Ava Lavinia Gardner was a famous Hollywood beauty of the 1940s and 1950s. Her stunning looks made her one of the most popular leading ladies of the day, and her reputation for wild behavior -- and marriages to stars Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw, and Frank Sinatra -- made her a favorite with gossip magazines. Her best-known films include Showboat (1951) and The Barefoot Contessa (1953). She received her only Oscar nomination for Mogambo (1953). Her autobiography Ava, My Story was published after her death.