Authentic Hollywood

Ava Gardner, the world´s most beautiful animal

Dec 6, 2010 Hollywood

Ava Lavinia Gardner (Brogden, North Carolina, December 24, 1922 – London, January 25, 1990) was a classic American film actress nominated for an Academy Award, considered one of the biggest stars of the twentieth century and one of the myths of the Seventh Art. Known for its lush beauty and photogenic, it is said it was “the world’s most beautiful animal.”

Ava Gardner was born in 1922 in the small rural community of Brogden, in the state of North Carolina. He grew up in the rustic atmosphere of the camp in the midst of a very poor family of snuff and cotton growers, along with his six brothers, of which she was the youngest. His mother, Molly, was a Baptist woman Irish-Scottish origins and English and his father, Jonas Bailey Gardner, was a Catholic man of Irish-American descent and American Indian (Tuscarora). When the brothers were still small, the Gardner family lost the property he had in Brogden and Jonas Gardner was forced to work as a sawmill and his mother, Molly, a cook and housekeeper in the hall of Brogden.

Ava 13 years to meet the whole family moved to Newport News in Virginia, hoping to improve their lot. But, before long, given the difficulties of finding employment, they had to move back to Rock Ridge suburb of Wilson (North Carolina). In 1935 his father, Jonas Gardner, died of bronchitis and Ava and some of his brothers decided to go to school in Rock Ridge in order to graduate. Thus, Ava could go further secretarial classes at Atlantic City Christian College.

At 18, Ava had become a beautiful young woman with green eyes and lovely brown hair. Thus, in 1941, while visiting her sister Beatrice in New York, her husband, who was a photographer, asked if he could take some photos and, satisfied with the result, decided to hang in the window of his photography studio Fifth Avenue.

It so happened that while his photographs were displayed in the establishment of his brother, Barnard “Barney” Duhan, a scout for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he saw and decided to contact her. Duhan entered the shop and asked for her phone number but did not get anyone to give it. Finally, it was pointed out that “someone had to send her information to the MGM” and her sister did immediately. Soon, Ava, who was still a student at Atlantic Christian College, traveled back to New York to meet with executives that MGM was in the offices of the city and that year he was offered a seven-year contract the company. In 1941 he left school to go to Hollywood with her sister Beatrice and the first thing he did was go to drama classes and diction as his North Carolina accent was almost incomprehensible.

It was in 1942 when he began to act as hero in films and in the following years he performed in numerous productions modest budget as The Haunting (1943), a horror comedy that belongs to the period of decline of the great Bela Lugosi, or Three white men in 1944, a comedy-drama in which doctors were also involved Van Johnson and Lionel Barrymore.

His big break came in 1946 with two titles: Whistle stop thriller, which plays a major role alongside the legendary and now-forgotten, George Raft, and the black drama based on a story by Ernest Hemingway Outlaws, which was showcased along a very young Burt Lancaster and also the always excellent Edmond O’Brien. This film will be the place on the map within the Hollywood industry.
In the years stands out in The Hucksters (with Clark Gable), Venus was a woman (comedy rather goofy but nice) and bribery (1949), where it works great wonderfully dramatic thriller with Robert Taylor, according to legend one of his conquests love.

From here, begins his reign as the star chaining many media productions for the major studios, and performing memorable performances. Outstanding: The Great Sinner (moral drama that moralist with great works of Gregory Peck and Ethel Barrymore and a flawless script, where Ava is beautiful), opposite Worlds (1949, where the actress fits perfectly on the screen next to the always gorgeous James Mason, Barbara Stanwyck and Van Heflin), Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951), fascinating dream-avant-garde drama.