Both Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner were already celebrities when they married in 1951, although Sinatra’s career collapsed at the time while Gardner’s blossomed.

Gardner, who during the 1950s became one of the leading actresses of Hollywood, admired for her beauty and highly regarded for her acting ability, later wrote in her autobiography that of all the men she had had, Sinatra was the love of her life. The singer left his first wife, Nancy Barbato, for Ava and their marriage made headlines. Sinatra was savaged by gossip columnists, the Hollywood establishment, the Catholic Church and by his fans for leaving his “good wife” for this exotic femme fatale. “What I had mistaken for love,” admitted Sinatra later in his life, “was only the warm friendship Nancy had brought me.” His popularity suffered however while Gardner prospered: the scandal only solidified her sexy screen siren image.

Their marriage was stormy and included passionate fighting, jealousy, at least one alleged suicide attempt by Sinatra, two abortions, and numerous separations. Nonetheless, Gardner used her Hollywood influence to get Sinatra cast in his Oscar-winning role in From Here to Eternity (1953). That role and the award revitalized both his acting and singing careers.

Gardner would later say about her relationship with Sinatra: “We were great in bed. It was usually on the way to the bidet when the trouble began.” The marriage never produced any children. “We couldn’t even take care of ourselves,” according to Gardner. “How were we going to take care of a baby?” After separating, the two remained good friends throughout the rest of their lives.