” because movies were all he could talk about. All this talking made Hunter one of the biggest names of his time.
On Valentine’s Day of 1956, he got 62,000 cards! After making a name for himself in several Warner Bros. hit films, Hunter started dabbling in singing. By the 1970s, rumors about Hunter’s romantic tendencies caused a decrease in his popularity. That didn’t stop him from having a 35 year-long loving relationship with Allan Glasser, a movie producer who mourned his 2018 passing.
Paul Newman (1960s)
Actors who pursue careers in other fields are nothing new, but Paul Newman was probably one of the first ones who did it well enough to become a pro. Even with roles in iconic films like "The Hustler" and "Cool Hand Luke," Newman still made time for another career as a race car driver.
He was pretty good at it, too, and even won some titles. Paul Newman worked with some of the very best actors in his heyday, including the likes of Tom Cruise and Robert Redford. He retired from acting in 2007 and passed away a year later at 83 years old after fighting lung cancer.
David Cassidy (1970s)
Without a shadow of a doubt, David Cassidy is best known for his role as Keith Partridge from the classic '70s musical sitcom "The Partridge Family." This was the role that turned Cassidy into a teen idol sensation and in many ways, this decade was his for the taking.
As the years went on, Cassidy continued to show up in shows such as "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "The Best Stiller Show," "Malcolm in the Middle," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," and many more. Sadly though, at the age of 67, Cassidy passed away in his Fort Lauderdale home on November 21, 2017.
Leif Garrett (1970s)
Leif Garrett started making his way through the spotlight as a child actor, but he did not reach his teen idol status until he started making music in the 1970s. After appearing in a number of films as a child, Garrett transitioned into music and the rest as they say, was history.
He released his first album in 1977, naming it after himself. It featured cover versions, mainly of hits from the two decades prior (so, the 50s and 60s by our count). His immense popularity has seen highs and lows, normally as a result of legal troubles surrounding him. And he hasn't released any music since the '80s, so there's that.
Pat Boone (1950s-1960s)
Before his claim to fame as a musician, Pat Boone enjoyed being the most popular guy in his Nashville high school and drawing cartoons for the school newspaper. He later graduated summa cum laude from Columbia University.
Boone recorded a cover of Fats Domino's "Ain't That a Shame" and soon became a trendsetting star. With popularity levels that rivaled Elvis Presley's, he later branched out to acting, writing, philanthropy, and activism. As of today, Boone has sold more than 45 million records worldwide. And he has had a whopping 38 Top 40 hits to his name. He still does a bit of acting today.