Ava Gardner’s Infidelity: The Untold Story of Her Relationship with Frank Sinatra

Ava Gardner, the reigning screen goddess of Hollywood, first crossed paths with Frank Sinatra in 1943.

At that time, Ava was married to Mickey Rooney, and she would go on to have a second marriage with bandleader Artie Shaw before reconnecting with Sinatra six years later.

Sinatra, still married with three children, found himself in a fiery relationship with Ava in 1949.

Their connection was undeniable, despite the fact that he was still married to Nancy Sinatra.

Ava demanded proof that he was leaving his wife of ten years, so Sinatra walked up to his house, rang the buzzer, and asked Nancy to confirm his departure.

At the time, Gardner's star was on the rise while Sinatra's was fading.

He moved to New York in an attempt to secure bookings at nightclubs.

Sinatra had a reputation as a ladies' man, having affairs with multiple women while married, and Ava was just one of his many conquests.

However, their love for each other was evident even from their first drunken date.

Before her involvement with Sinatra, Ava had a passionate affair with her co-star Fred MacMurray in the film Singapore.

However, she ended the affair when she discovered that MacMurray's wife was sick.

Ava had no qualms about secret adultery, but she drew the line at infidelity with a sick spouse.

After a tumultuous marriage to bandleader Artie Shaw, who constantly belittled her intelligence and physically abused her, Ava sought psychoanalysis to reassure herself that she wasn't as dumb as Shaw made her feel.

During this time, she also began relying on daily martinis to boost her confidence.

Ava's next affair was with the suave and handsome actor Robert Taylor, her co-star in the film Bribe.

Their relationship was steeped in secrecy and guilt, and it only lasted a few months due to Taylor's unhappy marriage to Barbara Stanwyck.

In search of stability and security, which had eluded her in her short-lived affairs, Ava turned her attention to Sinatra.

Sinatra's reputation as a philanderer was well-known, with his publicist Jack Keller procuring women for him in every city he visited during his tours.

Despite this, the connection between Ava and Frank was undeniable.

Ava and Frank faced public scrutiny for their relationship, with Ava being labeled a homewrecker and gold digger.

Fans expressed their disgust in letters to gossip columnist Hedda Hopper.

However, Ava didn't view herself as a femme fatale and accepted expensive gifts from her lovers.

After twelve years of marriage, Nancy finally filed for divorce, and Ava and Frank married in 1951.

Initially, they were in love and blissful, but their fairy tale quickly faded.

Sinatra's career was spiraling downward, and he struggled to find work.

Meanwhile, Ava continued to work to support them.

Despite their passionate reconciliations, their relationship was tumultuous, marked by loud arguments and moments of intense passion.

Ava learned she was pregnant after Frank left Africa, where they were filming Mogambo.

She made the difficult decision to have an abortion, not wanting to bring children into a world without emotional stability.

The relationship between Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra was complex and filled with ups and downs.

Their story sheds light on the infidelity and turmoil that characterized their personal lives.

Despite their attempts to make it work, their love ultimately faltered under the weight of their individual struggles.