Ava Gardner

Ava Gardner, who shone brightly in the Golden Age of Hollywood, was an icon of screen beauty and charisma. From minor roles, she ascended to leading lady status with her performance in the noir classic "The Killers" (1946), then flourished in the 1950s with critically acclaimed roles in "Mogambo," "The Barefoot Contessa," and "The Night of the Iguana." Beyond the screen, her tumultuous marriage to Frank Sinatra and activism for racial equality marked her as a complex figure. A heavy smoker, her later years were marred by ill health, leading to a stroke in 1986 and a quiet retirement in Spain and England until her death in 1990.