The Split
Ava Gardner’s marriage to Mickey Rooney was short-lived. They tied and loosened the knot in 1942 and 1943, respectively. Though she kept quiet in public to protect Rooney’s reputation as Andy Hardy, the respectable son of a judge, court documents reveal a more troubling story. According to the records, she experienced “grievous mental suffering” and “extreme mental cruelty” during their marriage, and he was accused of having affairs as well as a gambling issue. She received $25,000 in the settlement, paid for her own legal bills, and was relieved to be out of there.
The Split
Gardner Lost Her Mom the Same Day She Separated From Rooney
Gardner’s situation was improving as she was getting out of her disastrous marriage and having her contract with MGM renewed, which resulted in a raise. However, at the same time, she was dealing with a significant personal loss. In a tragic, ironic turn of events, her mother died on the same day she finalized her divorce from Rooney. Her mother died from uterine cancer after a protracted struggle with the disease. Unfortunately, Mary Elizabeth “Molly” Gardner never got to see her youngest child, Ava, become one of the world’s most recognized movie actresses. The split and her mother’s death served as reminders that she was on her own and had to forge her own path in the profession.
Gardner Lost Her Mom The Same Day She Separated From Rooney