Ava Gardner Commemorative Stamp Remarks

Etheridge Launches Effort to Put Screen Legend and NC Native Ava Gardner on Postage Stamp
Remarks for Ava Gardner Legislation Announcement
February 8, 2001

Good morning, I want to thank you all for coming to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Johnston County's favorite daughter and one of the world's all time great actresses, Ava Gardner. Let me thank Billie Stevens and Deidre Kraft of the Ava Gardner Museum for your hard work to preserve Ava's legacy. Without your dedication and vision we would not be here today. I also want to thank State Senator Allen Wellons, Pete Connet, Smithfield's Town Manager, Donna Bailey Taylor of the Johnston County Bureau of Tourism, and the Four Oaks Bank for your support of the Ava Gardner Museum and for being with us today. We also have a relative of Ava Gardner with us today: Ava Carol Thompson, Ava Gardner's grand niece and namesake. We are glad you're here and appreciate your support.

I am excited to be here today, having grown up in Johnston County myself, to join with all of you in paying tribute to this fine North Carolinian. Today we begin an effort to achieve our ultimate goal to honor this great woman - having a postage stamp issued for Ava Gardner. When I return to Washington next week, I will introduce legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives urging the Postmaster General to issue a stamp honoring Ava Gardner. I am proud to be launching this effort in Ava Gardner's memory, not only because she is a native of this great state, but also because of her accomplishments and the lives she touched around the world. Ava Gardner lived the American Dream but never forgot her humble beginnings in Johnston County, her high school days in Rock Ridge or her time at Atlantic Christian College in Wilson. Indeed, Ava's story is the American Dream.

Born the youngest of seven children of Jonas and Mary Elizabeth Gardner Ava grew up near Smithfield.

In the summer of 1941 the Smithfield Herald told the story of Ava Gardner's trip across country to a place called Hollywood. When she arrived in Hollywood, it didn't take long for the whole world to recognize what the people of Smithfield and all of North Carolina already saw - Ava's remarkable talent. During her career, she starred in 64 films and won many honors including:

A Golden Globe nomination for "Best Actress in a Drama" for "Night of the Iguana" in 1964;

The Academy of Motion Pictures "Merit for Outstanding Achievement - Best Actress" nomination for "Mogambo" in 1953;

And the Look "Film Achievement" award for her performance in "The Hucksters" in 1947.

She was also the first woman from North Carolina to grace the cover of Time magazine.

In addition to her success on the silver screen, Ava was a leader in the fight against cancer and worked tirelessly for more funding for research. She was also a patriot and was recognized by the U.S. Armed Forces for her spirit of public service and her performance as a guest star on the Armed Forces radio network's production of "Victorious Lady." Ava Gardner was one of America's most accomplished actresses in the 20th century. She led the Hollywood golden age, shared the stage with Clark Gable, Burt Lancaster, and Grace Kelly.

She served as a goodwill ambassador to people around the globe. Her fame lives on through her movies and the wonderful Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield. With all of her accomplishments and her record of public service, it is fitting that this great actress and American should be immortalized on a commemorative postage stamp. Having a stamp issued in your memory is a high honor. But folks, if they can put Daffy Duck and the dung beetle on a postage stamp, for sure there is a place for someone as glamorous and accomplished as Ava Gardner on one.

Ten other native North Carolinian's have been honored on commemorative postage stamps, including: President Andrew Johnson born in Raleigh, Virginia Dare, the first child born in America on Roanoke Island in 1587, Author Thomas Wolfe of Asheville, First Lady Dolly Madison born in Guilford, President James K. Polk born in Pineville, band leader John William Coltrane born in Hamlet, jazz musician Thelonius Monk born in Rocky Mount and the North Carolina signers of the U.S. Constitution Dr. Hugh Williamson of Edenton, William Blount of Windsor and Richard Speight of Craven County. It's time one was issued for Ava Gardner.

The supporters of the Ava Gardner Museum and I need your help. If you support this legislation urging the U.S. Postal Service to issue a commemorative stamp honoring Ava Gardner, please write me a letter. Address your letters to my Washington Office at 1533 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515. We will forward these letters to the postal service and the appropriate committees.

Thank you all for joining us for today's announcement and thank you for your support. At this time I would like to call on Senator Wellons for some brief remarks followed by Ava Thompson and Ms. Kraft - after which we will unveil a mock-up of the stamp we would propose be issued in memory of Ms. Gardner by the postal service. Senator Wellons.