1983 Winner: Leo Rost

Another Florida resident, Leo Rost, claimed Papa laurels in the third year of the Hemingway Look-Alike Contest.

Leo favored Hemingway in more ways than just looks. A published playwright, he also had a winning way with words.

“Leo worked closely with a group out of London,” said Sloppy Joe’s Michael Whalton, “and he had a couple of his plays produced.”

Michael remembered Leo as being as deep as he was delightful.

“Once you got to know him, you found out that he was surprisingly multi-talented.”

When the Hemingway Write-Alike Contest winner became the year’s top Hemingway Look-Alike winner, Leo savored the thrilling moment on stage at Sloppy Joe’s.

“It was unbelievable,” Leo commented after his win. “When I heard my name, and people started cheering and clapping for me, I just couldn’t believe it.”

Leo Rost died in 1998.