Ava Gardner

Biography

Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was a renowned American actress and one of the most iconic stars of Hollywood's Golden Age. Born on December 24, 1922, in Grabtown, North Carolina, she grew up in a rural setting before being discovered by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in 1941. Initially cast in minor roles, her breakthrough came with the film noir classic The Killers (1946), which established her as a leading lady. Gardner's career flourished in the 1950s with notable performances in films like Mogambo (1953), for which she received an Academy Award nomination, The Barefoot Contessa (1954), and The Night of the Iguana (1964). Known for her beauty and talent, she worked with some of the most celebrated directors and actors of her time. Off-screen, Gardner's personal life attracted significant attention, including her marriages to Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw, and Frank Sinatra. She spent her later years in Spain and London, continuing to act until the mid-1980s. Ava Gardner passed away on January 25, 1990, in London, leaving behind a legacy as one of Hollywood's most enduring legends.

Most Known For

What's My Line?

as Self

Knots Landing

as Ruth Sumner Galveston

Intimate Portrait

as Self

Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields

as Self (archive footage)

Harem

as Kadin

Mayerling

as Empress Elisabeth of Austria

Swing Fever

as Receptionist (uncredited)

The Long Hot Summer

as Minnie Littlejohn

Earthquake

as Remy Royce-Graff

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

as (in "The Killers" / "The Bribe") (archive footage)

On the Beach

as Moira Davidson

Chavela

as Self (archive footage)

The Bible: In the Beginning...

as Sarah

A.D.

as Agrippina

The Naked Maja

as Maria Teresa, duchess of Alba, nicknamed Cayetana

55 Days at Peking

as Baroness Natalie Ivanoff

The Costume Designer

as Self (archive footage)

The Barefoot Contessa

as Maria Vargas

Seven Days in May

as Eleanor Holbrook

Regina Roma

as Mama