♪ THEME MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO EVERYONE, I'M DR. PHIL HOFFMAN.

WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ROAD TRIP: HEMINGWAY IN FLORIDA.

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT ERNEST HEMINGWAY LIVED IN FLORIDA FOR JUST NINE YEARS.

BUT EVEN TO THIS DAY NO NAME IS MORE SYNONYMOUS WITH THE COMMUNITY OF KEY WEST.

IN THE NEXT HALF AN HOUR, WE'LL EXPLORE HIS IMPACT ON FLORIDA AND FLORIDA'S IMPACT ON HEMINGWAY.

>>WHO HEMINGWAY WAS IS A REALLY BIG QUESTION BECAUSE AS HIS FIRST WIFE HADLEY SAID, "HE WAS LIKE A GEOMETRY PUZZLE WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT SIDES."

WE OBVIOUSLY KNOW THE MACHO HEMINGWAY, THE PERSONA THAT'S SO FAMOUS BUT HE WAS A VERY TENDER PERSON, SENSITIVE, SOMETIMES COVERED WITH THAT MACHO PERSONA.

BUT REALLY HE SPANS SO MANY TYPES OF LITERATURE, SO MANY INTERESTS, SO MANY DECADES IN THE PUBLIC LIGHT.

SO HE'S A COMPLEX, COMPLICATED MAN.

>>ERNEST HEMINGWAY WAS AN ACCIDENTAL TOURIST WHEN IT COMES TO HIS ARRIVAL IN KEY WEST.

>>HEMINGWAY GETS HERE PRETTY MUCH BY ACCIDENT, REALLY.

HE IS LIVING IN PARIS WITH HIS SECOND WIFE, PAULINE.

PAULINE BECOMES PREGNANT AND SHE WANTS TO MOVE BACK TO THE UNITED STATES TO HAVE THE BABY.

SO THEY MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO LEAVE PARIS VIA STEAM SHIP TO HAVANA AND THE INTENT WAS THEN TO TRAVEL ACROSS TO KEY WEST, PICK UP A CAR FROM THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEN DRIVE BACK TO HER HOMETOWN OF PICKET, ARKANSAS.

THEY ARRIVED IN KEY WEST AS PLANNED AND THE FORD DEALERSHIP TELLS THEM THAT THE CAR IS NOT AVAILABLE YET.

>>ERNEST AND PAULINE WAIT NEARLY SIX WEEKS FOR THE CAR.

DURING THAT TIME, HEMINGWAY FALLS IN LOVE WITH KEY WEST.

THE COUPLE LIVED IN A SECOND FLOOR APARTMENT IN THIS BUILDING ON SIMONTON STREET.

AT THE TIME IT WAS A FORD DEALERSHIP.

TODAY, THE BUILDING IS KNOWN AS CASA ANTIGUA AND IS A PRIVATE HOME AND HEADQUARTERS FOR A SMALL BUSINESS.

>>THIS WAS A MAN AND WHO WOULD COME FROM PARIS IN THOSE EARLIER YEARS AND DISCOVERED KEY WEST.

AND KEY WEST COINCIDED PERFECTLY WITH WHOM HE WANTED TO BE AT THAT POINT IN HIS LIFE.

>>WHEN HE CAME TO KEY WEST, I THINK THE THING THAT HE DISCOVERED MOST IS HE COULD BE HIMSELF.

IN A WEIRD WAY IT MADE HIM MORE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYDAY PEOPLE AS HE BECAME ASSOCIATED WITH THE ISLAND.

SO I THINK IT MADE HIM MORE DOWN TO EARTH IN A LOT OF WAYS TO MOVE TO KEY WEST.

>>KEY WEST FED HIS LOVE OF THE OUTDOORS, THE ISLAND BREEZES AND THE LAID BACK ATMOSPHERE.

ALL OF THAT I THINK, CALMED HIS SOUL.

>>DURING HIS TIME ON THE ISLAND.

I THINK HE ENJOYED THE ISLAND LIFE.

IT'S QUIET, IT'S LAID BACK, BUT YOU CAN ALSO GET OUT THERE, BE ADVENTUROUS, ENJOY EVERYTHING IT HAS TO OFFER.

AND I THINK THAT REALLY SPARKED HIS IMAGINATION AND HIS CREATIVITY TO REALLY GET WORK DONE.

>>HE HAD THE AMAZING WRITING DISCIPLINE, EVERY MORNING, DOESN'T MATTER HOW HE FELT.

EVERY MORNING HE WOKE UP BEFORE 6:00 AM AND HE KEEP WRITING.

IT WAS LIKE A RELIGION FOR HIM WRITING UNTIL ABOUT NOON, EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND THANKS TO THIS WRITING DISCIPLINE HEY, HE ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH HERE IN THE US.

HE WROTE ABOUT 70% OF HIS LIFETIME WORK HERE, DOWN FROM THIS WRITING STUDIO IN KEY WEST HERE.

>>I WOULD SAY THE KEY WEST YEARS ARE BOOKEND, FAREWELL TO ARMS WAS PUBLISHED IN 1929.

AND FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS IN 1940.

SO, YOU'VE GOT THE BOOKENDS OF TWO REALLY FAMOUS NOVELS, BUT IN THE MIDDLE, THERE'S ONLY ONE NOVEL WRITTEN TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT, WHICH IS ABOUT KEY WEST.

THE ONLY NOVEL HE SET REALLY ON AMERICAN SOIL, BUT THEN HE WROTE DEATH IN THE AFTERNOON ABOUT BULL FIGHTING.

HE WROTE GREEN HILLS OF AFRICA, HE PUBLISHED SEVERAL BOOKS OF COLLECTIONS OF SHORT STORIES.

HE DID THE ESQUIRE MAGAZINE ARTICLES.

SO THE GENRES THAT HE WAS WRITING IN WERE BROADENED IN KEY WEST.

>>KEY WEST IN FLORIDA, PROVIDED HIM WITH THIS BAREFOOT FOOT LOOSE, BOHEMIAN EXISTENCE.

AND YET THE UTTER DISCIPLINE OF THE WRITER IN THE MORNING.

FACING THE TERROR OF THE BLIND PAGE.

>>IT'S HARD TO EXPERIENCE JUST HOW REVOLUTIONARY HIS STYLE WAS BECAUSE HE HAS JUST INFLUENCED SO MANY PEOPLE.

AND I THINK IT'S DIFFICULT TO REMEMBER THAT BEFORE THAT, LITERATURE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE POLLY SYLLABLES AND A LOT OF FRU-FRU AND HEMINGWAY CAME IN AND HE WAS LIKE, IT'S OKAY TO SAY, OKAY, ACT, YOU DON'T NEED 15 ADJECTIVES IN FRONT OF THAT, THEN NO ADVERBS.

AND YOU JUST GET RIGHT TO THE POINT.

>>HE WAS A SERIOUS WRITER.

THIS IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE.

HE GOT UP IN THE MORNING AND WRITE.

AND HE USUALLY RECORDED HOW MANY WORDS HE HAD WRITTEN THAT DAY.

AND THEN THE NEXT DAY HE SET OUT, STRUCK OUT HALF THE WORDS I WROTE YESTERDAY.

SO HE WAS A SERIOUS WRITER.

BUT AFTER THAT, HE WAS FREED UP, WANDER AROUND AND PARTICULARLY TO GO FISHING.

>>BY THE TIME HE'S IN HIS LATE TWENTIES, EARLY THIRTIES, HE'S KIND OF CREATED THIS IDEA THAT HE IS THE FATHER FIGURE TO WHATEVER GROUP OF FOLKS THAT ARE HANGING OUT WITH HIM.

BUT THE IDEA OF PAPA I THINK WAS SIMPLY THE IDEA THAT HE WAS THE VETERAN OF THE GROUP, THE MOST EXPERIENCED OF THE GROUP.

AND IT GAVE HIM SORT OF A PERSONA OF AUTHORITY, NO MATTER WHAT THE SUBJECT WAS.

>>HE LOVED BEING PAPA.

IN FACT, THE MANY TIMES HE WOULD TALK TO WRITER FRIENDS WHO WERE REALLY OLDER THAN HE WAS, BUT HE WOULD CALL THEM "KID".

PAPA THIS AND PAPA THAT.

AND IT WAS AN IMAGE THAT HE REALLY DID EMBRACE AND HE LIKED TO ENLARGE IT.

PEOPLE LOVED HIM.

THEY RECOGNIZED HIS FACE.

MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE HADN'T EVER READ ONE OF HIS NOVELS NECESSARILY, BUT THEY LIKED THE PERSONA OF PAPA AND HE LIKED IT.

>>HE LIVED LIFE TO THE FULLEST, NO MATTER WHERE HE LIVED, BUT HERE HIS FOCUS BESIDES THE WRITING WOULD DEFINITELY BE BOXING, REFEREEING OR BEING INVOLVED IN IT AND ENJOYING THE WATERS WITH ALL THE BIG GAME FISHING.

>>THE RECEIVED IMAGE IS AS THIS DASHING SPORTSMEN.

BUT IN FACT, THERE'S ANOTHER PART OF ERNEST HEMINGWAY.

THAT WAS ALWAYS A BOOKISH MAN IN GLASSES, TRYING TO GET HIS WORK DONE.

>>NEAR THE DOWNTOWN AREA IS THE MEMORIAL GARDEN, WHICH INCLUDES STATUES OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE WHO'VE LIVED IN KEY WEST.

OF COURSE, ERNEST HEMINGWAY IS THERE NOT ONLY FOR HIS WRITING, BUT ALSO FOR BRINGING SO MUCH ATTENTION TO THE ISLAND.

>>THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF WRITERS WHO HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY HEMINGWAY'S TIME ON THE ISLAND; WRITERS LIKE TENNESSEE WILLIAMS, WHO END UP SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN KEY WEST.

AND HE'S HERE FOR OVER 30 YEARS, IN FACT.

AND SO GORE VIDAL COMES HERE, TRUMAN CAPOTE COMES HERE, ROBERT FROST IS HERE.

THE WORD GETS OUT THAT THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO BE.

AND YOU ARE IN COMPANY AND YOU CAN SHARE IDEAS WITH OTHER WRITERS, YOU'RE NOT ALONE.

AND THAT'S A LOT OF THANKS TO HEMINGWAY.

>>PRIOR TO KEY WEST HEMINGWAY WAS FAMOUS FOR HIS WRITING AND HIS WRITING SORT OF ILLUMINATED HIS MORE ACTIVE LIFE IN KEY WEST, HIS MORE ACTIVE LIFE, BROUGHT PEOPLE TO HIS WRITING, WHICH I THINK IS A NICE DISTINCTION ABOUT KEY WEST.

>>THE HEMINGWAY RESIDENCE IN KEY WEST IS A TOP TOURIST ATTRACTION ON THE ISLAND.

OUR BUDDY PITTMAN HAS MORE ON THIS HISTORIC LANDMARK.

>>THIS SPANISH COLONIAL VILLA IS WHERE HEMINGWAY CALLED HOME IN THE 1930S.

IT NOW STANDS AS A NATIONAL LANDMARK AND MUSEUM HONORING THE ISLAND'S MOST FAMOUS LITERARY RESIDENT.

>>OF ALL THE PLACES TO CHOOSE, TO PURCHASE A HOME AND TO STAY LONG-TERM.

IT IS VERY SPECIAL THAT HE CHOSE KEY WEST OF ALL PLACES, A VERY SMALL ISLAND AT THE END OF THE ROAD.

SO TO SPEAK.

>>THE HOUSE ORIGINALLY WAS BUILT BY ASA TIFT AND THEY WERE INTO THE SHIPPING SALVAGE BUSINESS, PROBABLY THE TIME HE BUILT OUT, HE PROBABLY WAS THE RICHEST GUY IN KEY WEST, MAYBE THE RICHEST GUY IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

>>THIS HOUSE IS VERY SPECIAL.

IT'S STILL STANDING HERE ALMOST 200 YEARS WITH ALL THE HURRICANES IN KEY WEST, WHICH IS VERY UNUSUAL.

IT WAS BUILT IN 1851, IT'S ON THE SECOND HIGHEST POINT ON THIS ISLAND.

SO VERY SPECIAL LOCATION.

THIS HOUSE WAS IN A VERY BAD CONDITION BECAUSE IT WAS EMPTY FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS.

>>IT WAS OVERGROWN AND NEEDED AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF WORK.

BUT PAULINE HAD A VISION AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED THE RENOVATION PROJECT.

>>IT WAS THE PERFECT PLACE FOR HEMINGWAY TO BE.

THE HOUSE WAS LARGE ENOUGH FOR PAULINE TO ENTERTAIN HER FRIENDS AND THEIR GUESTS.

THERE WAS A SEPARATE WRITING STUDIO FOR HEMINGWAY, WHERE HE CAN WORK.

AND THEN AT NIGHT HE CAN LEAVE THE HOUSE.

AND WITHIN MINUTES IN ANY DIRECTION, HE CAN FIND HIMSELF IN A BAR, A RESTAURANT, HE COULD BE AT A FRIEND'S HOUSE.

HE'S VERY CLOSE TO THE DOCKS, WHATEVER HE ENJOYED AND HE ENJOYED IT ALL.

IT WAS VERY CENTRALLY PLACED FOR HIM TO TRULY LIVE HIS BEST LIFE HERE.

EVERYTHING HE ENJOYED WERE STEPS AWAY.

>>HEMINGWAY LOVED THE FACT THAT THE HOUSE WAS ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE, BECAUSE HE USED THAT MANY TIMES, THE LIGHT BLOWING FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE TO FIND HIS WAY HOME.

WHEN HE WOULD BE OUT ALL NIGHT SOCIALIZING WITH HIS LOCAL GROUP.

PAULINE ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE A SWIMMING POOL IN THE YARD.

IT WAS A HUGE PROPERTY.

THERE'S PLENTY OF SPACE FOR IT.

HEMINGWAY NEVER SAW A REASON FOR IT.

PAULINE GOT WIND THAT HE WAS GOING OFF ON A TRIP, NOT JUST BY HIMSELF, BUT WITH A FEMALE.

>>SHE DECIDED TO RIP OUT HIS BOXING RING AND INSTALL THE SWIMMING POOL.

WHEN ERNEST ARRIVED HOME, HE WAS FURIOUS.

HIS BOXING RING WAS GONE.

THE POOLS IN PLACE.

THEY KNEW IT HAD TO HAVE BEEN EXPENSIVE.

HE REACHED IN HIS POCKET, GRABBED A PENNY OUT AND WAS LIKE, "WELL, JUST IF YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND ALL MY MONEY, HAVE MY LAST RED CENT."

AND THREW IT IN THE GROUND.

AND AT THAT TIME, THE CEMENT WAS STILL A LITTLE WET IN ONE AREA.

AND SO PAULINE GRABBED IT AND PRESSED IT IN.

SO THAT WAY WHEN SHE HAS DINNER PARTIES AND EVERYTHING, SHE CAN LAUGH ABOUT IT LATER.

>>NOW SOME SAY THE PENNY STORY IS MERE KEY WEST FOLKLORE AS IS THE STORY OF THE CATS.

NOW SOME BELIEVE THEY ACTUALLY BELONG TO THE NEIGHBOR, BUT THE LOCALS IN KEY WEST TELL A DIFFERENT STORY.

>>HEMINGWAY WAS BIG TIME CAT LOVER SINCE HIS CHILDHOOD.

HE HAD CATS ALWAYS.

AND HERE IN KEY WEST HE WAS GIVEN ONE VERY SPECIAL CAT.

>>WHEN HIS BOYS WERE LITTLE, THE SHIPS, WHEN THEY DOCKED, THEY TYPICALLY WOULD HAVE CATS ON THEM.

MOSTLY POLYDACTYLY, WHICH MEANS THEY HAVE AN EXTRA DIGIT AND THE SHIP CAPTAIN ACTUALLY GIFTED THE BOYS, A KITTEN.

>>HER NAME WAS SNOW WHITE AND APPARENTLY SNOW WHITE MADE GOOD FRIENDS WITH THE CATS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD NAVY BASE BECAUSE AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS, MR. HEMINGWAY HAD ABOUT 70 CATS ON THIS PROPERTY.

HE SAID THAT ONECAT JUST LEADS TO ANOTHER ONE.

>>AND WE TRY TO KEEP THE LEGACY GOING TODAY.

WE HAVE ABOUT 60 ON PROPERTY.

THEY ALL CARRY THE POLYDACTYLY GENE, BUT ONLY ABOUT HALF SHOW THE EXTRA DIGIT >>HEMINGWAY LOVED FISHING SO MUCH HE BOUGHT HIS OWN BOAT AND NAMED IT PEELER HIS NICKNAME FOR HIS WIFE PAULINE, BUT TO HEMINGWAY PEELER WAS MUCH MORE THAN JUST A BOAT.

>>PEELER WAS CENTRAL AND INTEGRAL TO HIS EXISTENCE.

HE OWNED PEELER THROUGH THREE WIVES, THE NOBEL PRIZE AND ALL HIS RUIN, BECAUSE THAT BOAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF SO MUCH OF HIS JOY, OF HIS TRIUMPH, OF HIS EGO.

IT'S ALL THERE.

>>THE BOAT BECAME SUCH AN EXTENSION OF HIS CRAFT AND HIS IDENTITY THAT THEY'RE ALMOST INSEPARABLE IN A LOT OF WAYS.

HE PROBABLY SPENT A LOT MORE TIME ON THAT BOAT, OUT IN THE GULF STREAM THAN HE ACTUALLY DID AT HOME WRITING AFTER HE ACQUIRED IT.

>>IF YOU THINK OF IT IN TERMS OF HIS WRITING.

IF YOU HAVE A DEEP SEA BOAT, YOU GO FAR OUT TO THE POINT THAT YOU CANNOT LOOK BACK AND SEE LAND.

YOU MIGHT SAY THAT PEELER WAS HELPING HIM TO GO FURTHER OUT IN HIS LITERARY, EXPERIMENTING IN HIS RISKS TO HIMSELF AS A WRITER.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT LIFE?

WE KNOW THAT IF YOU'RE TRYING TO ESCAPE YOUR DEMONS, YOU END UP TAKING YOUR DEMONS WITH YOU.

SO HE DIDN'T LEAVE THEM ON SHORE.

THEY CAME INTO THAT BOAT WITH HIM, BUT PEELER IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THIS MACHO IN OUR KIND OF IMAGINATION.

THAT BOAT WAS THE CONSTANT IN HIS LIFE.

>>HILARY HEMINGWAY IS ERNEST HEMINGWAY'S NIECE.

SHE'S, CO-WRITTEN TWO BOOKS ABOUT HER UNCLE, HUNTING WITH HEMINGWAY AND HEMINGWAY IN CUBA.

>>A LOT OF HIS BEST WORK IS EXPLAINING HOW TO DO SOMETHING.

HE WAS A MARVELOUS TEACHER.

IF WE LOOK AT THE FOUR DIFFERENT STORIES THAT HE WROTE ABOUT FISHING, YOU CAN PULL FROM THAT.

NOT ONLY OLD MAN AND THE SEA, BUT ISLANDS IN THE STREAM, HE REALLY WANTED TO BE REMEMBERED FOR HIS WRITING MORE THAN HIS LIFESTYLE.

>>IN HILLARY'S DOCUMENTARY ON HEMINGWAY'S TIME IN CUBA, SHE REVEALS THE CUBAN INFLUENCE ON HER UNCLE'S WRITING.

>>ONE PERSON IS IN ALL THE PICTURES, ALL OVER CUBA WITH HIM AND THAT'S FIDEL CASTRO.

AND I ACTUALLY HAD A CHANCE TO INTERVIEW FIDEL CASTRO FOR MY FILM.

AND I SAID TO HIM, WHY DID YOU KEEP THE MEMORY OF ERNEST HEMINGWAY ALIVE?

>>THERE IS A PICTURE OF FIDEL CASTRO, ONE SIDE, ERNEST HEMINGWAY, ON THE OTHER SIDE, HE LEANS FORWARD AND HE SAYS TO ERNEST, "I WANT TO THANK YOU."

AND HE SAID, "FOR WHAT?"

AND HE SAID, "WELL, THE WHOLE REASON THIS REVOLUTION SUCCEEDED WAS BECAUSE OF YOUR BOOK FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS."

AND ERNEST WAS LIKE, "WHAT?"

AND HE SAID, "YES, BECAUSE ROBERT JORDAN BELIEVED ONE MAN IN THE RIGHT SPOT, IN THE RIGHT LOCATION COULD STOP AN ADVANCING ARMY AND THAT'S WHAT I DID."

MY MOTHER AND FATHER WERE BOTH WRITERS.

SO I BECAME A WRITER.

I LIKE TELLING STORIES THE SAME WAY THEY LIKE TELLING STORIES, BUT THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF PRESSURE TO BE SOMETHING ABOVE AND BETTER THAN ANYBODY AROUND YOU, BECAUSE YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE COMPARED TO HIM AND WHO HE IS.

THAT FOR MANY YEARS, WE WERE INVOLVED WITH HEMINGWAY DAYS DOWN IN KEY WEST.

IT WAS LIKE ONE WEEK OUT OF THE YEAR, YOU'RE SOMEBODY FAMOUS.

THAT'S ABOUT THE MOST YOU SHOULD EVER HAVE, BECAUSE IT'LL REALLY GO TO YOUR HEAD OTHERWISE.

>>IN 1965, MARY HEMINGWAY, ERNEST WIDOW FORMED THE ERNEST HEMINGWAY FOUNDATION TO CARRY ON HER LATE HUSBAND'S LEGACY.

15 YEARS LATER, A GROUP OF HEMINGWAY SCHOLARS FORMED THE HEMINGWAY SOCIETY.

>>WELL, THAT IS THE MISSION.

REALLY, IN A NUTSHELL, THAT IS THE MISSION TO KEEP HIS PERSONA ALIVE AND TO KEEP HIS WORKS READ, AND TO JUST REVERE THE GREAT TRENDSETTER AND REMARKABLE ARTISTS THAT HE WAS.

NOW, WE HAVE AROUND 600 MEMBERS FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD REALLY.

MANY OF THEM ARE ACADEMICS, BUT NOT ALL.

WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO JUST LOVE HEMINGWAY.

HE'S REMARKABLY FAMOUS STILL.

AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.

>>GAIL SINCLAIR HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW ERNEST SISTER, CAROL HEMINGWAY GARDENER, WHO IN THE EARLY 1930S ATTENDED RAWLINGS COLLEGE HERE IN WINTER PARK.

>>SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE CAME TO ROLLINS FOR TWO REASONS TO GET AWAY FROM OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, AND TO BE NEAR HER BROTHER WHO WAS IN KEY WEST.

AND SO SHE WOULD TAKE THE TRAIN DOWN TO VISIT HIM.

HE DID NOT COME TO ROLLINS, SHE ALWAYS WENT TO SEE HIM.

SHE WAS AT ROLLINS 1930 TO 1932.

SHE LEFT ROLLINS, SHE WAS ACTUALLY ASKED TO LEAVE BECAUSE SHE AND HER BOYFRIEND WHO EVENTUALLY BECAME HUSBAND WERE COHABITING, WHICH WAS CERTAINLY NOT ACCEPTED.

AND SO SHE WENT TO EUROPE AND IT'S THERE THAT THE LETTERS GOT DIFFICULT AND EVENTUALLY NASTY.

AND THEY BROKE OFF THEIR RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE HEMINGWAY DID NOT LIKE THE MAN THAT SHE EVENTUALLY MARRIED AND THEY NEVER SPOKE AGAIN, THE REST OF THEIR LIVES, WHICH IS SUCH A SAD THING I THINK.

SO IT'S AN INTERESTING STORY IN A LOT OF WAYS.

>>ERNEST HEMINGWAY CERTAINLY LIVED LIFE TO THE FULLEST.

HIS GREATLY DOCUMENTED SOCIAL LIFE IN KEY WEST HAS BLOSSOMED INTO A YEARLY CELEBRATION.

LET'S GO BACK TO BUDDY PITTMAN IN KEY WEST.

>>HEMINGWAY'S PHILOSOPHY WAS SIMPLE, IN ORDER TO WRITE ABOUT LIFE, YOU HAVE TO LIVE IT.

AND HE CERTAINLY DID THAT IN A BIG WAY, BUT PARTICULARLY AS ONE OF THE REGULARS AT HIS FAVORITE HANGOUT SLOPPY JOE'S.

>>WHEN HEMINGWAY MOVES TO KEY WEST IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF PROHIBITION, BUT KEY WEST DUE TO ITS CLOSE PROXIMITY TO HAVANA AND TO NASSAU, BAHAMAS IS A NOT WELL KEPT SECRET WITH REGARDS TO THE IMPORTATION OF RUM AND BRANDY.

HEMINGWAY IS IMMEDIATELY CENTERED ON THE SLOPPY JOE RUSSELL, WHO IS RUNNING A SPEAKEASY AT THE TIME BECAUSE OF THIS EASY ACCESS TO ALCOHOL IN TOWN.

>>JOE RUSSELL WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF SLOPPY JOE'S.

DURING PROHIBITION, HE WAS A BOAT CAPTAIN AND HE WAS ALSO A RUM RUNNER.

AFTER PROHIBITION, HE OPENED UP THE BLIND PIG, WHICH OBVIOUSLY WENT THROUGH SEVERAL DIFFERENT NAMES, BUT IT ENDED WITH SLOPPY JOE'S AND THE PERSON WHO ENCOURAGED HIM TO NAME IT SLOPPY JOE'S WAS ERNEST HEMINGWAY.

>>THE ORIGINAL SLOPPY JOE'S WAS LOCATED ON GREEN STREET IN A BUILDING THAT IS NOW CAPTAIN TONY SALOON.

BUT WHEN THE LANDLORD TRIED TO RAISE JOE'S RENT FROM $3 A WEEK TO $4.

WELL, JOE BOUGHT THE BUILDING A FEW DOORS DOWN AT THE CORNER OF DUVALL AND GREEN.

AND THAT IS WHAT WE KNOW TODAY AS SLOPPY JOE'S.

>>ERNEST CAME IN FROM THE BEGINNING, BUT ERNEST WAS HERE SO OFTEN THAT HE CALLED HIMSELF A SILENT PARTNER.

AND THE WAY THEY MET IS KIND OF INTERESTING BECAUSE HEMINGWAY TOOK A CHECK TO A LOCAL KEY WEST BANK.

AND THEY LOOKED HIM UP AND DOWN AND HE DIDN'T EXACTLY LOOK LIKE THE GUY THAT WOULD HAVE THAT CHECK.

IT WAS A ROYALTY CHECK FROM ONE OF HIS BOOKS.

HE BROUGHT IT TO SLOPPY JOE'S AND JOE RUSSELL ACTUALLY CASHED IT FOR HIM.

THEY BECAME FISHING BUDDIES.

JOE RUSSELL ACTUALLY BECAME THE PILOT OR THE CAPTAIN OF HEMINGWAY'S BOAT.

AND THEY WOULD GO FISHING ALL THE TIME IN THE WATER BETWEEN CUBA AND KEY WEST.

IT TURNED OUT TO BE A FRIENDSHIP THAT LASTED TILL THE END.

ABSOLUTELY.

>>EACH YEAR, THE HEMINGWAY DAYS FESTIVAL IS CELEBRATED AS A TRIBUTE TO HEMINGWAY'S LEGACY AND HIS IMPACT ON KEY WEST.

>>KEY WEST HEMINGWAY DAY FESTIVAL IS VERY DEFINITELY A HIGHLIGHT OF THE ISLAND CITY SUMMER.

IT BEGAN IN 1981 AS A CELEBRATION OF ERNEST HEMINGWAY, WHO LIVED ON THE ISLAND THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE 1930S.

AND THE FESTIVAL IS EMBRACED BY THE COMMUNITY.

>>THE FIVE DAYS OF FESTIVITIES INCLUDE SYMPOSIUMS BY HEMINGWAY SCHOLARS, A SHORT STORY COMPETITION, A MARLIN FISHING TOURNAMENT, HONORING ERNEST PASSION FOR THE SPORT, A 5K RUN.

AND OF COURSE THE IMMENSELY POPULAR HEMINGWAY LOOK ALIKE CONTEST.

>>HEMINGWAY DAYS LOOK ALIKE CONTEST STARTED WITH JUST A COUPLE OF GUYS WHO LOOKED LIKE HEMINGWAY AND THE ACTUAL JUDGES WERE HEMINGWAY FAMILY MEMBERS.

NOW, 40 YEARS LATER, IT'S UP TO ABOUT 150, 155 CONTESTANTS A YEAR.

THEY ALL LOOK LIKE HEMINGWAY AND IT'S YOU WALKED DOWN THE STREETS OR YOU WALK IN ANY LITTLE BAR AND YOU COULD WALK UP AND HAVE A DRINK AT THE BAR WITH ERNEST HEMINGWAY.

>>THE BEST WORDS TO DESCRIBE WHAT IT'S LIKE LOOKING LIKE ERNEST HEMINGWAY IS IT'S A PRIVILEGE.

YOU REALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, ESPECIALLY FOR ME, THAT I LIVE HERE IN KEY WEST TO REPRESENT ERNEST HEMINGWAY, IT'S A REAL PRIVILEGE.

DID SOME PEOPLE THINK YOU RESEMBLE ERNEST HEMINGWAY, THAT'S FOR SURE.

>>PEOPLE OFTEN STOP ME ON THE STREET AND SAY ERNEST OR "HEY, YOU'LL LOOK JUST LIKE HEMINGWAY OR WHATEVER."

THE LOCAL CHURCH I GO TO HERE, THEY CALL ME ERNEST.

IN FACT, MANY OF THE CHURCH GOERS AT THAT PARTICULAR CHURCH ARE COMING TO ROOT FOR ME DURING THE CONTEST.

>>OF COURSE ONLY ONE GUY WILL BE THE WINNER AND EARN THE HONOR AS PAPA AND HAVE HIS PICTURE PLACED ON THE PRESTIGIOUS PAPA WALL OF FAME INSIDE SLOPPY JOE'S.

>>ALL OF US WANT TO WIN, TO HAVE YOUR PICTURE ON THAT WALL WITH THE REST OF THE PAPA'S.

TO HELP FILL IN SOMEWHAT THE LEGACY OF HEMINGWAY, WOULD BE A REAL THRILL.

I'D LOVE TO BE A PAPA SOMEDAY.

>>THERE'S NO OTHER PLACE LIKE SLOPPY JOE'S.

WHEN YOU GET 160 GUYS TOGETHER THAT LOOKED LIKE ERNEST HEMINGWAY, IT IS A GREAT, CRAZY TIME DOWN HERE.

>>THE MONEY RAISED FROM THE EVENT GOES TO PROVIDE LOCAL COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS WITH THE GROUP HAVING PRESENTED ABOUT $150,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS THROUGH THE YEARS.

>>IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S FUN.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT KEY WESTERS CAN BE PROUD OF AND VISITORS FLOCK TO BECAUSE IT'S VERY ORGANIC TO KEY WEST.

HEMINGWAY LOVED IT HERE.

>>WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME IN TODAY SIMPLY JUST TO LOOK AT PICTURES OF HEMINGWAY AND TO SEE ARTIFACTS THAT ARE HERE.

THE BUILDING ITSELF REALLY HASN'T CHANGED TOO MUCH SINCE THEN.

AND IT'S PRETTY CRAZY TO BE A PART OF THAT HISTORY.

AND I JUST LOVE THAT PEOPLE COME IN EVERY DAY JUST TO HEAR A STORY ABOUT ERNEST HEMINGWAY.

>>HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, THE HEMINGWAY LEGACY LIVES ON.

IN LOCAL ESTABLISHMENTS, LIKE SLOPPY JOE'S BAR IN DAYTONA BEACH, AND ALSO AT THE HEMINGWAY TAVERN IN MELBOURNE.

>>WE STARTED OFF AS A KEY WEST RESTAURANT.

SO THAT WAS OUR GOAL TO OPEN A RESTAURANT THAT WAS CENTRIC ON KEY WEST, ITS CULTURE AND ITS CULINARY INFLUENCES.

HEMINGWAY REALLY ADDED TO THE ABILITY FOR US TO TELL A STORY.

HE ADDED A MYTHOS, HE WAS A LEGEND IN HIS OWN DAY.

EVERY YEAR WE DO TRY AND HAVE A HEMINGWAY LOOK LIKE CONTESTS, AND THEN WE SEND THEM DOWN TO KEY WEST ON OUR DIME.

WE WANT THEM TO TRY WIN THE SLOPPY JOE'S ERNEST HEMINGWAY LOOK A LIKE CONTESTS AND BRING THE GOLD BACK TO MELBOURNE.

WE'VE GOT DOZENS OF GUYS ENTERING AND SO FAR, ONE WOMAN, IT'S ALWAYS A HOOT.

IT'S ALWAYS A REALLY, REALLY GOOD TIME.

PEOPLE REALLY ENJOY IT.

AND IT'S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BRING A LITTLE BIT OF KEY WEST TO MELBOURNE.

>>ERNEST HEMINGWAY LIVED IN FLORIDA FOR LESS THAN A DECADE, BUT HIS LEGACY WILL FOREVER BE PART OF THE SUNSHINE STATE.

>>THERE WAS SOME FORCE OF WILL IN THIS MAN'S POWERFUL PRESENCE WHERE HE COULD IMPOSE HIS IDENTITY ONTO A PLACE THAT HE COULD MAKE THE WORLD EVER AFTER IDENTIFY THOSE PLACES FOR HIS HAVING LIVED THERE FOR A TIME.

HOW IN THE HECK HE DID THAT?

I DON'T KNOW.

>>FOR AMERICANS KEY WEST IS REALLY ASSOCIATED WITH HEMINGWAY.

FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA, FOR ORLANDO IT'S MICKEY MOUSE.

FOR KEY WEST IT'S HEMINGWAY.

>>I'M ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY FROM A MAN THAT LIVED HERE FOR A MERE NINE YEARS.

HOW OFTEN WE HEAR THE HEMINGWAY NAME AND HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THAT CONNECTION TO THAT PERSONALITY.

>>YOU CAN'T ARGUE THAT IN THE PAST 90 YEARS, IF YOU'RE GOING TO KEY WEST AND YOU ARE A WRITER THAT SOMEHOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE PRESENCE OF HEMINGWAY.

TO GO DOWN THERE IS TO GO SEEKING TO THAT SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE.

>>HEMINGWAY WAS A VERY INSPIRING PERSON IN REAL LIFE.

HE LIVED LIFE TO THE FULLEST.

EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT A FAN OF HIS WORK, YOU HAVE TO HAVE RESPECT FOR SOMEBODY WHO COULD DO ANYTHING HE PUT HIS MIND TO.

>>HE HAD SUCH AN IMPACT ON LITERATURE AND IN A WAY A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE WORLD SEE AMERICA.

EVERYTHING HE DID SAY'S KEY WEST ON IT.

>>ERNEST HEMINGWAY, A LIFE AND A LEGACY THAT WILL FOREVER LIVE ON.

I'M DR. PHIL HOFFMAN.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ROAD TRIP AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THE RICH HISTORY THAT SURROUNDS US ALL EVERY DAY.