Ava Gardner was always fond of Ernest Hemingway. She frequently called him "Papa" and appeared in three films based on his works: The Killers, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, and The Sun Also Rises. Of all his novels and short stories made into films, The Killers was one of the few productions Hemingway actually liked.

Ava Gardner's affection for Hemingway is now on display at the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield, North Carolina. The crown jewel of the "Ava and Hemingway" exhibit is a pocket watch that Gardner gave Hemingway in 1954 to celebrate his 55th birthday. On the back of the watch is the engraving: "TO PAPA, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FROM AVA, MADRID, JULY 21, 1954." The watch continues to give perfect time.

The "Ava and Hemingway" exhibit is open until October 8, 2010. For more information, visit the Ava Gardner Museum web site.