The truth is that the only time I'm happy is when I'm doing absolutely nothing. I don't understand people who like to work and talk about it like it was some sort of goddamn duty. Doing nothing feel like floating on warm water to me. Delightful, perfect.

Ava Gardner

Categorized in : People Water Perfect

When I'm old and gray, I want to have a house by the sea. And paint. With a lot of wonderful chums, good music, and booze around. And a damn good kitchen to cook in.

Ava Gardner

hate sea house

Don't think for a minute that bad publicity and endless criticism don't leave their claw marks on everyone concerned. Your friends try to cheer you up by saying lightly, "I suppose you get used to it, and ignore it." You try. You try damned hard. But you never get used to it. It always wounds and hurts.

Ava Gardner

cheer hurt thinking

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

glasses hands years

Women's liberation as a movement makes some valid points. But in the final analysis, it doesn't matter who wears the pants - as long as there's money in the pockets.

Ava Gardner

pockets money long

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

Ava Gardner

beautiful

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

special honey way

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

Ava Gardner

reason

It’s a pity nobody believes in simple lust anymore.

Ava Gardner

lust simple believe

When you have to face up to the fact that marriage to the man you love is really over, that's very tough, sheer agony. In that kind of harrowing situation, I always go away and cut myself off from the world. Also, I sober up immediately when there is genuine bad news in my life; I never face it with alcohol in my brain. I just rented a house in Palm Springs and sat there and just suffered for a couple of weeks. I suffered there until I was strong enough to face it.

Ava Gardner

couple strong spring

What I'd really like to say about stardom is that it gave me everything I never wanted.

Ava Gardner

stardom wanted

I've certainly never taken the care of myself that I should have. On the contrary. I've done a lot of late nights without enough sleep and all that. But I've had fun. Whatever wrinkles are there, I've enjoyed getting them.

Ava Gardner

taken sleep fun

Love is nothing but a pain in the ass

Ava Gardner

ass pain love-is

Although no one believes me, I have always been a country girl and still have a country girl's values

Ava Gardner

girl believe country

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

scotch glasses hands

I dealt with men who had tempers, and who could get violent-Lord knows how I had to defend myself against Howard Hughes and Frank Sinatra, and from Artie Shaw's verbal abuse. But George [C. Scott] was a different category of animal when he got drunk. He'd break into my hotel room, which he did in Italy, London and at the Beverly Hills Hotel, attack me to where I was frightened for my life, and scream, 'Why won't you marry me?' Well, I would never marry a man who couldn't control his liquor. Me, I'm a happy drunk. I laugh, I dance. I certainly don't break bottles and threaten to kill.

Ava Gardner

drunk animal men

After my screen test, the director clapped his hands gleefully and yelled: “She can't talk! She can't act! She's sensational!”

Ava Gardner

tests directors hands

Deep down, I'm pretty superficial.

Ava Gardner

deep-down superficial inspiration

I want to remember it all, the good times and the bad times, the late nights, the boozing, the dancing into dawns, and all the great and not-so-great people I met and loved in those years.

Ava Gardner

night people years

Our phone bills were astronomical, and when I found the letters Frank wrote me the other day, the total could fill a suitcase. Every single day during our relationship, no matter where in the world I was, I'd get a telegram from Frank saying he loved me and missed me. He was a man who was deseperate for companionship and love. Can you wonder that he always had mine!

Ava Gardner

phones and-love men

Fame gives you everything you never wanted.

Ava Gardner

wanted fame giving