In the 40s of the twentieth century, films with the participation of Gardner began to appear on the screens for the first time. Ava became a true embodiment of the beauty and femininity of cinema of that time. She entered the list of the greatest stars in the history of Hollywood. Many film critics to this day call her the most beautiful woman of the 20th century.
Years of childhood and youth
Before winning millions of viewers' hearts, the actress was an ordinary girl with the then unknown name Ava Gardner. Her biography begins in a small town located in the US state, where she was born on a cold December day - the 24th, 1922. In those days, the country was in the Great Depression, so the family lived very modestly. Parents raised seven children, among whom Ava was the youngest.
Her mother worked in cooking and baked various pastries, so she was a complete woman, but with strict outlooks on life. The girl's father was an ordinary worker on a tobacco plantation. Parents were too pious and religious, they raised their children in severity. Because of this, none of the Gardner children, including Ava, were able to attend movie theaters and dances. The biggest entertainment was considered on holiday to listen to the radio.
As soon as Ava managed to celebrate her sixteen years old, her father suddenly died of bronchitis. This led to the fact that her mother became even stricter in relation to her daughter. Such a dreary atmosphere strangled Gardner, Ava waited her 18 years and left for another small town, where at least she could live independently by her own rules.
What has changed the life of a woman with an angel face?
One very seemingly insignificant trip in 1941 played a very large role in life. Ava decided to visit her sister, who lived in the city of New York, whose husband was a wonderful photographer. By a fortunate coincidence, at that time he designed a shop window for his shop. Everyone knows that the actress possessed not only an excellent body, but also a beautiful face that did not have common features with anyone from the Gardner family. It was for this reason that Ava became a model, decorating the shop windows with her portraits, which made a splash.
Then everything developed at a rapid pace. The covers of glossy magazines began to adorn her photo, and the girl woke up as a real celebrity. Once, her employee from the famous film studio Metro Goldwyn Mayer saw her photographs, after which she offered the actress a contract for seven whole years, and for this purpose sent him to study acting classes. And so her career began.
Roles and films
The first picture, where actress Ava Gardner starred, was a short film, and the girl was given the role with only eight words, but her bright appearance and manner of playing simply could not go unnoticed. Therefore, already in the next film "Ghosts on the loose" she was given the main role. This picture was shot in just a week and was released in 1943.
The next decade of her life, the actress spent on the set and managed to successfully play in eighteen films. Especially popular among them are those that were filmed from the wonderful stories of Hemingway. Incidentally, he was personally acquainted with Ava and treated her with paternal warmth.
Thanks to the resounding success, furore and impressions that the film “Kilimanjaro Snow” made in 1952 made on the public, the actress’s palm prints appeared on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood.
In the period from 1953 to 1976, Ava Gardner starred in many films. The filmography is as follows:
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In 1953, the film of the adventure genre "Mogambo" was released, in which the actress took part together with the famous actor Clark Gable.
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In 1954, a picture was released for rent, in which, according to fans of the actress, she played herself - "Barefoot Countess."
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In 1958, the magnificent historical melodrama “Naked Mach” was released, where the actress played the role of an amazing and intelligent duchess, associated with a novel by an artist.
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1963 was the date of the military drama 55 Days in Beijing, in which Ava appeared in the image of Baroness Natalie Ivanova.
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In 1968, the historical film Mayerling appeared, where the actress played the Empress Catherine.
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She even starred in a 1975 Soviet-American production called The Blue Bird.
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In 1976, the actress tried herself in the lead role in the detective genre and starred with the stunning Sophia Loren in the film "Cassandra's Pass".
These are, perhaps, the most successful roles and pictures of the Hollywood artist. You can also note such as “On the Shore” and “Iguana Night”, but they did not bring such success as other films with her participation.
Her career as an actress lasted as long as 43 years, during this period Ava Gardner managed to show an excellent game in different genres and roles.
Men of the Hollywood Nymph
The first husband of Ava was the famous actor in those years, Mickey Rooney. He was a real womanizer and smoothie and at the beginning of his courtship for the actress was slightly amazed that she rejected him. He had not yet had to make acquaintances with girls of such strict views and mores as Ava. Mickey could not even get a kiss from her until they entered into a legal marriage, which for Gardner was only an illusion of happiness. After 17 months, she left her newly-made husband.
Then Ava meets his next love - billionaire and aircraft designer Howard Hughes. He was a peculiar person with his own oddities, but at that time the little-known actress really needed such a strong and rich patron. They began to live together. Hughes used to control everything in his life, so the artist was constantly monitored by various detective agencies. But so long could not continue, and the young woman left her chosen one.
She went to Artie Shaw, who was at that time a famous leader of the jazz orchestra. Their marriage did not last long, because the actress was bored and sad with him.
In 1950, an acquaintance occurred in the life of a woman, which led to a stormy romance. The whole public then knew that these famous personalities became lovers, and after some time, husband and wife, Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner. Photos with their happy faces could be seen on the pages of many newspapers and magazines. Their marriage lasted six years.
Final years
The last roles played by the actress were not as successful as the rest. This led to depression, and subsequently to a reclusive lifestyle. She lived in London, and her social circle was minimized.
This famous actress died at the age of 67 from pneumonia. She had a stroke two years before. All expenses associated with her illnesses were paid by Frank Sinatra. But, when she passed away, not one of her husbands or lovers was present at the funeral.
