Honoring Ava in London
In November 2016, my husband and I traveled from our home in North Carolina to London to attend the English Heritage ceremony to place a commemorative blue plaque on the building where my beloved aunt, Ava Gardner, lived the from 1972 until her untimely passing in 1990. I was joined on this trip by representatives from the Ava Gardner Museum as well as some special friends – Cecelia Peck, daughter of Ava’s dear friend and frequent costar Gregory Peck, and Carmen Vargas, Ava’s longtime housekeeper and personal companion. I was thrilled to be asked by the English Heritage charity to speak at the plaque dedication and share my thoughts about what this honor meant. Below are my remarks from that day as well as some pictures from the event.
In November 2016, Ava Gardner was honored with an historic blue plaque from English Heritage. The first blue plaque was awarded to poet Lord Byron in 1867. Today there are over 900 blue plaques providing a segway into England's history. This is a speech given on the occasion of Ava's blue plaque unveiling by Ava Thompson and includes photographs from the occasion.
I stepped onto English soil for the first time yesterday and felt a very inviting aura. I smiled and thought, “I understand why Aunt Ava loved this country so much.” From this moment on, every person I have encountered has been pleasant and friendly and again I am thinking, “I understand why Aunt Ava loved the English people so much.” There is an irresistible charm here in London, the place and the people. I want to impart a very special “thank you” to the people of London for an atmosphere where Aunt Ava could be comfortable and content – a place where she was left alone to live life as she wanted to live - out of the spotlight – a place where she could peacefully walk her dog. This was not possible even in North Carolina. Her adoring fans just would not let her be. Please don’t misunderstand. She loved people and enjoyed interaction with people but she also valued her privacy. Her privacy was respected here in London and her family is very grateful to Londoners for this. Here, she also had great friends, or chums, as Aunt Ava called them. Life was good for Ava, away from the camera’s lens, with great chums to share life with.
Ava's blue plaque is located on the west wall of the building at 34 Ennismore Gardens in Knightsbridge. Her residence was located on the second floor providing a balcony that served as her Corgi Morgan's office and a place for Ava to enjoy fresh air. She sat there many times with her friends Nahid and Franka. It was a comfortable home for Ava. She meticulously decorated every square foot herself, not being repressed by a decorator, and she took great pride in her home. The atmosphere was of elegant comfort. It was well done with antique furnishings, exquisite Chinese screens, fine carpets, and decorative paintings. Most importantly, it was lived in! It was where she entertained her many friends and led a sedate, peaceful life.
I also want to thank English Heritage for such a tremendous honor for Ava. I’m certain she is watching over us today thinking “this is too much fuss over me.” Well Aunt Ava, I implore you to rethink this modest statement. On the 150th anniversary of the world’s most prestigious historical marker system you have been placed in such good company. You are keeping company with amazing people from the arts, science, religion, and politics. As I browsed the list of those previously honored, I saw such names as Sir Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, your friend Richard Burton, and my favorite rock singer, Freddie Mercury. Aunt Ava this is so special! While you were living your star burned brightly for nearly five decades and it has not dimmed since you left us. I think inwardly you are just as proud as your family and chums.
(Left) Cecilia Peck Voll and Carmen Vargas joined me for the event, and both spoke at the plaque dedication. Cecilia talked about the friendship her parents, Gregory and Véronique Peck, shared with Ava, and Carmen told a few humorous anecdotes about her life with Ava. (Middle) Actress Elizabeth McGovern and producer Karl Sydow were also in attendance. Elizabeth went on to portray a mature Ava Gardner in the stage production Ava, The Secret Conversations produced by Karl Sydow and his production company, Dance with Mr. D. Both Elizabeth and Karl are great friends of the Trust and its Trustees. (Right) Cecilia and Elizabeth are both warm and charming, and they graciously posed for photos to commemorate the special occasion.
I am frequently asked what Aunt Ava was really like. We all know the “Legend” of Ava Gardner – the barefooted girl from a small farm in eastern North Carolina, the risk-taking tomboy, who followed her destiny to become, according to People magazine, “The Last Goddess, the most irresistible woman in Hollywood, a woman of breathtaking beauty and a fiery spirit.” It is legendary that she was bold, fearless, and adventurous. I love that she was fiercely independent and courageous enough to break the rules, and to depart from the established norm for her time. Ava’s legend reflects a vast body of work, over 50 movies, and a larger-than-life celebrity. Her story reflects her free spirit and her zest for life. She lived her life fully, with the greatest passion and had no regrets. In her words, “I’ve had a hell of a good time.” Ava’s legend is enduring as this Blue Plaque from English Heritage commemorates.
I embrace the legend, the often told story, but I knew her to be much more. She was multi-faceted. First and foremost she was imaginative, spontaneous, mischievous, and plain and simply fun to be with. Only Aunt Ava could turn the discovery of a wild strawberry in the backyard into an exciting treasure hunt. Or, sneaking away from the party for a walk on the golf course was a typical adventure. Off came the shoes, we ran down many steps and a steep embankment and we were on the golf course. It was late at night. It was very dark; a little scary, but what fun! I thought to myself, “Wow, I would really get in trouble for this if I were not with Aunt Ava.” From the time I was twelve I always got a champagne cocktail. Aunt Ava would instruct the server to “bring my baby champagne", and no one ever questioned her about my age. What fun! I thought I was all grown up for sure! Whether night clubbing in New York, sightseeing or shopping in Los Angeles, or dancing the night away, it was always fun to be with Aunt Ava.
There was a delightful reception following the unveiling ceremony. The reception was held in the first floor residence of Carol Seymour Newton right below Ava's second floor residence. It was attended by many of Ava’s neighbors, friends, and other celebrities living in London. This photo taken of Ava on the set of Knights of the Round Table (1953) was gifted by the London Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Representatives from the Trust's English-based beneficiaries, The Queen Victoria Hospital and the Animal Health Trust, were present in addition to representatives of the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield, NC. Champagne and Mama Gardner's coconut cake were served.
There was never a dull moment although there were quiet times when we talked about literature, current events, politics and life. She was intelligent and well read. She taught me to love to read and appreciate “good books.” She read to me from the “Wind in the Willows.” She was delighted to tell me about Hemingway and introduce me to Robert Ruark, another famous North Carolinian, because he was a writer and not “just an actor”’ She gave me time and attention and greatly influenced my world view. She taught me to value diversity in people and cultures and that the world extended far beyond the provincial borders of eastern North Carolina and was full of wonder.
Ava was never pretentious and known for her characteristic candor. She was always her genuine self: warm, compassionate, and generous. I saw her stop to talk with a hunchback on the street in Greenwich Village in New York when all others were passing him by and she gave him all the cash she had with her.
She was also gracious. I loved to watch her smartly adapt to her changing surroundings whether it was making an appearance at the Actors Studio Guild New Year’s Eve Ball, visiting with Barbra Streisand, relaxing in the hotel with Judy Garland, having fried chicken with her sisters and brother, or dedicating a new high school with the Governor of North Carolina. Ava was at home with peasants in the Spanish countryside as well as British royalty. I was fortunate to see her in so many different capacities; so fortunate to see her always rise to the occasion and I wanted to be smart like that when I grew up.
Ava's London years were shared with Carmen Vargas, her beloved housekeeper and companion. Carmen gifted the memorial urn and had it placed in the Ennismore Garden. Carmen continues to be Ava's totally dedicated and loyal friend. She now lives with Cecilia Peck Voll in Santa Monica, CA. The memorial urn has the follow inscription:
In loving memory of Ava Gardner, 1922 - 1990.
Carmen and Morgan
At Sunday brunch in the Plaza Hotel in New York, I received my first finger bowl and did not know what to do with it, and the room was full of celebrities and other very important persons. Noticing that I was lost, she told me to watch her and said it was always a good idea “when in Rome, to do as the Romans do.” It turned out to be good advice for life, to graciously and smartly adapt. So this is a glimpse of the Ava the world did not see. This is just a glimpse of what it was like to have such a fantastic Aunt Ava, a warm and loving family member. All of what she taught me and modeled for me is greatly appreciated, even my love for Scotch and expensive champagne.
Aunt Ava, you left us much too soon. Surely, memory is one of God’s greatest gifts to humankind. My memories of you wrap me in a warm blanket and make me smile. In your absence my memories of you bring me joy.
Thank you again Londoners and English Heritage!
