A biography on ava gardner

Their relationship was often characterized by passion, turbulence, and occasionally, violence. Even when they were not officially together, Hughes would know all that was going on in Ava's life, reportedly even having Frank Sinatra followed so that he could tell Ava if Frank was fooling around on her. Gardner married for the second time in Her marriage to Artie Shaw lasted just over a year.

A biography on ava gardner: Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, –

Her husband, the famous clarinetist and Big Band leader, was a very difficult man who had been married four times before marrying Ava. He would go on to marry another three times, totaling eight marriages in all. The marriage was a disaster from the very beginning, when Shaw continuously harassed Gardner about her lack of education.

He felt she wasn't smart enough or refined enough and wanted her to improve her education and meet a higher standard. This drove them apart from the beginning, and Gardner, already self-conscious about her lack of education, began to take refuge in heavy drinking and attending therapy sessions. Gardner's third and final marriage was to the man that she would always refer to as the "love of her life," Frank Sinatra.

The marriage lasted the longest of the three, frombut the relationship between the two had started much earlier. After his performance was over, he quickly set his sights on Ava. He made his way to her through the audience, unveiled that big grin, as Ava tried to keep her cool. Then I could have married you myself," he said. Always an intense flirt, Sinatra tried to win Ava's heart after her divorce from Rooney, but Ava, knowing that Sinatra was a married man, resisted his advances.

InAva decided not to resist the man she loved any longer. The affair began and Frank promised to leave his wife, Nancy, for Ava, but Lana Turner warned Ava that he had made the same promises to her. Rather, it was the press that eventually caused Nancy Sinatra to separate from Frank. Frank and Ava's relationship was splashed across the headlines and they received hate mail, as Frank was Catholic and not allowed to divorce.

His career was also failing, he was losing his voice, and he hadn't had a hit film in quite some time. The country began to hate Frank for leaving his "good wife" for this exotic femme fatale. Ava's career, on the other hand, only got better. She was hot in Hollywood, producing hit after hit. Frank even had to borrow money from Ava to buy his children Christmas presents because he had gone bankrupt.

The role and the award revitalized Sinatra's acting and singing careers. The relationship was always rocky and turbulent. Both were very jealous of the acts of the other. Sinatra was jealous of Howard Hughes and even threatened to kill him, Ava would become jealous if Frank looked at another woman while he was singing. They had raging disagreements, often in public.

A biography on ava gardner: Ava Gardner (born December 24,

The marriage came to an end inleaving Ava was through with marriage entirely. She also appeared in Mogamboa role that earned Gardner her only Academy Award nomination. Even as her acting career developed, Gardner's beauty was always a large part of her appeal. Gardner's life in Hollywood was also busy off-camera. She met actor Mickey Rooney on her first studio visit in California.

Rooney, then at the height of his career, ardently pursued her. As Gardner, heeding her North Carolina upbringing, was determined to remain a virgin until marriage, they wed inafter first receiving permission from MGM. The two separated a year later, amid Gardner's accusations that Rooney had been unfaithful. With the end of her first marriage, the down-to-earth Gardner's reputation for drinking, smoking and partying grew.

She also became close with playboy Howard Hughes. Although Gardner refused to sleep with Hughes, she remained an object of fascination for the reclusive man for years. Gardner had another short marriage, from toto bandleader Artie Shaw. During their time together, Shaw tried to mold Gardner, who was already insecure about her lack of education, with suggested reading lists.

Gardner rarely shied away from romantic entanglements, and her partners ranged from co-stars to Spanish matadors. Her real-life femme fatale reputation peaked when she became involved with singer Frank Sinatrawhom she considered the love of her life. Ava Gardner was not extensively recognized by the major awards ceremonies during her lifetime.

She was known more for her alluring screen presence and her performances in some of the classic films of Hollywood's Golden Age. However, she did receive a few notable nominations:. Although these are the major award nominations she received, Gardner's contribution to film has been more broadly recognized in the years following her death. Her performances have been retrospectively celebrated, and she has been listed among the greatest a biography on ava gardner stars of classical Hollywood cinema by the American Film Institute.

Love, I am told, is more precious than gold. Love, I have read, is hot. But hate is the verb that to me is superb, and Love but a drug on the mart. Any kiddie in school can love like a fool, but Hating, my boy, is an Art. Ava Gardner's performance in "Mogambo" is widely regarded as one of her most vibrant and captivating roles. Gardner plays Honey Bear Kelly, a vivacious and sultry showgirl who becomes entangled in a love triangle with Victor Marswell played by Clark Gablea big-game hunter, and Linda Nordley played by Grace Kellythe prim and proper wife of an anthropologist.

This nuanced portrayal makes her both alluring and sympathetic. Her chemistry with Gable is palpable and harks back to the kind of on-screen chemistry reminiscent of classic Hollywood. Their dynamic balances between flirtatious sparring and moments of genuine emotional connection. Gardner displays a deft balance between comedy and drama.

She delivers lines with a wit and timing that provide comic relief, yet she's equally adept in the more dramatic moments, conveying a depth of emotion. The role required a physicality that Gardner embraced wholeheartedly, whether it was handling the rough conditions of shooting on location in Africa or interacting with the animals that were part of the film's backdrop.

She effectively portrays Honey Bear's emotional journey from a carefree and self-interested individual to one who is capable of deep love and self-sacrifice. For the era, Gardner's role was quite forward in its sexual confidence. She managed to convey a sensuality that was overt yet tasteful, embodying the liberated spirit that was often attributed to her off-screen persona as well.

Her ability to hold her own opposite two huge stars of the time, Gable and Kelly, further attests to her strong performance. In "Mogambo," Ava Gardner's talent for portraying complex, multifaceted women shines through, making Honey Bear Kelly one of her most memorable characters. In the film "On the Beach," Ava Gardner plays Moira Davidson, one of the central characters in this post-apocalyptic drama directed by Stanley Kramer.

The film is set in a world ravaged by nuclear war, where the residents of Australia await the arrival of deadly radiation that has wiped out the rest of humanity. Gardner's portrayal of Moira Davidson is one imbued with layers of sadness, resignation, and occasionally, sparks of hope. She brings an emotional depth to her character that resonates with the film's somber theme of impending doom.

Her character develops a complicated relationship with the American submarine officer, Commander Dwight Towers, played by Gregory Peck. Moira falls in love with Dwight, who remains loyal to the memory of his deceased family in the United States. Gardner deftly captures the nuances of a woman who is deeply in love but faced with an unattainable partner.

Initially presented as a free-spirited, somewhat disillusioned individual who turns to alcohol to numb the pain of her doomed existence, she evolves into someone who finds strength and purpose in the face of the inevitable, largely influenced by her relationship with Dwight. Gardner delivers a restrained performance, marked by moments of subtlety that speak volumes.

Her interactions with Peck's character are filled with unspoken words and emotional undercurrents, showcasing her ability to communicate through silence and expression. Moira symbolizes the humanity that remains in a collapsing world — her struggles, affections, and fears reflect the broader human experience when confronted with the end of existence.

Gardner's performance makes Moira a relatable and tragic figure, encapsulating the essence of human vulnerability. Even in a role that is less glamorous than many others in her career, Gardner's screen presence remains commanding.

A biography on ava gardner: Ava Lavinia Gardner was an

She brings a dignified grace to Moira, a quality that aligns well with the film's introspective and melancholic tone. Although she had good reviews, she kept a fragile a biography on ava gardner. Off-camera, she could be witty and pithy, as in her assessment of director John Fordwho directed Mogambo "The meanest man on earth. Thoroughly evil. Adored him!

Gardner's decision to accept the role was influenced by her own lifelong habit of going barefoot. Indicative of her sophistication, she portrayed a duchess, a baroness, and other women of noble lineage in her films of the s. The following year, she played her last major leading role in the critically acclaimed The Night of the Iguanabased upon a Tennessee Williams play, and starring Richard Burton as an atheist clergyman and Deborah Kerr as a gentle artist traveling with her aged poet grandfather.

John Huston directed the movie in Puerto VallartaMexico, insisting on making the film in black-and-white — a decision he later regretted because of the vivid colors of the flora. Gardner received billing below Burton, but above Kerr. Gardner played a former love interest of Lancaster's who could have been instrumental in Douglas preventing a coup against the President of the United States.

He [Huston] had more faith in me than I did myself. Now I'm glad I listened, for it is a challenging role and a very demanding one. I start out as a young wife, and age through various periods, forcing me to adjust psychologically to each age. It is a complete departure for me, and most intriguing. In this role, I must create a character, not just play one.

Two years later, inGardner briefly sought the role of Mrs. Robinson in Mike Nichols ' The Graduate She reportedly called Nichols and said "I want to see you! I want to talk about this Graduate thing! She said, 'All right, let's talk about your movie. First of all, I strip for nobody. Gardner moved to Tokyo inundergoing an elective hysterectomy to allay her worries of contracting the uterine cancer that had claimed the life of her mother.

Her last appearance was in in the television film Maggie. Mayer was worried that fans would desert Rooney's Andy Hardy movie series if it became known that their star was married. Gardner divorced Rooney inciting mental cruelty, [ 20 ] privately blaming his gambling and womanizing. She did not ruin his on-screen image as the clean-cut, judge's son Andy Hardy that the public adored.

Gardner's second marriage was equally brief, to jazz musician and bandleader Artie Shawfrom to Shaw previously had been married to Lana Turner. Gardner's third was to singer and actor Frank Sinatra from to She later said in her autobiography that he was the love of her life. Sinatra left his wife Nancy for Gardner, and their marriage made headlines.

Sinatra was blasted by gossip columnists Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsonsthe Hollywood establishment, the Catholic Church, and by his fans for leaving his wife. Gardner used her considerable influence, particularly with Harry Cohnto get Sinatra cast in his Oscar -winning role in From Here to Eternity This role and the award revitalized both Sinatra's acting and singing careers.

The Gardner—Sinatra marriage was tumultuous. Gardner confided to Artie Shaw, her second husband, that, "With him [Frank], it's impossible It's like being with a woman. He's so gentle. It's as though he thinks I'll break, as though I'm a piece of Dresden chinaand he's gonna hurt me. Gardner stated in her autobiography, Ava: My Storythat she was never in love with Hughes, but he was in and out of her life for about 20 years.

Hughes' trust in Gardner was what kept their relationship alive. She described him as "painfully shy, completely enigmatic, and more eccentric Gardner lived her last 35 years outside of the United States. She first visited Spain inand she moved to that country inliving there untilwhen she moved to London. Gardner had a close friendship with Gregory Peckwith whom she starred together in three films, the first one being The Great Sinner Although Gardner was raised Baptistat the end of her life she said she had no religion.

She said, "Nobody wanted to know Daddy when he was dying. He was so alone. He was scared.

A biography on ava gardner: Ava Gardner was a sultry beauty

I could see the fear in his eyes when he was smiling. I went to see the preacher, the guy who'd baptized me. I begged him to come and visit Daddy, just to talk to him, you know? Give him a blessing or something. But he never did. He never came. God, I hated him.