Biography: Ava Gardner

Welcome to the second addition to our biography series!

Ava Gardner is today’s subject – a legacy we are lucky enough to have so much information on the life and success of through the dedication of everyone who works for the Ava Gardner Museum in North Carolina, where she grew up. Visit their website to browse through a variety of blog posts a biography page, and a FAQ.

Born December 24, 1922, Ava Gardner was the seventh and final child of Jonas Bailey Gardner and Mary “Mollie” Elizabeth. “The World’s Most Beautiful Animal,” as she was dubbed by the studio marketing team, was known for her sense of humor, “unladylike” language, and wildly free spirit. A 2020 Vanity Fair article goes into a bit of detail about her relationships with stars such as Frank Sinatra and Grace Kelly which can only be described as exciting and iconic.

Commonly talked about in relation to her one-time husband, Frank Sinatra, the star accomplished much more independently than most give her credit for. She was an Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA-nominated actress who made an effort to be politically and socially active. Gardner did what she could to assist in creating change in causes important to her such as racial equality. She involved herself in charity events and risked her career to voice her support of a presidential candidate who advocated for the desegregation of public schools and equality amongst races and genders. She also supported numerous charities and directed her estate’s trust to continue that legacy of giving.

After signing a contract with MGM in 1941, Gardner appeared in numerous uncredited background roles hustling nonstop until starring in The Killers (1946), which would become one of her most popular roles of all time. Her MGM contract ended in 1958 beginning a period in which Ava became more selective in the roles she chose to portray.

In her five-decade career, Gardner appeared in over 60 film and television productions. She suffered a stroke in 1986 and passed away from pneumonia on January 25, 1990. She was buried with her beloved parents in Smithfield, NC.

Ava Gardner Films You May Recognize:

• The Killers (1946)

• Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951)

• Show Boat (1951)

• Mogambo (1953)

• The Barefoot Contessa (1954)

• On The Beach (1959)

If you wish to continue learning about Ava, the following resources are readily available for you to visit…

Podcasts:

• The Love Goddess: Ava Gardner

• Trashy Divorces S5 E2 – Feat. The Early Years of Ava Gardner

• Trashy Divorces S5 E3 – Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra

• Calling Old Hollywood Ep. 50: Lora Stocker on the Life, Loves, & Films of Ava Gardner

• Back Roads & Back Waters: Executive Director Lynell Seabold talks about the Ava Gardner Museum

• Lovers Forever: The Story of Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra’s Romance

Books:

• Ava: My Story

• Living with Miss G

• Grabtown Girl

• Ava: A Life in Movies

Articles:

• Ava Gardner Museum Website

• Far Out Magazine UK – The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Ava Gardner

• Turner Classic Movies Actor Profile

• The Troubled Life of Hollywood’s Original Femme Fatale by Elizabeth McGovern

• The Wild Life and Many Loves of Ava Gardner

Featured image credit: Getty Images. Special thanks to Lora Stocker and the Ava Gardner Museum for fact checking and providing additional resources and information!