Ava Gardner

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Ava Gardner

Ava Gardner AKA Ava Lavinia Gardner

Born: 24-Dec-1922
Birthplace: Brogden, NC [1]
Died: 25-Jan-1990
Location of death: London, England
Cause of death: Pneumonia
Remains: Buried, Sunset Memorial Park, Smithfield, NC

Gender: Female
Religion: Baptist [2]
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Actor

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: The Barefoot Contessa

[1] Born in Brogden, North Carolina. Gardner's location of birth is sometimes given as "Grabtown", which is not an official designation but merely the nickname of an area of Brogden, one which Ava preferred. Her birthplace is also erroneously given as Smithfield (even by Britannica), which is the largest town in the area and five miles to the west of Brogden.

[2] Her father, Jonas Gardner, was Catholic. Her mother's family did not want the children raised as Catholic, thus while growing up Ava attended a Southern Baptist church. Her 1942 marriage to Mickey Rooney (a Christian Scientist at the time) was performed by a Presbyterian minister, Rev. Glenn H. Lutz. See Roland Flamini, Ava: A Biography (1983), pages 26 and 52.

Father: Jonas Gardner (tobacco farmer, d. 1935 bronchitis)
Mother: Mary Elizabeth Baker ("Molly")
Husband: Mickey Rooney (actor, m. 10-Jan-1942, div. 21-May-1943)
Husband: Artie Shaw (big band leader, m. 17-Oct-1945, div. 25-Oct-1946)
Husband: Frank Sinatra (singer, m. 7-Nov-1951, div. 5-Jul-1957)
Boyfriend: Robert Evans
Boyfriend: Howard Hughes
Boyfriend: Jorge Guinle (d. 2004)

University: Atlantic Christian College (attended)

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Hollywood Walk of Fame 1560 Vine St.
Abortion three
Appendectomy
Hysterectomy Chelsea Hospital for Women, London
Stroke 1989
Paralyzed
Risk Factors: Smoking, Alcoholism, Appendicitis

FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR
Harem (9-Feb-1986)
The Long Hot Summer (6-Oct-1985)
The Kidnapping of the President (15-Aug-1980)
City on Fire (24-May-1979)
The Sentinel (7-Jan-1977)
The Cassandra Crossing (18-Dec-1976)
The Blue Bird (5-Apr-1976)
Earthquake (15-Nov-1974)
The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (18-Dec-1972)
Mayerling (22-Oct-1968)
The Bible (28-Sep-1966)
The Night of the Iguana (6-Aug-1964)
Seven Days in May (12-Feb-1964)
55 Days at Peking (29-May-1963)
On the Beach (17-Dec-1959)
The Naked Maja (10-Jun-1959)
The Sun Also Rises (23-Aug-1957)
The Little Hut (3-May-1957)
Bhowani Junction (1-May-1956)
The Barefoot Contessa (29-Sep-1954)
Mogambo (9-Oct-1953)
Ride, Vaquero! (15-Jul-1953)
Knights of the Round Table (1953)
The Snows of Kilimanjaro (18-Aug-1952)
Lone Star (8-Feb-1952)
Show Boat (13-Jul-1951)
My Forbidden Past (25-Apr-1951)
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (13-Apr-1951)
East Side, West Side (22-Dec-1949)
The Great Sinner (29-Jun-1949)
The Bribe (3-Feb-1949)
One Touch of Venus (Aug-1948)
The Hucksters (27-Aug-1947)
The Killers (28-Aug-1946)
Whistle Stop (25-Jan-1946)
Maisie Goes to Reno (15-Aug-1944)
Ghosts on the Loose (30-Jul-1943)

Appears on the cover of:
Confidential, Sep-1957, DETAILS: When the band played on... Up in Ava Gardner's room!

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