Mickey–the smallest husband I ever had and the biggest mistake I ever made–well, that year, it was. — Ava Gardner

I do owe Mickey one thing: he taught me how much I enjoyed sex. — Ava Gardner

The marriages to Mickey and Artie were easy come, easy go. I called them my ‘starter husbands!’ — Ava Gardner

Nobody could pile on the applesauce like Mickey. He was the best liar in the world–well, Frank Sinatra can tell a good story, too, but I don’t believe he was ever unfaithful to me. — Ava Gardner

Sex isn’t all that important, but it is when you love someone very much. — Ava Gardner

Hollywood–that’s a place where love is viewed both pragmatically and philosophically in the saying, ‘Tis better to have loved and divorced than never to have had any publicity at all. — Ava Gardner

It’s a shame that it didn’t work out with Mick. I was hopelessly in love with him. — Ava Gardner

When he fell down the stairs, he told people he’d had a stroke. He was just pissed out of his skull. I love Dirk, he is such a drama queen. — Ava Gardner

Go fuck yourself,’ I replied, always the lady. ‘I’m staying here. — Ava Gardner

I think the main reason my marriages failed is that I always loved too well but never wisely. — Ava Gardner

I couldn’t imagine a better place [Australia] for making a film on the end of the world. — Ava Gardner

I wish to live to 150 years old, but the day I die, I wish it to be with a cigarette in one hand and a glass of whiskey in the other. — Ava Gardner

If I had my life to live over again, I’d live it the same way. Maybe a few changes here or there, but nothing special. The truth is, honey, I’ve enjoyed my life. I’ve had a hell of a good time. — Ava Gardner

The truth is, honey, I’ve enjoyed my life. I’ve had a hell of a good time. — Ava Gardner

So this was where lust was satisfied. If I’d been an old–time miner I’d have asked for my gold nugget back. — Ava Gardner

I did a lot of hokey movies when I was starting out at MGM. Good and bad, mostly bad. — Ava Gardner

I’m here to tell you, there ain’t much forgiveness in that old–time religion. That particular savior was a mean son of a bitch. If you sinned, honey, he was going to get you, no doubt about it. — Ava Gardner

Some of the things that I regret most in my life happened when I was drinking. I’m just not good with alcohol. And I don’t give a damn what time of the day it is, I just drink too much. — Ava Gardner

When you get to be my age, baby, you have to pay time more respect. — Ava Gardner

I never played a woman who was smarter than me. — Ava Gardner

Petting is the study of the anatomy in braille. — Ava Gardner

I’m not saying my own looks don’t give the game away. Nothing I can do about that anymore. A nip and tuck ain’t gonna do it. — Ava Gardner

God knows I’ve got so many frailties myself, I ought to be able to understand and forgive them in others. But I don’t. — Ava Gardner

Fame gives you everything you never wanted. — Ava Gardner

Because I was promoted as a sort of a siren and played all those sexy broads, people made the mistake of thinking I was like that off the screen. They couldn’t have been more wrong. — Ava Gardner

Elizabeth Taylor is not beautiful, she is pretty–I was beautiful. — Ava Gardner

What’s the point? My face, shall we say, looks lived in. — Ava Gardner

I don’t mind growing old. If I have to go before my time, this is how I’ll go––cigarette in one hand, glass of scotch in the other. — Ava Gardner

I do everything for a reason. Most of the time the reason is money. — Ava Gardner

I was never an actress––none of us kids at Metro were. We were just good to look at. — Ava Gardner

What I’d really like to say about stardom is that it gave me everything I never wanted. — Ava Gardner