Ava Gardner

Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was an American actress during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She first signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew critics' attention in 1946 with her performance in Robert Siodmak's film noir The Killers. During the 1950s, Gardner established herself as a leading lady and one of the era's top stars with films like Show Boat and Pandora and the Flying Dutchman both in 1951. Gardner went on to star in a series of action adventures throughout the 1950s, including The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952), Mogambo (1953), and The Barefoot Contessa (1954). At the end of the decade she starred opposite Gregory Peck and Fred Astaire in On the Beach (1959). She continued her film career for three more decades, appearing in the films 55 Days at Peking (1963), Seven Days in May (1964), The Bible: In the Beginning... (1966), and Mayerling (1968). She continued to act regularly until 1986, four years before her death in 1990, at the age of 67. Mogambo earned her a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actress. She also received nominations for a Golden Globe Award, and a BAFTA Award for Best Actress, for her performance in The Night of the Iguana. Gardner remained lifelong friends with Peck and was active in progressive politics. She died in 1990 after suffering a stroke in 1986. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Gardner No. 25 on its greatest female screen legends list.