IN 1954 the American actress Ava Gardner, described as "one of the most breathtaking creatures on earth" by Saturday Review magazine, embarked on a world tour to promote her new movie, The Barefoot Contessa.

With a hectic itinerary that included Rio de Janeiro, Stockholm, Rome and Tokyo, Miss Gardner arrived in Singapore in early December. Naturally she stayed at Raffles Singapore, where she posed for photographers on arrival and then changed for their benefit into a slinky satin cheongsam. Though we can’t be sure how many pieces of luggage she arrived with, according to The Straits Times she left with 40 suitcases, paying a whopping $4,000 in excess baggage charges at the airport. 

Gardner’s visit was one of several made by Hollywood stars and rising politicians during the 1950s, as postwar Singapore gradually became safer and more orderly. When two shy British soldiers asked Gardner for her autograph, she said, “Why boys, I’ll do more than that. Here’s a kiss.” A fun-loving lady, she was said to be one of the few who could match Ernest Hemingway, a lifelong friend and Raffles Singapore regular, shot for shot. Gin was her tipple of choice; she also enjoyed a cocktail, so while history does not record what she chose from the Long Bar’s drinks menu, it’s highly probable it was a gin-based Singapore Sling.

Ava Gardner was not always the model of decorum – she was banned from the Ritz in Madrid after an ‘incident’ in the hotel lobby; she was also banned from the St Regis in New York for pouring a drink over the then owner’s trousers. But at Raffles Singapore she is remembered only for her personal charm and exquisite beauty. Today her visit is commemorated in an eponymous suite, every bit as glamorous as Ava Gardner herself.