32 times Ava!

Today, it's exactly 32 years ago that Ava Gardner (1922-1990) passed away. She was considered one of the most beautiful women of her day. In 1941, 19-years-old Ava signed a contract with MGM. After her screen test, the director had clapped his hands gleefully and yelled, "She can't talk! She can't act! She's sensational!" Ava appeared in small roles and on pin-up photos until she drew everybody's attention in The Killers (1946). She became one of Hollywood's most glamorous stars but was also nominated for the Oscar for Best Actress for Mogambo (1953). From then till the 1970s, she appeared in several high-profile films, both in Hollywood and Europe. On 25 January 1990 she died at the age of 67.

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Italian postcard by Bromofoto, Milano, no. 224.

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Dutch postcard, no. 3265. Photo: Universal International.

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Spanish postcard, no. 261.

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French postcard by Editions P.I., no. 13D. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1953.

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French postcard by Editions P.I., Paris, no. 424. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

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Spanish collectors card, no. 3868.

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British Greetings card, no. D. Photo: Virgil Apger / Metro Goldwyn Mayer.

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British postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. D 77. Photo: Metro Goldwyn Mayer.

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French postcard by Editions P.I., La Garenne-Colombes, no. 208, 1950. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

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Vintage autograph card.

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German postcard. Photo: Universal International Pictures. Ava Gardner in One Touch of Venus (William A. Seiter, 1948).

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Belgian collectors card by Kwatta, Bois d'Haine, no. C 234. Photo: M.G.M. Publicity still for East Side, West Side (Mervyn LeRoy, 1949).

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Dutch postcard.

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French postcard, no. 116. Photo: Virgil Apger.

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Italian postcard by B.F.F. (Casa Edit. Ballerini & Fratini), Milano, no. 2659. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Publicity still for Show Boat (George Sidney, 1951).

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West-German postcard by Rüdel-Verlag, Hamburg-Bergedorf, no. 507. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Ava Gardner and Gregory Peck in The Snows of Kilimanjaro (Henry King, 1952).

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Yugoslavian postcard by Sedma Sila. Photo: IOM, Beograd. Robert Taylor and Ava Gardner in Knights of the Round Table (Richard Thorpe, 1953).

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Spanish postcard by Celuloide Stars. Robert Taylor and Ava Gardner in Knights of the Round Table (Richard Thorpe, 1953).

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Italian postcard by Bromofoto, Milano, no. 881. Photo: Dear Film. Publicity still for The Barefoot Contessa (Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1954).

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Vintage collectors card. Photo: MGM. Publicity still for The Barefoot Contessa (Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1954).

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Italian postcard by Rotalcolor, Milano, no. 124.

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American postcard by Silvercraft, West Nyack (N.Y.). Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Publicity still for Bhowani Junction (George Cukor, 1956).

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Italian postcard. Photo: DEAR Film.

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French postcard by Editions P.I., Paris, offered by Les Carbones Korès 'Carboplane, no. 885. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

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Italian postcard in the series Artisti di Sempre by Rotalfoto, Milano, no. 299.

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Small Spanish postcard by La Revista Florita, no. 6.

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French postcard by E.D.U.G., no. 48.

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Italian postcard by Rotalcolor (Rotalfoto), Milano (Milan), no. 13.

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Vintage Postcard.

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German postcard by ISV, no. D 4. Photo: Civiani.

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French postcard by E.D.U.G., no. 126.

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Russian postcard. Photo: Oleg Popov, Ava Gardner, and Todd Lookinland in The Blue Bird (George Cukor, 1976).