Ava Gardner married fellow MGM contract Mickey Rooney on January 10, 1942, when she was 19 years old and he was 21. The ceremony was held in the remote town of Ballard, California, because MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer was worried that fans would desert Rooney’s Andy Hardy movie series if it became known that their star was married.
Ava Gardner divorced Rooney in 1943, well before she became a star in her own right, largely due to his serial adultery. She later described him as:
“The smallest husband I ever had, and the biggest mistake”
Ava went on to marry Artie Shaw (1945-1946) and Frank Sinatra (1951-1957). Mickey went on to marry and divorce six more times. He married wife number eight, singer Jan Chamberlin in 1978; they separated in May 2013.
Ava Gardner and Mickey Rooney wedding day, January 10, 1942 via
Ava Gardner and Mickey Rooney after getting married, January 10, 1942 via
Ava Gardner and Mickey Rooney after getting married, January 10, 1942 via
FROM THE BYGONE 