Ava Gardner had a stormy and passionate relationship with Frank Sinatra. He was her third and last husband. They were married from 1951 to 1957. Frank left his wife Nancy to be with Ava. The gossip rags went crazy over the relationship. Many fans were distraught that Frank had left his wife to be with another woman. The Catholic Church was also not very happy about the situation. Frank's career suffered over his relationship with Ava, while it only added to her image as a sultry sex kitten of the era. She would use her clout though to help Frank land his role in From Here To Eternity, which would go on to win him an Oscar and revitalize his career. Their romance was probably doomed from the start. They fought as much as they made love. She would always say, however, that Frank was the love of her life. They did remain friends after their divorce. Frank even paid all her medical expenses after Ava suffered a stroke in 1989, which left her partially paralyzed and confined to bed.
