Ava Gardner

Lore & Background

Ava Gardner was born the youngest of seven children in Grabtown, North Carolina. Her family lost their property during the Depression, and after her father died of bronchitis in 1938, the family moved to Rock Ridge, North Carolina, where she graduated high school in 1939. She attended secretarial classes at Atlantic Christian College for about a year. In the summer of 1940, while visiting her sister in New York City, her brother-in-law took her portrait, which was displayed in his studio. A legal clerk named Barnard Duhan, who often posed as an MGM talent scout, saw the portrait and suggested sending her information to MGM. She was interviewed by Al Altman, head of MGM's New York talent department, and offered a standard contract, leaving school for Hollywood in 1941.

Gardner's first feature film appearance was a walk-on in *We Were Dancing* (1942). After several bit parts, she received her first screen billing in *Ghosts on the Loose* (1943). Her breakthrough came with *The Killers* (1946), playing femme fatale Kitty Collins. She later starred in *Show Boat* and *Pandora and the Flying Dutchman* (both 1951), followed by *The Snows of Kilimanjaro* (1952), *Mogambo* (1953), and *The Barefoot Contessa* (1954). She appeared opposite Gregory Peck and Fred Astaire in *On the Beach* (1959). Her later films included *55 Days at Peking* (1963), *Seven Days in May* (1964), *The Bible: In the Beginning...* (1966), and *Mayerling* (1968). She continued acting regularly until 1986.

Gardner received a Golden Globe and BAFTA nomination for her performance in *The Night of the Iguana* (1964). She remained lifelong friends with Gregory Peck and was active in progressive politics. She died in 1990 after suffering a stroke in 1986. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked her No. 25 on its greatest female screen legends list.

Reader's Guide

Ava Gardner's significance lies in her transition from a contract player with a strong Southern accent to a major star of the 1950s, earning an Academy Award nomination for *Mogambo*. Her career spanned over four decades, with notable roles in film noir, musicals, and dramas. She worked with prominent directors such as John Huston and Robert Siodmak. Her legacy is reflected in her ranking by the American Film Institute as one of the greatest female screen legends. Gardner's personal life, including her lifelong friendship with Gregory Peck and her involvement in progressive politics, adds to her historical interest. She remains a symbol of Hollywood's Golden Age, known for both her on-screen presence and her off-screen wit.

Did You Know?

• Gardner was of English and Scots Irish ancestry and raised in her mother's Baptist faith.
• She had a lifelong habit of going barefoot, which influenced her decision to accept the role in *The Barefoot Contessa*.
• MGM provided her with a speech coach because her Carolina drawl was nearly incomprehensible to them.
• She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in *Mogambo*.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was an American actress." — Ava Gardner "[On John Ford] The meanest man on earth. Thoroughly evil. Adored him!" — Ava Gardner "[On her relationship with Frank Sinatra] We were great in bed. It was usually on the way to the bidet when the trouble began." — Ava Gardner "Gardner worked with John Ford on Mogambo (1953)." — Ava Gardner