Astrology of Hollywood Legend Bette Davis: her life and death

Bette Davis 1938; Photoplay; George Hurrell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

An Astro-Tribute to the Great Bette Davis by Jude Cowell

The Wikipedia page of Bette Davis is quite extensive and includes several photos primarily from her many films. Having just watched Another Man's Poison (1951; Eros Films), a freebie movie on YouTube Premium, I became curious about the Astrology of her roles, her life, and death. And having grown up in the 1950s as a fan of films, it seemed through the years that 'Miss Davis' was always around - often playing extremely unlikeable characters. In fact, in Another Man's Poison, she plays a narcissistic mystery writer who runs roughshod over everyone, quite a meanie. She does love her horse, however.

So if we check online for an accurate horoscope of her birth, we find a natal chart for Ruth Elizabeth Davis (Rated: A), born April 5, 1908 9:00 pm EST in Lowell, Massachusetts with Sun 15Ari54 (in 5th house of Creativity), Moon 16Gem46 straddling the 8th house cusp along with Pluto 22Gem55 (sparkling, witty Gemini!), and her Ascendant @18Sco25, ruled and co-ruled by Mars and powerful Pluto.

As you see in her natal chart, below, her natal Midheaven, the Goal and Career Point @00Vir34, has royal Regulus shining there and providing her with visibility on the world stage and global success. And her magical planet of glamor and film, Neptune @12Can07, not only was linked to her North Node of public contact, but was also conjunct starry Sirius (the mundane becomes sacred)!

Now you may agree that Davis' Mars-ruled Scorpio and Aries placements suggest a lot of intensity and much passion which is well supported by her romance-oriented 7th house Venus-Mars conjunction (29Tau16/00Gem13). Married four times, Miss Davis' final marriage (from 1950 to 1960) was to actor Gary Merrill who starred with her in Another Man's Poison.

Perusing the Harveys's book Sun Sign-Moon Sign for notes on her personality blend of conscious (Sun) and unconsicous (Moon) energies, we find a quote from the lady herself, "When a man gives his opinion he's a man. When a woman gives her opinion she's a bitch." Sounds like some of the characters she played in her films - and in her life, one imagines. And come to think of it, in my life I've run across similar circumstances!

Now the Fire-Air Sun Aries-Moon Gemini blend is a "live wire" combo, a high-velocity mixture with multiple irons in the fire, a creative entrepreneur who can be brash and impatient. Drive and ambition are evident (active 1929--1989, the year of her death) as was her joie de vivre and zest for life. More strong determination is added by her natal Uranus @16Cap48 in the 2nd house of Money, Earning Ability, and Values for the disruptive planet of genius and originality leads a Locomotive pattern and as such, can be on the ruthless side.

This enthusiastic live-wire Aries-Gemini personality blend she shared with actors Doris Day, Omar Sharif, and Spencer Tracy!

And what about her famous "Bette Davis Eyes" those limpid Piscean pools of dreaminess that you see in the photo above? Her natal Mercury (eyes; sight) is just that - in the Water sign of Pisces!

So below is a bi-wheel with the natal horoscope of Bette Davis in center, and her timed Death Horoscope, outer, so that you can see the planetary contacts (circled, but you can find more no doubt especially if you set up the charts for yourself). Not shown are her final Solar Return chart for April 5, 1989 (with Saturn and Neptune square her natal Sun and Uranus square SR Moon--listed at the bottom of the chart), her final Mars Return chart (March 9, 1989), and her Secondary Progressions for October 6, 1989 11:20 pm CET Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, the date, hour, and location of her passing after surgery for breast cancer. Why stop in France?

Sadly, because an ill and weakened Bette Davis was simply too exhausted to travel the rest of the way home:

Now here's a curious LA Times article published January 3, 1989 that may be of interest: Bette Davis Smoking Over 'Stepmother'. The "dental surgery" mentioned may actually have been her cancer surgery. She left the film set and never returned. What do you think?