Ava Gardner

Ava Lavinia Gardner was born December 24, 1922, in Brogden, North Carolina. She was the youngest of seven children born to poor tobacco farming parents, and her induction into the world of celebrity was rather accidental. Her brother-in-law, Larry Tarr, took her photo to display in the window of the Tarr Photography Studio in New York. In 1941, Barnard “Barney” Duhan was a legal clerk working for Loews Theaters. He happened to spot Gardner’s picture, but was more interested in obtaining a date than launching her career. Duhan would reportedly pose as a talent scout for MGM in order to meet beautiful women. But when he tried to contact Gardner, the receptionist quickly brushed him away. Disappointed, Duhan sarcastically told the receptionist that Gardner should send her information to MGM studios.

And that was exactly what the family did. Gardner was finishing her schooling at Atlantic Christian College when MGM called and said they wanted a meeting. She immediately traveled from her North Carolina home to the MGM offices in New York. With absolutely no acting experience, MGM was still willing to offer her a standard contract so convinced were they that her beauty would keep audiences coming back for more. Gardner accepted the terms of the contract and left school in 1941 to live in Hollywood.

Gardner acted in seventeen films between the years of 1942 and 1945, most of her roles limited to one-liners. This lack of confidence from MGM planted a deep insecurity in Gardner about her ability as an actress, which she carried throughout her career. However, in 1946, MGM finally allowed her a lead in Whistle Stop. Despite the film’s meager critical reception, Universal was clamoring to get Gardner. MGM agreed, and she starred in her first real success, The Killers. Along with Burt Lancaster in his first role, the two act out the suspenseful story of Ernest Hemingway to perfection. With the reception of her new film, Gardner finally solidified herself as a movie star. Also, playing the femme fatale with so much conviction, Gardner earned her equally as prevalent status as a sex symbol.

In 1953, Gardner starred in Mogambo, which earned her an Oscar nomination, but she ultimately lost to Audrey Hepburn’s role in Roman Holiday. But many will always remember Gardner as Maxine Faulk in The Night of the Iguana in 196). Under the direction of John Huston and co-starring Richard Burton, Gardner earned a Golden Globe nomination and the much desired respect of the acting community.

But it was Gardner’s personal life that was so interesting, marrying three times and having many affairs. Her first marriage to Mickey Rooney was ultimately short-lived due to her young age and his excessive partying. It only lasted from January 1942 to May 1943. After Rooney, she was fervently pursued by Howard Hughes but Gardner expressed no interest. Her second marriage to Artie Shaw was similarly ill-fated. The two were together from 1945 to 1946, and it is reported that these are the years she began drinking. Her last marriage was to legendary crooner Frank Sinatra and lasted somewhat longer, hanging on from 1951 to 1957. Sinatra left his wife Nancy to be with Gardner, and the subsequent headlines cast Sinatra in a poor light while it jettisoned Gardner’s career, only seeming to confirm her onscreen siren persona. Gardner did become pregnant, but because the marriage was tumultuous, she terminated the pregnancy. Despite everything that happened between them, and even after their divorce, the two remained close friends for the rest of her life.

Helping to break Gardner and Sinatra apart were Gardner’s many love affairs with some of Hollywood’s principal leading ladies. Due to Gardner’s moral clause in her contract, she would have been immediately fired if such affairs were made public. However, after the fact, she did admit to relationships with Lana Turner, Barbara Payton, and Christine Norden.

Disillusioned by failed marriages and Hollywood, Gardner retreated to Spain where she developed a friendship with Ernest Hemingway and a fanaticism for bullfighting. But Gardner endured a blow when she was thrown from a horse and suffered damage to the right side of her face that never fully healed. Gardner’s physical beauty, for which she became so famous, was permanently marred.

With rapidly declining health, Gardner suffered a stroke in 1989 that left her partially paralyzed and confined to bed. Interestingly, Sinatra paid her medical bills. Uttering her last words, “I’m tired,” Gardner died on January 25, 1990, in Westminster, London, due to complications from bronchial pneumonia. She is buried in Sunset Memorial Park in her home state of North Carolina.

YUDDY