Ava Gardner

Ava Gardner

Acting
Born 1922-12-24 - Died 1990-01-25Grabtown, North Carolina, USA

Biography

Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was an American actress popular in the 1940s and 1950s. Considered one of the most iconic stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood, she was ranked as the 25th greatest female screen legend by the American Film Institute. Initially cast in minor roles, her breakthrough came with the classic film noir The Killers (1946), which established her as a leading lady. Her 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), which earned her a BAFTA nomination. Off-screen, Gardner's personal life and progressive politics attracted significant attention. Her marriages to Mickey Rooney and Artie Shaw were gossiped about, but her tumultuous relationship with Frank Sinatra particularly headlined. Gardner was a strong supporter of racial equality and desegregation, and became a member of the NAACP in 1968. Gardner was a heavy smoker, which deteriorated her health as she grew older. She continued acting in minor roles in the 1980s before she suffered a stroke in 1986 and retired. Gardner moved to Spain and England, where she spent her final years before passing away from bronchopneumonia on January 25, 1990.

Movies (93)

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
6.6

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

1982Movie6.6
The Bible: In the Beginning...
7.3

The Bible: In the Beginning...

1966Movie7.3
Earthquake
6.2

Earthquake

1974Movie6.2
Seven Days in May
7.4

Seven Days in May

1964Movie7.4
Mogambo
6.4

Mogambo

1953Movie6.4
On the Beach
6.7

On the Beach

1959Movie6.7
Hitler's Madman
5.5

Hitler's Madman

1943Movie5.5
The Sentinel
6.1

The Sentinel

1977Movie6.1
The Killers
7.4

The Killers

1946Movie7.4
The Night of the Iguana
7.2

The Night of the Iguana

1964Movie7.2
The Sun Also Rises
5.8

The Sun Also Rises

1957Movie5.8
Knights of the Round Table
6.0

Knights of the Round Table

1953Movie6.0
The Cassandra Crossing
6.2

The Cassandra Crossing

1976Movie6.2
The Barefoot Contessa
6.7

The Barefoot Contessa

1954Movie6.7
55 Days at Peking
6.9

55 Days at Peking

1963Movie6.9
Lone Star
5.7

Lone Star

1952Movie5.7
The Band Wagon
7.2

The Band Wagon

1953Movie7.2
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
5.9

Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood

2018Movie5.9
The Little Hut
6.4

The Little Hut

1957Movie6.4
Harem
5.4

Harem

1986Movie5.4
The Snows of Kilimanjaro
5.9

The Snows of Kilimanjaro

1952Movie5.9
Mayerling
6.2

Mayerling

1968Movie6.2
The Blue Bird
5.5

The Blue Bird

1976Movie5.5
That's Entertainment!
7.4

That's Entertainment!

1974Movie7.4
That's Entertainment! III
7.1

That's Entertainment! III

1994Movie7.1
The Great Sinner
6.8

The Great Sinner

1949Movie6.8
Swing Fever
6.0

Swing Fever

1943Movie6.0
Ride, Vaquero!
6.1

Ride, Vaquero!

1953Movie6.1
Reunion in France
6.5

Reunion in France

1942Movie6.5
Priest of Love
5.0

Priest of Love

1981Movie5.0
Show Boat
6.2

Show Boat

1951Movie6.2
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman
6.8

Pandora and the Flying Dutchman

1951Movie6.8
The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean
6.5

The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean

1972Movie6.5
City on Fire
5.1

City on Fire

1979Movie5.1
Lost Angel
8.0

Lost Angel

1943Movie8.0
Chavela
6.9

Chavela

2017Movie6.9
Kid Glove Killer
6.4

Kid Glove Killer

1942Movie6.4
Whistle Stop
4.4

Whistle Stop

1946Movie4.4
The Naked Maja
6.2

The Naked Maja

1958Movie6.2
Fancy Answers
7.0

Fancy Answers

1941Movie7.0
Twenty Years After
8.0

Twenty Years After

1944Movie8.0
Rat Pack
9.0

Rat Pack

2022Movie9.0
H.M. Pulham, Esq.
7.1

H.M. Pulham, Esq.

1941Movie7.1
One Touch of Venus
6.7

One Touch of Venus

1948Movie6.7
Maisie Goes to Reno
6.6

Maisie Goes to Reno

1944Movie6.6
Shadow of the Thin Man
7.0

Shadow of the Thin Man

1941Movie7.0
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1950s: The Golden Era of the Musical

Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1950s: The Golden Era of the Musical

2009Movie
Bhowani Junction
6.1

Bhowani Junction

1956Movie6.1
Two Girls and a Sailor
5.8

Two Girls and a Sailor

1944Movie5.8
John Huston: The Man, the Movies, the Maverick
6.0

John Huston: The Man, the Movies, the Maverick

1988Movie6.0
Du Barry Was a Lady
6.5

Du Barry Was a Lady

1943Movie6.5
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
6.6

Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff

2010Movie6.6
Howard Hughes: His Women and His Movies
9.0

Howard Hughes: His Women and His Movies

2000Movie9.0
Maggie

Maggie

1986Movie
The Bribe
6.3

The Bribe

1949Movie6.3
Sunday Punch
6.0

Sunday Punch

1942Movie6.0
Screen Actors
6.3

Screen Actors

1950Movie6.3
Kolossal - The Magnificent Macisti
9.0

Kolossal - The Magnificent Macisti

1977Movie9.0
Legends of the West

Legends of the West

1992Movie
Young Ideas
5.3

Young Ideas

1943Movie5.3
East Side, West Side
7.1

East Side, West Side

1949Movie7.1
The Hucksters
7.0

The Hucksters

1947Movie7.0
Singapore
6.1

Singapore

1947Movie6.1
Beautiful Like a Poem

Beautiful Like a Poem

2020Movie
Regina Roma
4.0

Regina Roma

1982Movie4.0
The Ballad of Tam Lin
5.1

The Ballad of Tam Lin

1970Movie5.1
On the Trail of the Iguana
6.5

On the Trail of the Iguana

1964Movie6.5
My Forbidden Past
5.5

My Forbidden Past

1951Movie5.5
Joe Smith, American
6.5

Joe Smith, American

1942Movie6.5
The Angel Wore Red
5.0

The Angel Wore Red

1960Movie5.0
La Rabbia
7.0

La Rabbia

1963Movie7.0
The Costume Designer
10.0

The Costume Designer

1950Movie10.0
Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia
7.5

Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia

2023Movie7.5
Calling Dr. Gillespie
7.0

Calling Dr. Gillespie

1942Movie7.0
This Time for Keeps
8.0

This Time for Keeps

1942Movie8.0
Permission to Kill
5.8

Permission to Kill

1975Movie5.8
The Kidnapping of the President
4.6

The Kidnapping of the President

1980Movie4.6
3 Men in White
6.4

3 Men in White

1944Movie6.4
We Do It Because
6.5

We Do It Because

1942Movie6.5
Blonde Fever
4.4

Blonde Fever

1944Movie4.4
I'm a Civilian Here Myself
10.0

I'm a Civilian Here Myself

1945Movie10.0
Ghosts on the Loose
4.2

Ghosts on the Loose

1943Movie4.2
De Madrid a la Luna
6.0

De Madrid a la Luna

2006Movie6.0
She Went to the Races
6.0

She Went to the Races

1945Movie6.0
Året var 1953
5.0

Året var 1953

2003Movie5.0
Strange Testament
7.5

Strange Testament

1941Movie7.5
Ava Gardner, the Gypsy of Hollywood
6.9

Ava Gardner, the Gypsy of Hollywood

2018Movie6.9
Ava Gardner: Life Is Bigger Than the Movies
5.6

Ava Gardner: Life Is Bigger Than the Movies

2017Movie5.6
Frank Sinatra: The Voice of the Century
7.7

Frank Sinatra: The Voice of the Century

1998Movie7.7
Frank Sinatra glömde aldrig Finspång

Frank Sinatra glömde aldrig Finspång

2003Movie
Fallout
7.0

Fallout

2013Movie7.0
Mighty Lak a Goat
6.5

Mighty Lak a Goat

1942Movie6.5
All Night Long
6.7

All Night Long

2010Movie6.7

TV Shows (8)

Knots Landing
7.0

Knots Landing

1979Series7.0
Intimate Portrait
4.5

Intimate Portrait

1993Series4.5
What's My Line?
7.0

What's My Line?

1950Series7.0
Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields
7.5

Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields

2023Series7.5
A.D.
5.4

A.D.

1985Series5.4
The Long Hot Summer
5.5

The Long Hot Summer

1985Series5.5
Iconic Couples of Hollywood
8.0

Iconic Couples of Hollywood

2015Series8.0
Harem
5.0

Harem

1986Series5.0