Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner: The Love Affair That Inspired His Saddest Songs
Their marriage was explosive and short. Friends said he never fully got over her.
In the early 1950s, Frank Sinatra was a fading crooner and Ava Gardner was one of the hottest stars in Hollywood. Their romance began while he was still married, which caused a public scandal.
A fiery marriage
They married in November 1951. Friends described the relationship as passionate and stormy, full of jealous arguments and dramatic reunions.
From Here to Eternity
Sinatra's career was in trouble when he campaigned for the role of Maggio in From Here to Eternity. Gardner is widely said to have used her influence to help him get it. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1954, and his career roared back.
The songs
They separated in 1953 and divorced in 1957. Many listeners hear his heartbreak in the lonely ballads he recorded in those years, on albums like In the Wee Small Hours.
They stayed in touch for the rest of their lives. Biographers report that when Gardner was ill late in life, Sinatra quietly helped her.
This story is based on the stars' own interviews and memoirs and on widely reported history. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it.
