---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hell, I suppose if you stick around long…"
description: "\"“Hell, I suppose if you stick around long enough they have to say something nice about you.”\" — Ava Gardner"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/ava-gardner-8168_ava-gardner_hell-i-suppose-if-you-stick-around-long_1369332.jpg"
---

#  Hell, I suppose if you stick around long enough they have…

![“Hell, I suppose if you stick around long enough they have to say something nice about you.” quote by Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/ava-gardner-8168_ava-gardner_hell-i-suppose-if-you-stick-around-long_1369332.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/ava-gardner-8168_ava-gardner_hell-i-suppose-if-you-stick-around-long_1369332.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/ava-gardner-8168_ava-gardner_hell-i-suppose-if-you-stick-around-long_1369332.jpg)

> ““Hell, I suppose if you stick around long enough they have to say something nice about you.””

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

She suggests that enduring presence eventually earns admiration, even if initially overlooked.

**In simple terms:** Longevity can lead to eventual praise.

Key Takeaway

Stay persistent; recognition may come later.

Themes

career recognition patience

Mood

hopeful reflective

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- entertainment industry
- social media fame
- professional longevity
- artistic legacy

Key Concepts

celebrity culture long‑term reputation public perception

Questions to Reflect On

- Will you continue a path despite delayed praise?
- What factors turn long‑term presence into acclaim?

A Different Perspective

Not all persistence results in positive acknowledgment.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ava-gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ava-gardner/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/)

## Related quotes

> [“I'm here to tell you, there ain't much forgiveness in that old-time religion. That particular savior was a mean son of a bitch. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/i-m-here-to-tell-you-there-ain-t-much-forgiveness-in-that-old-time/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“Go fuck yourself," I replied, always the lady. "I'm staying here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/go-fuck-yourself-i-replied-always-the-lady-i-m-staying-here/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“And I won 'em back fair and square. So what are you going to do about it? Want to fight? Who wants the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/and-i-won-em-back-fair-and-square-so-what-are-you-going-to-do-about/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“He always called me Daughter. It was to distinguish me from his sister Ava. I loved being called Daughter. It sounded so possessive, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/he-always-called-me-daughter-it-was-to-distinguish-me-from-his-sister/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“I caught his drift, but I wasn't going to argue for a single second. Just get me to the Hampshire House, that's all I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/i-caught-his-drift-but-i-wasn-t-going-to-argue-for-a-single-second/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“When he fell down the stairs, he told people he'd had a stroke. He was just pissed out of his skull. I love Dirk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/when-he-fell-down-the-stairs-he-told-people-he-d-had-a-stroke-he-was/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“In one scene, when I was supposed to say, "In a pig's eye you are," what came out was, "In a pig's ass you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/in-one-scene-when-i-was-supposed-to-say-in-a-pig-s-eye-you-are-what/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“Great idea," I said. "Call the police. Call the fucking police.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/great-idea-i-said-call-the-police-call-the-fucking-police/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“Then, aided by the booze, like a fool I tossed off one of those throwaway lines that would have been better thrown away. "Ah,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/then-aided-by-the-booze-like-a-fool-i-tossed-off-one-of-those/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“Now what the hell do you suppose is eatin' them two guys?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/now-what-the-hell-do-you-suppose-is-eatin-them-two-guys/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“They've been through every kind of hell together. What else do you suppose love is?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-jensen/they-ve-been-through-every-kind-of-hell-together-what-else-do-you/)

[Lisa Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-jensen/)

> [“We can do anything we want as long as we stick to it long enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hellen-keller/we-can-do-anything-we-want-as-long-as-we-stick-to-it-long-enough/)

[Hellen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hellen-keller/)

> [You aren't going to stick around long with just two pitches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/you-aren-t-going-to-stick-around-long-with-just-two-pitches/)

[Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/)

> [“His book For Whom the Bell Tolls was an instant success in the summer of 1940, and afforded him the means to live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/his-book-for-whom-the-bell-tolls-was-an-instant-success-in-the-summer/)

[Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/)

> [“In the picture, Ava Gardner's tousled black hair obscured her right eye, and her full, closed lips were pulled slightly to the right, resulting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-gifford/in-the-picture-ava-gardner-s-tousled-black-hair-obscured-her-right/)

[Barry Gifford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-gifford/)

## More by Ava Gardner

> [It's a shame that it didn't work out with Mick. I was hopelessly in love with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/it-s-a-shame-that-it-didn-t-work-out-with-mick-i-was-hopelessly-in/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“Then, aided by the booze, like a fool I tossed off one of those throwaway lines that would have been better thrown away. "Ah,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/then-aided-by-the-booze-like-a-fool-i-tossed-off-one-of-those/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“Great idea," I said. "Call the police. Call the fucking police.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/great-idea-i-said-call-the-police-call-the-fucking-police/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [I was born with good health and a strong body and spent years abusing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/i-was-born-with-good-health-and-a-strong-body-and-spent-years-abusing/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [Elizabeth Taylor is not beautiful, she is pretty—I was beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/elizabeth-taylor-is-not-beautiful-she-is-pretty-i-was-beautiful/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [I either write the book or sell the jewels. And I'm kinda sentimental about the jewels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/i-either-write-the-book-or-sell-the-jewels-and-i-m-kinda-sentimental/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [Mickey - the smallest husband I ever had and the biggest mistake I ever made - well, that year, it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/mickey-the-smallest-husband-i-ever-had-and-the-biggest-mistake-i-ever/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [God knows I've got so many frailties myself, I ought to be able to understand and forgive them in others. But I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/god-knows-i-ve-got-so-many-frailties-myself-i-ought-to-be-able-to/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [Our phone bills were astronomical, and when I found the letters Frank wrote me the other day, the total could fill a suitcase. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/our-phone-bills-were-astronomical-and-when-i-found-the-letters-frank/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [Maybe, in the final analysis, they saw me as something I wasn't and I tried to turn them into something they could never be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/maybe-in-the-final-analysis-they-saw-me-as-something-i-wasn-t-and-i/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [After my screen test, the director clapped his hands gleefully and yelled: “She can't talk! She can't act! She's sensational!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/after-my-screen-test-the-director-clapped-his-hands-gleefully-and/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/don-t-think-for-a-minute-that-bad-publicity-and-endless-criticism-don/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [I'm not saying my own looks don't give the game away. Nothing I can do about that anymore. A nip and tuck ain't gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/i-m-not-saying-my-own-looks-don-t-give-the-game-away-nothing-i-can-do/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [I do owe Mickey one thing: he taught me how much I enjoyed sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/i-do-owe-mickey-one-thing-he-taught-me-how-much-i-enjoyed-sex/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“In one scene, when I was supposed to say, "In a pig's eye you are," what came out was, "In a pig's ass you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/in-one-scene-when-i-was-supposed-to-say-in-a-pig-s-eye-you-are-what/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

[Explore all 83 Ava Gardner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

## More Ava-gardner quotes

> [“In the picture, Ava Gardner's tousled black hair obscured her right eye, and her full, closed lips were pulled slightly to the right, resulting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-gifford/in-the-picture-ava-gardner-s-tousled-black-hair-obscured-her-right/)

[Barry Gifford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-gifford/)

> [“Then, aided by the booze, like a fool I tossed off one of those throwaway lines that would have been better thrown away. "Ah,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/then-aided-by-the-booze-like-a-fool-i-tossed-off-one-of-those/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“Great idea," I said. "Call the police. Call the fucking police.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/great-idea-i-said-call-the-police-call-the-fucking-police/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“In one scene, when I was supposed to say, "In a pig's eye you are," what came out was, "In a pig's ass you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/in-one-scene-when-i-was-supposed-to-say-in-a-pig-s-eye-you-are-what/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“When he fell down the stairs, he told people he'd had a stroke. He was just pissed out of his skull. I love Dirk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/when-he-fell-down-the-stairs-he-told-people-he-d-had-a-stroke-he-was/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“I caught his drift, but I wasn't going to argue for a single second. Just get me to the Hampshire House, that's all I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/i-caught-his-drift-but-i-wasn-t-going-to-argue-for-a-single-second/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“He always called me Daughter. It was to distinguish me from his sister Ava. I loved being called Daughter. It sounded so possessive, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/he-always-called-me-daughter-it-was-to-distinguish-me-from-his-sister/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“And I won 'em back fair and square. So what are you going to do about it? Want to fight? Who wants the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/and-i-won-em-back-fair-and-square-so-what-are-you-going-to-do-about/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“Go fuck yourself," I replied, always the lady. "I'm staying here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/go-fuck-yourself-i-replied-always-the-lady-i-m-staying-here/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

> [“His book For Whom the Bell Tolls was an instant success in the summer of 1940, and afforded him the means to live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/his-book-for-whom-the-bell-tolls-was-an-instant-success-in-the-summer/)

[Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/)

> [“I'm here to tell you, there ain't much forgiveness in that old-time religion. That particular savior was a mean son of a bitch. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/i-m-here-to-tell-you-there-ain-t-much-forgiveness-in-that-old-time/)

[Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/)

[Browse all 12 Ava-gardner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ava-gardner/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Hell, I suppose if you stick around long enough they have to say something nice about you.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ava Gardner"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/hell-i-suppose-if-you-stick-around-long-enough-they-have-to-say/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ava-gardner"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/hell-i-suppose-if-you-stick-around-long-enough-they-have-to-say/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/ava-gardner-8168_ava-gardner_hell-i-suppose-if-you-stick-around-long_1369332.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/ava-gardner-8168_ava-gardner_hell-i-suppose-if-you-stick-around-long_1369332.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/ava-gardner-8168_ava-gardner_hell-i-suppose-if-you-stick-around-long_1369332.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Hell, I suppose if you stick around long enough they have to say something nice about you.” — Ava Gardner",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Ava Gardner",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Hell, I suppose if you stick...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/hell-i-suppose-if-you-stick-around-long-enough-they-have-to-say/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/hell-i-suppose-if-you-stick-around-long-enough-they-have-to-say/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
