A&E Biography: Ava Gardner

Source:A&E Biography- Hollywood Goddess Ava Gardner.

Source:The New Democrat  

"Gardner was born in Grabtown, North Carolina, on December 24, 1922. She was her parents' seventh child. When Gardner was 2 years old, she and her family were forced to leave their tobacco farm. Her father then worked as a sharecropper, while her mother ran a boardinghouse. The family always struggled financially, a situation that worsened when Gardner's father died when she was 16.

Gardner was studying to be a secretary when her photographer brother-in-law sent pictures of her to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. A striking beauty with dark hair and green eyes, Gardner's photos convinced the studio to give her a screen test. This led to her signing a seven-year, $50/week contract with MGM in 1941 when Gardner was 18 years old.

Ava Gardner signed a contract to be an actress with MGM in 1941, but it wasn't until her appearance in 1946's The Killers that she became a star. Gardner's off-screen life was often as dramatic as the roles she played, with marriages to Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw and Frank Sinatra. Gardner died on January 25, 1990, at age 67, in London, England. 

Actress Ava Gardner was a sultry beauty famous for playing femme fatale roles, and for her marriages to Frank Sinatra, Artie Shaw and Mickey Rooney." 

From Biography

"Ava Gardner Documentary" 

Source:All Things- Hollywood Goddess Ava Gardner.

From All Things 

Source: Marmar- Hollywood Goddess Ava Gardner-

The way I feel about Ava Gardner is similar to how I feel about Lauren Bacall. And I put both Ava and Lauren in the top class of both Hollywood actresses and Hollywood Goddesses of all-time and I'll explain what I mean about Hollywood Goddess later.

Source: Reporter At Large- Hollywood Goddess Ava Gardner

But there are actresses in Hollywood that become famous simply because they're famous. They've overly sexual and perhaps overly attractive as well and seem to need to be to be successful in life. Who are known for their personality and doing wild things, for using catch phrases that become famous and popular. Who fit imperfectly with the current pop culture scene and how people are acting and communicating. But aren't in Hollywood either on TV or in the movies because they're great actresses and highly intelligent. They get seen because of their appearance and their personality and become popular for those reasons.

Source: Philly Voice- Burt Lancaster & Ava Gardner, in The Killers

With agents, producers, directors, and executives, thinking we can make a stars of these women simply because they're popular, even though they can't remember their lines and struggle at just showing up for work. But directors in Hollywood thinking they're worth the extra work and trouble, because of their popularity and makes shows and films that are passable as far as material and the work, but are known for the lead actresses appearance and personality. Not because of the work that was put into the production or professionalism of it. Lindsay Lohan comes to mind and you can probably name other actresses and actors light that yourself from every era.

Source: Classic Movie Chat- Ava Gardner & Artie Shaw

And then there are Hollywood Goddesses. Gorgeous women, who can be both little girl adorable and highly sexual but without overdoing it, but the most important thing once and if you can get pass their Goddess appearance is they're great entertainers. They have great personalities, but they're great actresses and entertainers as well. And they're all very funny and interesting and are just women you want to hang out with and get to know, because you'll never have a boring time with them. You can't stop looking at them or wanting to talk to them. That is where both Lauren Bacall and Ava Gardner come in and fit into. Great looking women, but also great entertainers as well.

They're prettier actresses than Ava Gardner. They're even cuter actresses than Ava Gardner. And they're sexier actresses than Ava Gardner. They're might even be better actresses than Ava Gardner. Extremely short list on the last two points when you're talking about a women with both great comedic timing and a great comedic wit in Ava Gardner, as well as great dramatic appeal and affect as well as Ava Gardner.

But similar to Sophia Loren, you'll have a hell of a time finding an actress who is prettier, cuter, sexier, more entertaining, smarter, and more honest, and funnier than Ava Gardner. She wasn't a total package, she was the total package, at least of her generation. Sophia Loren is better looking, sexier and prettier, but Ava, Lauren Bacall, and Rita Hayworth, are the Hollywood Goddesses of their generation. Incredibly stunning and adorable women, who are all great actresses. And it's just a damn shame that we couldn't get another 10-15 years of the great Ava Gardner.