Ava Gardner

Ava Gardner Actress - Born December 24, 1922 in Grabtown, North Carolina, USA

Died January 25, 1990 in Westminster, London, England, UK (bronchial pneumonia)

Birth Name Ava Lavinia Gardner

Nicknames The Worlds Most Beautiful Woman

Height 5' 6" (1.68 m)

Mini Bio (1) Ava Lavina Gardner was born on December 24, 1922 in Grabtown, North Carolina, to Mary Elizabeth (née Baker) and Jonas Bailey Gardner. Born on a tobacco farm, where she got her lifelong love of earthy language and going barefoot, Ava grew up in the rural South. At age 18, her picture in the window of her brother-in- law's New York photo studio brought her to the attention of MGM, leading quickly to Hollywood and a film contract based strictly on her beauty. With zero acting experience, her first 17 film roles, 1942-1945, were one-line bits or little better. After her first starring role in B-grade Whistle Stop (1946), MGM loaned her to Universal for her first outstanding film The Killers (1946). Few of her best films were made at MGM which, keeping her under contract for 17 years, used her popularity to sell many mediocre films. Perhaps as a result, she never believed in her own acting ability, but her latent talent shone brightly when brought out by a superior director, as with John Ford in Mogambo (1953) and George Cukor in Bhowani Junction (1956).

After three failed marriages, dissatisfaction with Hollywood life prompted Ava to move to Spain in 1955; most of her subsequent films were made abroad. By this time, stardom had made the country girl a cosmopolitan, but she never overcame a deep insecurity about acting and life in the spotlight. Her last quality starring film role was in The Night of the Iguana (1964), her later work being (as she said) strictly "for the loot". In 1968, tax trouble in Spain prompted a move to London, where she spent her last 22 years in reasonable comfort. Her film career did not bring her great fulfillment, but her looks may have made it inevitable; many fans still consider her the most beautiful actress in Hollywood history. Ava Gardner died at age 67 of bronchial pneumonia on January 25, 1990 in Westminister, London, England.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Rod Crawford

Frank Sinatra (7 November 1951 - 5 July 1957) (divorced)

Artie Shaw (17 October 1945 - 25 October 1946) (divorced)

Mickey Rooney (10 January 1942 - 21 May 1943) (divorced)

Trade Mark (5) 1. Known off-screen for bawdy language and humor and free spirit. 2. Dark brown hair and green eyes. 3. Dimpled chin and high cheekbones. 4. Voluptuous figure. 5. Deep sultry voice

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001257/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

Ava Gardner Actress - Born on a tobacco farm, where she got her lifelong love of earthy language and going barefoot, Ava grew up in the rural South a daughter of a sharecropper. At age 16, her picture in the window of her brother-in- law`s New York photo studio brought her to the attention of MGM, leading quickly to Hollywood and a film contract based strictly on her beauty. With zero acting experience, her first 17 film roles, 1942-5, were one-line bits or little better. After her first starring role in B-grade Whistle Stop (1946), MGM loaned her to Universal for her first outstanding film, The Killers (1946). Few of her best films were made at MGM which, keeping her under contract for 17 years, used her popularity to sell many mediocre films. Perhaps as a result, she never believed in her own acting ability, but her latent talent shone brightly when brought out by a superior director, as with John Ford in Mogambo (1953) and George Cukor in Bhowani Junction (1956). After 3 failed marriages, dissatisfaction with Hollywood life prompted Ava to move to Spain in 1955; most of her subsequent films were made abroad. By this time, stardom had made the country girl a cosmopolitan, but she never overcame a deep insecurity about acting and life in the spotlight. Her last quality starring film role was in The Night of the Iguana (1964), her later work being (as she said) strictly "for the loot". She loathed the narrow-minded and restrictive approach of the major studios and was not eager to return to her past lifestyle. There were many things the Actress did not have the chance to fulfill. Whether her career or the times were to blame, one cannot say. However the multi-ethnic star solidified her acceptance, colorblindness and appreciation for diversity by "becoming a lifelong member of the NAACP in 1968"*. Also in 1968, tax trouble in Spain prompted a move to London, where she spent her last 22 years in reasonable comfort despite two strokes and a suspected auto-immune condition. Her film career did not bring her great fulfillment, but her beautiful yet exotic looks may have made it inevitable; many fans still consider her the most beautiful actress in Hollywood history. May she live on in our hearts forever!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ava_Gardner