Ava Gardner married Frank Sinatra on Nov. 7, 1951, at a friend’s home. Sinatra had left his wife, Nancy, for Gardner. Sinatra was blasted by gossip columnists Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons, the Hollywood establishment, the Roman Catholic Church, and by his fans for leaving his wife for a noted femme fatale.
The marriage was turbulent, with many well-publicized fights and altercations. During their marriage Gardner became pregnant twice, but aborted both pregnancies, the reason being that MGM had all sorts of penalty clauses about their stars having babies. Years later she said:
“We couldn’t even take care of ourselves. How were we going to take care of a baby?”
The couple formally announced their separation on October 29, 1953, through MGM. Gardner filed for divorce in June 1954, at a time when she was dating matador Luis Miguel Dominguín, but the divorce was not settled until 1957. It was Gardner’s third and final marriage. She would later say in her autobiography that Sinatra was the love of her life. Sinatra continued to feel very strongly for her, and they remained friends for life. He was still dealing with her finances in 1976.
Frank and Ava at their wedding in 1951. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) via
Frank and Ava at their wedding in 1951 via
Frank and Ava at their wedding in 1951 via
FROM THE BYGONE 