Ava Gardner – a Star of the Silver Screen

Presented by William Markham Her Early Life

Born 24 December 1922

Ava Lavinia Gardner in Grabtown, North Carolina

Youngest of 7 children

Lived on a Tobacco farm then a boarding house

Money tight – not “Dirt Poor”

At 18, her photo caught attention of MGM

Earlier films one line bits or little better

First notable film, The Killers, 1946 Photo that got Ava discovered Cover of Time Magazine 1951 Bit parts before she was famous

1941 Fancy Answers Girl at recital

1942 We do it because Girl at party

1943 Du Barry was a lady Perfume Girl

1944 Music for Millions Musician Some of her famous movies

1946 1951 1952 1953 1954 1959 1963 1964 1974 Marriages

Mickey Rooney 1942 to 1943

Artie Shaw 1945 to 1946

Frank 1951 to 1957 Some of her other romances

Howard Hughes Robert Taylor

George C Scott Robert Mitchum George C Scott Other Films Robert Taylor

Robert Mitchum

Lori Martin – National Velvet What Ava said about some actors:

“The trouble was Frank and I were too much alike. My sister said that I was Frank in drag”.

Frank Sinatra

“Till death do us part would have been a whole lot sooner if we had tied the knot”.

Howard Hughes

“Bogie hated learning lines. He knew every trick in the book to mess up a scene and get a retake if he felt a scene was not going his way”.

Humphrey Bogart

“When he was loaded, he was terrifying. He would beat the hell out of me and have no idea the next morning what he had done”.

George C Scott Some publicity photos Some of her quotes

What Sharon Stone said Later years

Moved to from Spain 1968

More Movies and TV Shows

Visited her family in the USA

Died in London a recluse age 67, 1990 Tributes to Ava Gardiner

Ava Gardiner Museum of Memorabilia in Smithfield, North Carolina

Portrayed in films – Deborah Unger in The , 1998

Books – Love is Nothing by Lee Server Secret Conversations by Peter Evans

Website – www.avagardner.com

Her films Ava Gardiner, The Secret Conversations

Peter Evans Any other comments or questions?