One glance at the natal horoscope of 007 actorSean Connery reveals his four natal planets in Mercury-ruled Virgo if we include the outer planet of glamour, illusion, photography and celluloid, Neptune. The others are Sun, Moon, and Mercury, a Virgo trio of personal planets. This indicates that his essence is Mercurial Virgo, he emotes as a Virgo, and his thought processes are Virgoan.
Born August 25, 1930 at 6:05 pm GDT Edinburgh, Scotland, Baby Sean was delivered just as karmic Saturn @5Cap26 Rx arose (ASC 6Cap06) over Edinburgh and a Sun-Neptune Conjunction was active. This suggests that Connery's eventual film career readily involved this solar aspect enveloping him in the glamour, even mystery, that such a public career can bring.
His Sun-Neptune Conjunction also suggests that sensitivity, proneness to seduction, and entanglements in scandal are potentials within his adult personality along with audiences projecting their dreams of seduction onto his image.
Yet born with serious Saturn strong in its own sign of Capricorn, Sean Connery's often serious demeanor may be partially attributed to his Saturn-ASC conjunction (self-will, egotism, difficult childhood conditions, early maturity) but also to the abundance of fact-based energies of Virgo, the critic.
Here's an interesting video you may wish to check out: Sean Connery: Close Up beginning with a clip from Dr. No (1962), the first of the James Bond series of films. And here's Sean years later being queried in a 60 Minutes interview.
Meanwhile, the Wikipedia page of literary character, James Bond tells us all about it including author Ian Fleming's inspiration for the Bond character based in large part on his early love of Bulldog Drummond stories about a World War One veteran's dangerous exploits. So with a Geminian writer's versatility, Ian Fleming managed to transform the plotlines into stories for modern day readers, and the Hollywood film industry did the rest.
Aspect Grid: Ian vs Sean - Sean vs Ian!
Now from all that I've read about Bond author Fleming and Bond actor Connery, their work relationship was troubled, even contentious, and this is born out by the Synastry Grid, above, showing the natal aspects between them. You see an abundance of squares (frustration, friction, blockages, lack of understanding), oppositions (outright disagreements, external challenges, tug-of-war) circled in blue. A few brief indications are penned on for you as are the closest applying aspect to each fellow's natal Sun (adult personality). Of course, their difficulties are symbolized by generational clashes between Fleming born in 1908 and Connery born 22 years later in 1930.
Because on a societal level, 1908 was a year of a delusional Uranus-Neptune opposition when ideals were lost or reversed with unpredictable outcomes, while 1930 brought the world a Saturn-Pluto opposition of hardship, economic destruction, and a struggle between larger forces (ex: fascism vs democracy). The personalities of each man would have been unconsciously affected by the planetary energies of their times, as is the case for us all.
And yet their collaboration did go forward and there are a few positive contacts shown in the above grid which suggest a creative work relationship (sextiles and trines) but with few long-lasting indications; where we find conjunctions (ex: Venus-Pluto), intensity in their relationship is obvious along with contentious Mercury-Mars, and a Mars-conjunct-Mars contact (but in different signs, Gemini and Cancer).
Saturn: Planet of Work and Authority--with Testy Mars
Perhaps the most influential planet between them is Saturn (via Fleming's Aquarius ASC and Connery's Capricorn ASC, both ruled by old man Saturn, planet of authority) followed closely by the frustrating influence of the Mars-Saturn combination. Their Saturns square one another, a signal of conflicting values particularly in relation to work ethic and who's-in-charge issues. Plus, their Saturnian square brings along the natal aspects of both men's Mars-Saturn aspects: Fleming's a Mars-Saturn square, Connery's a Mars-Saturn opposition. Therefore, with one Saturn blocking the other, their personal Mars-Saturn aspects may have been activated or triggered by their relationship difficulties at work, via their conflicting values. In fact, a tendency toward harsh criticism is also suggested, due to inflexible viewpoints and a measure of resentment, most likely coming from Fleming's side, he being older.
Our Option: Shaken or Stirred!
Yet despite it all, successful films were made via their creative collaboration, films that are still watched by audiences to this day, so perhaps we can close this astro-tribute by saying that Geminian writer Ian Fleming's Aquarian-Uranian nature invented novel ideas and modernized plots which were then scripted and poured into the Saturnian form of a handsome Scottish actor named Sean Connery!
For the curious reader, here are biographical details for Ian Fleming and Sean Connery, may both men R.I.P.
ZaSu Pitts; Bredell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A Tribute to Hollywood Actress ZaSu Pitts
by Jude Cowell
In our day, it's quite possible that ZaSu Pitts is one of Hollywood's least remembered movie stars who managed to successfully transition from radio and silent films to 'talkies'. Follow the link to view a 17-minute video about her entitled, ZaSu Pitts The Keeper of Hollywood's Deepest Secrets? which sounds intriguing, doesn't it? Agreed, but for the purposes of her cameo appearance on Neptune's Silver Screen, let's briefly consider ZaSu's natal chart.
Born during the waning phase of the Great Neptune-Pluto Conjunction/s of 1891/92 in early Gemini, baby ZaSu Pitts entered the earthly flux with Sun in Capricorn and serious Saturn ruling her essence and personality (Sun). Plus, planet Saturn is exalted in Venus-ruled Libra, sign of the creative arts and the Scales of Justice. Some trouble may have come with her Mars in early Sagittarius opposing the heavyweight Neptune-Pluto duo, although with careful, mature use of the energies, this planeatary trio can be highly creative, motivated, and may have given her an interest in the occult (but that's beyond the scope of this brief post).
An accomplished comedienne, Pitts appeared in one of my favorite TV shows, The Gale Storm Show so although tiny, I was a movie and TV fan and quite aware of ZaSu's performances wherever I could catch them. And in retrospect, I believe that her unusual first name helped her stand out from the crowd! Check out the Wikipedia page of ZaSu Pitts for more details about her family, career, and films.
Then besides appearing with dozens of comedy legends in It's a Mad Mad Mad World (a film lampooning greed), ZaSu was also in the cast of the dramatic All Quiet On The Western Front, a film based on the World War One novel by Erich M. Remarque which remains a best seller on Amazon.
So! This is my brief tribute to a long-ago Hollywood star not everyone knows. If you like, please share and leave your on-topic insights with this post. Thanks a bunch, Jude
Photo by Vandamm, New York, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Have you ever checked out the natal horoscope of the actress who hated Hollywood, preferring stage acting to film roles, Miss Tallulah Bankhead? Born with a Sun Aquarius-Moon Scorpio personality blend on January 31, 1902 9:00 pm Huntsville, Alabama to a wealthy, political family of US senators, she's been famously quoted as saying that she went to Hollywood to hmm hmm hmm with the attractive Gary Cooper who apparently was Tallulah's idea of a dreamboat. Did they eventually hook up? Yep, they did.
However, it should be said that Gary Cooper hooked up with a plethora of ladies through the years, and the leading ladies in his many films were fair game. Born in Montana, his acting roles portraying "the strong silent type" who "delivers justice" must have made him irresistible to his paramours. Try How Gary Cooper Got into Trouble with Seducing Multiple Women for details.
As for Tallulah, her most successful film (perhaps her only celluloid success) was Alfred Hitchcock's 1944 Lifeboat (tap or click to view a clip).
There's also an informative yet brief biographical video, Tallulah Bankhead's Life Filled With Affairs and Drugs that I can recommend for the daring. Or how about a video of Tallulah guesting as the show's Mystery Celebrity on What's My Line? on February 12, 1961? She was appearing on Broadway at the time, but the photo you see, above, is from The Little Foxes, circa 1940.
Tallulah Bankhead: Her Sun Aquarius-Moon Scorpio Personality
This is an Air-Water combination of conscious-unconscious energies revealing her as charismatic, egotistical, strong-willed, intense, keenly perceptive, and ambitious woman. Acting was a good choice, for Tallulah's magnetic qualities had a hypnotic effect on other people. Her "obsessive individualism" commanded recognition along with her self-confidence, a certain haughtiness, and unbending standards. This blend believes in living life to the fullest but emotionally can tend to 'blow hot and cold' and may sometimes resort to ruthless manipulation.
Be that as it may, Tallulah was born with glamorous Neptune in sparkling Gemini conjunct Midheaven, the most visible point in a chart and a marker for The World Stage!
Now yes, she was an "all or nothing" person, but I do think that Tallulah's "Images for Integration" (conscious + unconscious: blend for best and most creative results) describe the gifted, intense actress quite well:
"A scientist dissects a scorpion with great tenderness and absolute precision...A researcher presents his findings to colleagues at a 'Science for Humanity' Conference...Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." (Sun Sign-Moon Sign, Charles and Suzi Harvey #ad.)
And naturally, that last image reminds me of Tallulah's starring role in Alfred Hitchcock's very watery film, Lifeboat!
Stewart and Novak; Vertigo; Paramount Pictures, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Hollywood Mega-Star: The Down-To-Earth James Stewart
by Jude Cowell
One of the brightest of legendary Hollywood screen stars, James Maitland Stewart, was born May 20, 1908 at 7:15 am EST in Indiana, Pennsylvania. A view of the AA-rated natal horoscope of the popular actor known as Jimmy Stewart is available with his double-Earth Sun Taurus-Moon Capricorn personality blend suggesting a down-to-earth, practical, and creative persona. Additionally, his Sun (conscious) and Moon (unconscious) energies formed a beneficial trine (120 degrees) with one another and this accounts, at least in part, for his pleasant, onscreen aura of smoothness and reliability with seemingly few if any rough edges.
In fact, a Sun-Moon trine, if unmitigated by harsher planetary factors causing turbulence within the psyche, indicates just that - a smooth demeanor with easy adjustments to life's peaks and valleys. Perhaps this aided him during his military service as a World War II pilot, one imagines.
If you wish, check out his Wikipedia bio page for more details including a list of his many films, awards (ex: the Oscar for Best Actor in 1940 for The Philadelphia Story), and medals which even include the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded him in 1989.
Now one of Stewart's more popular films through the years has been Vertigo with cool beauty Kim Novak, pictured above with Stewart, and some serious eyebrow action going on! And as you know, the suspensefulVertigo was directed by the inestimable Alfred Hitchcock, who was quite an intriguing character in his own right! And how curious that in the film Stewart portrays a man bothered by heights - and he having served as a WWII bomber pilot! Well, I believe it's called, acting.
So now in closing, and curated just for you, is a list of three film trailers starring Jimmy (James) Stewart, any of which you may find enjoyable!
User Roisterer on en.wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
An Astro-Tribute to Errol Flynn
by Jude Cowell
In the A-rated natal horoscope of Errol Flynn we find an ethereal Air-WaterSun Gemini-Moon Cancer blend with Mars-ruled Aries rising. Born June 20, 1909 at 2:25 am AEST in Hobart, Tasmania as Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn, the swashbuckling actor remains today one of Hollywood's legendary thespians of the Silver Screen, a charismatic heart throb in his time whose considerable magnetism can still be seen dripping from celluloid, his filmography linked, below.
For a comprehensive biographical video you may wish to try Errol Flynn, 50, (1909-1959) Australian actor which goes into his unfortunate early life, flight at age 18 in search of gold, and several unsavory events. However, once Flynn made it to Hollywood at age 25, his dark past was hidden and he was groomed for success as a handsome leading man. His natural charm, charisma, way with the ladies (especially young ladies), and his physical prowess (Aries rising!) greatly aided his successful onscreen career. Fated for Hollywood, his lifelong Neptunian ability for bragging, pretending, and scamming others aided him as well for his public image was never as genuine as he'd have folks believe. In fact, relationship and legal troubles marred his life through the years as his risk-taking character overtook common sense. And yet later in his career, his good looks hid multiple health problems so that eventually, a story about a 'heart murmur' was floated if not credited by the press.
Love and Romance: Venus attraction trine Mars Desire
Flynn's natal Venus in Moon-ruled Cancer trined his Mars in Pisces and the two planets denote a romantic who felt love deeply, appreciated home and family, and loved art and music, although a life of immoderate eating and drinking would have been difficult to restrain or turn from, and would have negatively affected his digestive tract. Meanwhile, Mars in Pisces indicates his drive toward recognition, lack of reliability in love relationships, a craving for substances such as alcohol, enthusiasm for social activities, and possibly an
interest in occult subjects. He may even have joined a secret society or two with Pisces a secretive sign and Mars the planet of action and motivation.
Of course, one major controversy still of note was Flynn's sojourn in Spain during the country's Civil War of 1936 with a pal who turned out to have been a "card-carrying Nazi." Even so, Flynn has never been determined to have had such leanings himself. A frustrated writer who wanted to be taken seriously, he attempted publishing as a war correspondent (his Sun in Gemini, sign of the writer); after Flynn's death, some people would use his friendship with a Nazi agent to slur his reputation.
Now, how about a few details concerning the Sun Gemini-Moon Cancer personality blend of Errol Flynn, who, as we all do, deserves to R.I.P.:
This Air-Water combination of conscious-unconscious energies suggests a chatty fellow and quick learner who isn't always certain which is in control of his decisions: head or heart. A poetic and artistic romantic who fell in love easily, Flynn possessed a nervous charm and was adept at communicating emotions. In fact, this adaptable blend tends to reflect back to the world whatever it receives, a useful quality for an actor. Even though a playboy, he was a devoted father to 4 children (with 3 wives), and through the years his adult children have spoken highly of him as their Dad (Gemini, sign of the child, loves to play).
Unable to sign up to serve in WWII due to his underlying tuberculosis, 'macho-man' Flynn wanted his weakening health condition kept secret from the public for it would undercut, even topple, his swashbuckling image and this would have affected his and film studios' bottom lines.
How tragic that cases of TB and malaria, a lack of moderation, little if any self-control or restraint, alcohol and other drug dependencies, and an urge toward self-destruction would eventually lead to what such qualities tend to lead to: an early demise, age 50, of a heart attack, his heart enlarged from years of abuse, and his body discovered by his 17-year-old girlfriend. You see, Errol Flynn didn't have to chase young girls - they chased him.
Gregory Peck 1948; Studio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
March 20, 2022
by Jude Cowell
Perhaps you've noticed that there are several interesting YouTube videos available for fans of legendary film star Gregory Peck. One that I recommend gives details on his life and stellar career, all in less than 30 minutes: Gregory Peck: His Own Man. For you see, the wise Mr. Peck never allowed himself to come under the control of any one Hollywood film studio and always acted in films that he himself had selected. This was quite unusual back in the day, as you may agree. So let's see how such individualism is expressed in his natal horoscope with perhaps a bit of Neptunian romance as well!
Below: Horoscope of Gregory Peck born April 5, 1916 8:00 am pst La Jolla, California; RR: AA for accuracy; ASC 2Gem30 with Venus rising, chart-ruler Mercury @6Aries00 in 11th house of Groups (film-making is a group endeavor); Midheaven ('MC': The Goal) @13AQQ52 offers his 8 North Prenatal Solar Eclipse ('PE') @13AQ30 on the World Stage with 8 North themes of 'flashes of genius; visions; vivid dreams; insights; intuition; a need for temporary freedom causes strain in private relationships' (paraphrasing B. Brady). An obvious expression of such solar-lunar energies could have been his acting career requiring that he work away from home and family during filming.
Now if you wish, consider my study notes penned and color-coded on the chart for not all of them are mentioned in this text:
Individualism
Immediately we find Uranus, planet of freedom, individualism, disruption, and excitement, in Peck's 10th house of Career and Public Status - and strong in its own sign of progressive Aquarius! Here Uranus leads the tilt of a BOWL shape of his natal planets with Mars, planet of desire, energy, and motivation, in opposition, and conjunct the IC (Foundation) of his chart - Mars in romantic, dramatic Leo. The BOWL shape has a mission or advocates for a cause and is discernible, as you see, with all planets on the self-selecting side of the chart (choosing his own movie scripts and stage roles), and with a majority of his planets in the Public sector. As a pair, Mars-Uranus can be revolutionary and when in opposition as here, Peck's ability to stand out from the crowd is a positive expression of an individualist mindset, plus, an interest in Politics is also suggested. A lifelong Democrat, details may be found via Peck's Wikipedia page.
Then there's powerful Pluto @1Can19, within orb of the Aries Point of Fame, Fortune, and Recognition in his 2nd house of Earning Ability; Mr. Peck had for a talent for fund-raising. Yet restrictive Saturn is in 2nd house as well which suggests a conservative approach to finances, although some Saturnian boundaries may have been more difficult to establish or maintain than others (Saturn in watery Cancer also indicates family problems - tragically, the Pecks lost a son due to probable suicide). Had a father's financial overindulgence been a part of the problem? Certainly, a Mercury-Saturn square of 'the worrier' (A. Oken) denotes sobering issues in his life along with his natal Mercury conjunct sad Orpheus.
Yet from his acting debut in 1944 onward, Gregory Peck enjoyed critical success, then handsome leading-man status, but I believe it was his role as Atticus Finch in 1962's To Kill a Mocking Bird that has earned him his most popular acclaim and lasting fame through the years. Based on the novel by Harper Lee, the book and film dealt with an oft-neglected topic in our country: America's original wound - her fatal flaw - racism. Peck's career success, plus, a talent for philosophical topics (Mercury conjunct Jupiter = 'The Philosopher' who can see the larger issues) may be viewed through his expansive, enthusiastic Sun-Jupiter conjunction of Salesmanship in 11th house of Groups. And his 9th house of Foreign Lands, Higher Education, and Philosophy contains the North Node of public contact @5AQ12 (opposing the dreamy, romantic Mars-Neptune duo conjunct his natal South Node of inherited talent!).
That his Nodal Axis opposes by sign that of America (July 4, 1776) - South Node to North Node, and vice versa, implies that Peck and the American public could bring out either the worst, or the best, in one another. My suggestion is that this cosmic condition relates to his role as Atticus Finch, a script he obviously chose for himself, and which for many Americans brought out our best reactions, or at least, a still-active reconsideration of the difficult issue of racism, and of the inequality that existed, and still exists, within our two-tiered legal system.
Meanwhile, let's credit the Mutual Reception (on friendly terms!) between his natal Sun and Mars, which are beneficially trine one another in creative Fire signs, for his ability to reach to the heart of matters, plus, Jupiter in Aries suggests a man of nobility of character and integrity. And Jupiter in Mars-ruled Aries provides support for his Mars-Jupiter trine, a cosmic picture of endowment.
As for the personality blend of Gregory Peck, that is in part revealed by his intense Fire-Earth combo of conscious-unconscious energies - the Sun Aries-Moon Taurus combo, a Mars-Venus pairing. This blend describes a man with a tough vs tender demeanor and an intuitive yet pragmatic approach. Self-confident and ambitious, Gregory Peck possessed staying power and a charismatic magnetism which can still be viewed on-screen. In fact, taking center stage was a natural activity for him and he did it with grace and style as his long Hollywood career attests!
April 5, 1916 - June 12, 2003, age 87
Well, many more chart factors are there for your consideration if you so desire but let's close this astrological tribute with a link to the extensive Filmography of the legendary Hollywood star, Mr. Gregory Peck, long a favorite around here.
May he R.I.P.
For more personality information, you may wish to consult Sun Sign-Moon Sign, by Charles and Suzi Harvey #ad.
Photo: Mae West in "Go West Young Man" 1936; Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A view of the natal horoscope of Mae West born August 17, 1893 10:30 pm EST Brooklyn, NY Kings County reveals the self-admitted "grand ego" of her Sun @25Leo36 (dramatic Leo, a natural leader), and Moon in brooding, deep-feeling, sometimes ruthless Scorpio. Late Taurus rises (24:49) bringing up the star of deep passion, Algol. As a natural talent and a shrewd business woman, the actress' most famous line from her films has to be, "Why don't you come up and see me sometime?" which is a slight misquote from her film, She Done Him Wrong (1933), spoken to a character played by a young actor named Cary Grant. Her suggestive scripts relate to her natal Mercury in romantic Leo (11:03) as we see in her natal chart for Mercury Stationed Retrograde ('Rx') at the time of her birth (nee Mary Jane West) which added strength and focus to her thoughts and planning ability with Mercurial thoughts often trending toward romance, entertainment, and creativity (Leo).
Meanwhile, chart-ruler Venus in Virgo (sign of The Virgin, a goddess symbol as is Lady Venus) in the 5th house of Romance and Creative Pursuits makes only one applying aspect in her natal chart - a lucky trine with beneficial Jupiter (5A39). The Great Benefic rises in 1st house @29Taurus (a critical 29th degree, so eager to get on with it) which suggests that her larger-than-life schemes paid off significantly. And of course, with money planet Jupiter in money sign Taurus, her desire for financial security and talent for 'making it happen' are revealed along with a love of comfort.
Mae West August 17, 1983 -- November 22, 1980, passing away with Pluto in Libra conjunct her natal South Node, Mercury in Scorpio conjunct natal Moon in her 6th house of Health, Moon in Gemini conjunct natal Neptune, and Neptune @21Sag36 conjunct her natal 8th cusp, just inside the 8th house of death.
Now her extraordinary career success implies that Mae West was not a good loser and kept plugging away, but for sparkle and excitement on the Silver Screen and onstage, there's her 6th house Moon-Uranus conjunction, scintillating in sexy Scorpio!
Then there's her steamy Fire-WaterSun Leo-Moon Scorpio personality blend of conscious + unconscious energies in stubborn fixed signs providing her with a large measure of magnetism, a defiant attitude, strong ambition and competitiveness, fanaticism toward survival, an aura of queenly imperiousness, a capacity for hard work, and a love of drama and risk (Sun Sign-Moon Sign, Charles and Suzi Harvey #ad). Naturally, self-dramatizing impulses would have supported her play writing which led to Broadway success in addition to her high-grossing films (during the Great Depression!). And perhaps you agree that her personality blend's two 'Images for Integration' apply to this popular glamour queen, so see what you think:
"A fateful, passionate love affair between the queen and a mysterious, wandering peasant...The conception of a divine child takes place during a total eclipse of the Sun."
A divine child?
Well, then let's consider the Prenatal Solar Eclipse ('PE') which manifested prior to the birth of Mae West, a Total Eclipse @26Ari48 perfecting on April 16, 1893 in the over excessive3 North Saros Series with themes of, "traumatic transformation; worrisome news that transforms a situation, possibly involving a young person; "obsession"; and, "large plans are wanted" which can be positive but "don't get carried away," cautions Bernadette Brady in her book Predictive Astrology #ad. Plus, we know that a solar eclipse in Mars-ruled Aries denotes ardor, enthusiasm, daring, a competitive nature, and a pioneering spirit. And a pioneering actress she definitely was!
(Side Note: You may remember that the last occurrence of a 3 North Solar Eclipse was on July 2, 2019 @10Can37, snugged among America's natal Venus-Jupiter-Sun in Cancer of July 4, 1776. 'Traumatic transformation' indeed.)
So! If you'd like more biographical details concerning this sparkling glamour queen try Mae West on YouTube, or, you might find the Wikipedia page for Mae West to be of interest.
Brando: Edward Cronenweth (1903-1990) [1], Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In the natal horoscope (RR: AA) of the bold and innovative actor Marlon Brando the fiery sign of Aries, ruled by Mars, is the primary focus with his Sun, Moon, Mercury, andAscendant in the me-first, pioneering sign. And curiously, his Chiron, the wounded healer centaur, @20Ari06 precisely conjuncts America's Chiron of July 1776 with a descriptive Sabian Symbol for its rounded-up degree, "A Pugilist Entering the Ring." During Brando's difficult childhood, this Symbol relates to his alcoholic, abusive father and later to some of the screen roles he took on in his career which probably aided him in working out his inner demons (a typical exercise used by thespians). Note his plaintive "I coulda been a contender!", regretfully spoken like a wounded creature in On the Waterfront (1954) for which he won his first Oscar.
However, the socially conscious Brando was arrested and not allowed in when he went to Wounded Knee (aka, an occupation) and, on March 27, 1973, he declined the Academy Award for his performance in The Godfather to make a point. Sacheen Littlefeather attended in his place and is remembered for her 'inconvenient' speech that night which I watched on TV and was annoyed by how they ushered her off the stage before she finished speaking. This controversy is discussed by Brando in the video linked, below. And of course, you know about the Wounded Knee Massacre, a crime against humanity, perpetrated on the morning of December 29, 1890, when the US Army massacred nearly 300 members of the Lakota tribe of South Dakota.
Before he became an activist, Marlon Brando sizzled across Neptune's Silver Screen
Besides the heat (Mars) he gave off from the silver screen (and in his personal life, 'tis said), one of Brando's more famous quotes may best describe his Mars-infused personality,
"An actor's a guy who, if you ain't talkin' about him, ain't listening."
Well, today I'm typing about him in an attempt to pay tribute to a thespian (may he R.I.P) who changed the way the world looked at acting and actors. Was it for the best? That would be a matter of personal opinion for there were many changes in society during the years of his celluoid appearances. Yet I must fall upon the side of Yes! to his pioneering ability and raw talent as he expressed every human emotion on full display. Plus, I believe that Brando channeled America's 'wounded' energies via our shared Chiron in Mars-ruled Aries, a hint that one's sense of self has been wounded (when Chiron is in Aries).
Yes, his strong Mars influences resonate well with his second Oscar for Tennesee Wiliams' A Streetcar Named Desire for as you know, desire falls directly within the province of astrological Mars!
So in closing, dear reader, I've curated for you several YouTube videos with Brando as subject and my favorite to recommend is his June 12, 1973 interview on The Dick Cavett Show, soon after he rejected the Oscar for The Godfather. Mr. Brando had flown in from Tahiti for the interview during which they discussed American Indian issues and concerns, the controversy of the day in 1973, and, "what the motion picture industry had done to the American Indian, as a matter of fact, all ethic groups, all minorities, all non-whites."
So perhaps you'll agree that Marlon Brando was ahead of this time in the social conscience department - and in the acting department, too. Impulsive Mars likes to act and emote, and it isn't rare that a person under the strong influence of Mars turns out to be an activist, one who is interested in Politics, Government, and Law which fall under the purview of Saturn-ruled Capricorn, the sign of Brando's natal Mars. This placement gave him with maturity (Saturn) the ability to control, channel, and direct his Martian energies most efficiently while his worldwide fame provided opportunities to speak out on the causes in which he believed.
And so as many people have admitted through the years, Marlon Brando, with his quadruple Mars influences and pioneering acting talent, was most definitely a contender.
Screenshot from the Internet Archive of the trailer for Dracula (1931) [Public domain]
On the 'Horrorscope' of Screen Legend Bela Lugosi: Sun Libra-Moon Aquarius
by Jude Cowell
Boo! Yes, that's Bela Lugosi as Dracula staring menacingly at you! And with the spooky season soon upon us, I've decided to post the natal horrorscope and add a few astro-notes concerning the pioneering celluloid Prince of Darkness of the 1930s and 1940s, film legend Bela Lugosi. His life story makes for an eery and tragic tale in spite of major Hollywood success for in 1935 Lugosi succumbed to some bad habits and became ensnared in heavy drug use which went on to control much of his life and damage his health. Yet he married five wives, and to me it seems rather a marvel that he could manage to walk down the aisle as many as five times!
Born on October 20, 1882 at 3:30 pm LMT in Lugos, Romania (RR: A), Lugosi's birth name is quite impressive: Bela Ferenc Dezsco Blasko. He was a Lugosi from Lugos! On that day, hour, and at that particular location, the Sun clocked in @27Lib06, the Moon @4AQ37, and Mercury @2Sco49 Rx--and recently on October 4, 2019 (although he's unaware of it) Bela Lugosi had a Mercury Return! And of course, Scorpio is the most appropriate sign for the spooky season of the year and is ruled by Mars (planet of needles), co-ruled by intense Pluto, a pair of planetary energies often associated with drugs and drug use as is urge-to-merge Neptune, Venus (planet of veins and pleasure), and overindulgentJupiter who, when acting negatively, only makes things worse.
Therefore, his natal Ascendant (Self; Physical Body) in early Pisces, ruled by Jupiter, co-ruled by Neptune, makes sense for besides drugs, toxins, liquids, and secrets. Pisces is associated with inspired creativity and The Arts. Yet as you know, the sign's traditional symbol is the Two Fishes, one swimming up toward the heights, the other swimming down to the depths. Innovative film making and success: the heights, drugs and their soul-destroying use: the depths, and Lugosi's life encompassed them both.
As for his double Air Sun Libra-Moon Aquarius personality blend, Bela was a 'detached humanitarian' who was reasonable, idealistic, and well-meaning but maddeningly elusive when it came to being pinned down (pardon, but one can't help but think of a silver stake for this!) - no pigeonholes for Mr. Lugosi! A visionary, he tended to set himself up for disappointment as most visionaries tend to do, and his attraction to emotional intrigue spurred his sense of self-dramatization (on stage and off, one imagines). Able to be flirtatious and sincere at the same time, this blend highly values relationships and 'comes alive' (!) in social settings yet Lugosi may have been blind to his own need to depend upon others. And perhaps it was his personality blend's tendency to 'dream life away' and to 'build castles in the air' that worsened his drug dependency for a certain laziness was a potential if not an actuality, plus, such Utopian dreams usually possess a siren song quality about them, so difficult to resist.
Then with his Midheaven ('MC', the Aspiration, Goal, and Career Point) in Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius, rewards in his career came yet Lugosi is reported to have spent all his money on drugs, and died penniless on August 16, 1956 in Los Angeles, California after entering a drug rehab facility on April 21, 1955--but sadly he had not stuck with the program.
And so, as another Halloween draws near, I wish all ghouls and readers a safe and joyful evening full of sweets but no tricks at all. And with this astro-tribute I wish for Bela Lugosi another night to R.I.P.
Note: more personality blend details may be found in Sun Sign-Moon Sign by Charles and Suzi Harvey.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:For_better,_for_worse_-_Gloria_Swanson.jpg; For Better, For Worse; Paramount Pictures (1919)
As we see in the natal horoscope of Gloria Swanson, a Sun Aries-Moon Libra personality blend with its passionate Venus-Mars vibes describes a woman for whom relationships, attraction, and desire were all-important. Her publicity-seeking Moon in lovely Venus-ruled Libra conjoined her Midheaven, the most visible point of aspiration in any horoscope, aka, the Career and Public Status Point. Plus, there's another love indicator for asteroid Cupido (Cupid's 'cousin'!) rises with her Ascendant @20Sag14 and can also represent creativity and The Arts.
Yet nowadays most people only know Gloria Swanson for her "stunning" 1949 comeback at age 50 (and still beautiful!) in the film Sunset Boulevard but for years previously she had been a popular, top-paid actress in the early days of Hollywood, beginning her film career in silent movies at age 14.
Born in Chicago, Illinois on March 27, 1899 @12:20 am CST (RR: A, from memory) as Gloria May Josephine Svensson, Gloria Swanson originally studied opera having a beautiful singing voice but soon became enticed by the burgeoning film industry.
During her lifetime Swanson made and lost wealth and husbands (six!) and was abandoned and decimated by a certain lover (and father of a US president), Joseph P. Kennedy, who stole from her--ruined her, in fact (see video link, below). Then in 1980 she published an autobiography Swanson on Swanson which is still available through Amazon from third-party sellers.
Then on April 4, 1983, Gloria Swanson passed away, age 84, following heart surgery in New York City yet her magnetic image of beauty and glamour jumps from Neptune's Silver Screen as if from another world for those who care to have a look at a genuine Hollywood legend (see The Take video, linked, below). Age 84 suggests that during the year of her death, she experienced only the first of her three-ferUranus Return/s (to 7Sag56) but didn't make it until the second or third returns which occurred on: 1. January 21, 1983; (her death); 2. May 8, 1983; and 3. November 8, 1983. Curiously, all three Return horoscopes show a YOD planetary pattern which is a health indicator and denotes a crisis or a critical turning point. As you know, Uranus is a planet of separation and detachment and of course, death is the final separation. So if I had to hazard a guess about her health based on this cosmic condition, I'd say that Miss Swanson had been ill for an extended period of time and unfortunately heart surgeries weren't always as successful as they tend to be today.
Above we see Liza Minnelli posing in character as Cabaret's Sally Bowles. And in the natal horoscope of Liza Minnelli (born March 12, 1946 7:58 am PST Los Angeles, California; Pisces Sun, Cancer Moon, ASC 1Tau18, MC 19Cap20; RR: AA for accuracy--see her chart, below) we find both the pain and triumph of an energetic performer whose life events, conditions, and abilities taught her to rise above personal troubles. And if any performer epitomizes in human form the old adage that The Show Must Go On, it's Liza Minnelli! As did her Mother but this astro-tribute of a post belongs to Liza with a Z!
Now everyone knows that Miss Minnelli's career was boosted greatly in 1972 by the release of her starring vehicle Cabaret which won a total of 8 Oscars--including one for Liza. Her talented co-star Joel Grey (nee Joel David Katz: Aries Sun, Gemini Moon, Scorpio rising) played Master of Ceremonies in the film and won a Tony for his performance while one of the Oscars went to the film's director Bob Fosse (Cancer Sun, Aries Moon, ASC 27AQ; RR: AA). The film premiered on February 13, 1972 soon after a Lunar Eclipse conjoined her natal Pluto in Leo and in a year that featured a Solar Eclipse @19Cancer conjunct Liza's natal Moon and IC conjunct starry Castor! As you know, an eclipse can cast a major spotlight into one's life by activating planets or points which may trigger changes of direction so that things may never be the same.
Now the film's primary love interest for Sally Bowles, Liza's character, was played by Michael York (nee Michael Hugh Johnson: Aries Sun, Leo Moon, ASC 7AQ27: RR: B from data in his 1991 autobiography, The Traveling Player).
A second romantic interest for Sally was well played by German actor Helmut Griem (Aries Sun and Moon--and curiously, Griem's natal Pluto @19Can57 powerfully conjoined Liza's natal Moon and IC--a very creative combination). Born in 1932, Helmut Griem passed away in 2004, age 72.
Yes, Cabaret was a very popular film and has continued to be--true confession: I finally got around to watching it recently on Hulu! With Cabaret set in Germany's Weimar Republic of 1931, and the majority of musical numbers taking place onstage in Berlin's (imaginary) 'Kit Kat Club', the atmosphere of the society was ably shown to be one of decadence and over-indulgence--also note asteroid Bacchus (as in, bacchanalia, or, wine-drenched, ecstatic parties and orgies) precisely conjunct Liza's MC, the Career Point. Well, Cabaret certainly depicted such delirium.
And yes, a strong thread of promiscuity in relationships ran through the film as well and may have made similar appearances in Liza's personal life (Uranus-MC = Venus @1Ari00 = promiscuity in the behind-the-scenes 12th house of secrets and hidden activities with Venus conjunct the publicity-producing Aries Point of Fame, Recognition, and Fortune). This Venusian midpoint picture also suggests potentials for creativity, procreation, exposed feelings, an eagerness to please, and the ability to arouse physical desire in others (Tyl).
Also note that natal asteroid-archetype Persephone, associated with transformation, sex, and/or rape by Pluto, ruler of the Underworld, conjoins Liza's natal Venus @AP. For Liza this may not be significant on a personal level but plutonian romantic themes may be found within many of the plots of her various creative ventures. Perhaps the influence of her North Node ('NN' = future direction; destiny; public contacts) @26Gem01 conjunct sexy asteroid Sappho has something to do with recurring themes of sex and romance in her career choices for which she received public notice (NN). Actually, the photo of Liza as Sally Bowles, above, attests to a sapphic influence in the film.
Hollywood Horoscope: Liza Minnelli March 12, 1946 7:58 am pst Los Angeles, CA:
Basic chart details include: born during a Solar Hour, final dispositor Moon in its own sign of Cancer (everything leads back to her publicity-seeking, attention-grabbing Moon with its reigning need to be nurtured), and chart-ruler Venus applies only once to an opposition with Neptune which denotes romantic illusions and fantasies (listed lower left) which can best be utilized through creative endeavors. Plus, Liza's Moon conjoins starry Castor, one of the Gemini Twins, which provides great creative talents--inherited (conjunct her 4th house cusp); Neptune conjoins starry Diadem which suggests a mother's quiet sacrifice and a well-deserved crown. Note that both Liza and Judy are considered Hollywood royalty, and in the 5th house of Creativity, Liza's Part of Fortune in romantic, creative, entertaining Leo conjoins royal star Regulus which contains a caution: success if revenge is avoided. Has revenge been avoided? I don't know. What do you think?
Difficult relational issues are shown by Liza's Moon-Mars-Saturn trio in emotional, subjective Cancer, sign of Mom and the family, conjoining her IC (4th house cusp = Domestic Scene; Roots; Endings) suggesting quarrels and separations--from the mother (Moon is out-of-bounds yet their relationship was close--but perhaps on the smothering side). Separation from her father and/or from a male figure is also suggested (Mars is also out-of-bounds--'OOBs'--distant as is Pluto; Saturn the father is retrograde hinting that he wasn't always available when she needed him or was weak in some way so Liza had to become her own authority).
And so she would have carried these emotional wounds of her childhood into adulthood (as we all do!) and perhaps their themes have repeated in various forms throughout her life with different characters participating. Yet this planetary trio which includes the duos of harsh Mars-Saturn and emotionally deprived Saturn-Moon also indicates great ambition and strong motivation, plus, her Pisces Sun acts as the engine leading a Locomotive shape of planets suggesting a high-powered executive with a determined, even ruthless, drive toward success--creative success with Sun in the creative sign of Pisces which is co-ruled by imaginative, glamorous Neptune Rx in Venus-ruled Libra in the 6th house of Work (idealism in relationships). Also in 6th house is her Jupiter-Chiron conjunction of great enthusiasm and optimism. This conjunction inspires its owner toward the buoyant certainty that "the best is yet to come!" (Pottenger), and if memory serves, I believe Mother and Daughter sang that very song in a duet on TV's The Judy Garland Show the evening of July 16, 1963--Liza at age 17. Actually, I remember watching the show with my mother each week and their collaboration that evening was a stand-out.
Now for more Liza info you may wish to check out Marie Claire's feature 6 Best Liza Minnelli Quotes of All Time for it perfectly reveals in her own words the inspirational, optimistic, can-do nature of the lady, daughter of the fabled Judy Garland and her first husband director Vincente Minnelli. Obviously, the turbulent divorce of her parents when Liza was 5 years old created an emotional scar (Mars-Saturn-Moon, as noted) which she had to rise above along with other slings and arrows throughout her life yet we think of Liza as supremely gifted and highly successful. Perhaps the veils and masks of Neptune disguised the difficulties for the most part--even from herself--while allowing Liza's talent and creativity to brightly shine through from our TV and Silver Screens!
Here are Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier in 1948 during a visit to Australia posing as a happily married couple! Well, as most marriages will, they had their ups and downs and in fact, Vivien's natal chart denotes a moody light-vs-dark kind of gal with emotional depression issues especially after she suffered a tragic miscarriage due to a fall while filming Cleopatra (1944).
Yet when she was feeling up she sparkled and her Sun Scorpio-Moon Aquarius personality blend denotes a very magnetic personality. Plus, as you see in her horoscope (below), sexy Sappho is in charismatic Aquarius (1:11) at Midheaven (MC, the Career Point @00AQ52) near genius Uranus (in its own quirky sign!) and her feminine Moon (goddess Luna!) there as well. Asteroid Vesta (The Vestal Virgin who keeps the hearth burning--kind of like Scarlett did for Oh Ashley!) conjoins natal Moon and her Part of Fortune (17AQ21) is there in 10th house as well. No wonder the young beauty Vivien (nee, Vivian) was noticed and put in moving pictures! And wonder why she makes a cameo appearance in our Neptunian tribute to Hedy Lamar?
Cupid's arrow found its mark when Vivien's good reviews for The Mask of Virtue in 1935 (London's West End) gave her confidence to introduce herself to another West End thespian, Laurence Olivier, after which they collaborated in films and in romance. Later in life, Vivien contracted tuberculosis and was also diagnosed as manic-depressive but this tribute is meant to concern her better days yet a word or two must be said.
Vivien Leigh: Glamorous Neptune Rises with Goddess Star Sirius!
In her chart powerful gold-hoarder Pluto is at one of the four Cardinal Points of Fame and Recognition (00Cancer) suggests that her worldwide fame could have factored in to her troubles in some way, perhaps through a lack of privacy (she became more isolated later in life). And both Saturn and Pluto are considered karmic planets by which I mean that consequences of past behavior took years to develop and manifest for we all must reap what we sow and may suffer deep feelings of guilt, shame, and regret over the past. Actually, Gemini is the sign that tends to obsess over thoughts even on a good day and may worry incessantly about whether it's 'going crazy'. Temper tantrums alternating with black moods may occur (and OCD may be evident). Plus, having the two actors' planets, Jupiter-Neptune, in quindecile aspect (165 degrees = obsession-compulsion) hints that the actress was creative and artistically sensitive (obviously!), tended toward constant dissatisfaction (dream of The Ideal), was unconsciously driven by idealism, escapism, indulgences, and addictions, and may have used deceit and illusion to gain advantage. (The Quindecile, Ricki Reeves).
Please enlarge for a closer look at the natal horoscope of the very beautiful British actress Vivien Leigh, nee, Vivian Mary Hartley, born November 5, 1913 at 5:16 pm LST Darjeeling, India; Hour of the Sun; an unaspected Pluto (unattached from her other planets), and Mercury out-of-bounds of the earthly plane with the conditions of both planets suggesting themes of a lack of connection with one's sense of power, and mental isolation. Note that 'Mary' is also a goddess reference and her family was Roman Catholic, a church that venerates and idolizes Mary via statues and graven images.
A brief bio and her natal chart are available at astro.com; birth data rated B for biography/autobiography.
Leigh's Venus is strong in its own sign of Libra where she may meet partners at work (6th house) along with her intense, sexy Scorpio Sun. Mercury, planet of communication and thinking processes, is in Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius, sign of The Seeker, and in the 7th house of Partnerships and Marriage so she thought and spoke about relationships a lot. Enlarge her chart to see the asteroids clustered around Mercury, and goddess Isis conjunct intimate Amor and nurturing goddess Ceres in the 8th house of Sex. Now another thing about her Venus, goddess of love and beauty, is that Venus is chart-ruler (via Taurus Rising) and makes only one applying aspect to other planets: a square to Mars, planet of desire, which for Vivien is placed in Moon-ruled Cancer (touchy feelings, easy to anger!) if the birth data's 'B' rating is accurate.
A Venus-Mars square denotes strong desires, unbridled passion, and an emotional temperament that exasperates men (Pelletier). Plus, her Mars conjoins glamorous Neptune, planet of the Silver Screen, an 'actor's planet' (as is Jupiter) which in this case, can be said to represent Laurence Olivier on the level of desire and magnetic attraction. In addition, a conjunction of Mars-Neptune is glamorous all by itself!
Yet the creatively inspired Mars-Neptune conjunction indicates that Vivian tended to ignore reality and the feelings of others (like Scarlett?) when asserting herself, and she was prone to disappointments (Neptune) in romance (Mars). However, the magnetic conjunction didn't disappoint her in 1938 when she won a Best Actress Oscar for Gone With the Wind! Perhaps her proud Sun Scorpio-Moon Aquarius personality blend aided her with its deep need to achieve and its magnetic effect on others--she appeared in almost every scene of the film and few if any in a worldwide audience could take their eyes off her.
Now let's complete this astro-portrait of Vivien Leigh with some odds and ends chart factors: her North Node of the Moon, a Jupiterian point of public contact, is in creative Pisces in the 11th house of Groups, Associations, Hopes and Wishes. Also in 11th house is wounded Chiron in compassionate Pisces denoting her reliance on mentors and/or gurus, plus, a wound that is spiritual. Thespian Jupiter is in the 9th house of Foreign Lands and Travel showing that much of her money and income (Jupiter) came from abroad (America, for one) and that this intelligent lady was something of a philosopher and a student of life.
Her Uranus-Neptune opposition is generational and though out-of-sign (Cancer/Aquarius) denotes that her year of birth (1913) was a period when large scale conflicts were heating up politically as leaders prepared to wage a tragic war (WWI) and the masses were too self-indulgent, apathetic, and/or busy to notice.
Vivien's Pre-Natal Solar Eclipse Saros Series ('PE', in her 6th house), the 5 New South, manifested @6Libra and has themes of peak experiences such as falling in love (in Libra, sign of relationships!), good news, joy, and long lasting benefits (Predictive Astrology, B. Brady).
Now here is a marked-up natal chart of her very practical husband and brilliant actor, Sir Laurence Olivier; please enlarge for better reading:
For biographical notes on the life of Olivier and another look at his natal chart (RR: AA) visit astro.com.
Claudette Colbert 1931; studio publicity photo {public domain}
Check out the trailer for Midnight (1939), a Cinderella-esque adventure about being stranded in Paris:
Born in Saint Mande, France (or as some sources say, Paris) on September 13, 1903 at 8:00 am LMT, Emilie Claudette Chaucoin was the daughter of a baker who moved his family to the US when little Claudette was three years old. She grew up longing to appear on Broadway and in 1923, debuted in The Wild Westcotts and adopted the stage name Claudette Colbert. Follow the bio link, below, for more details or check out this 24-minute documentary about her life and career.
Now let's consider the natal horoscope of Claudette Colbert pictured here with notes added:
Right away we notice a Mercurial, gamine quality to Colbert's persona with both Sun and Moon in the two Zodiac signs ruled by Mercury, the planet of youth and communications. However, love goddess archetype Venus is chart-ruler since the rising sign is Venus-ruled Libra, and also rules her Mercury which is precisely rising. Born at 8:00 am on the dot makes an astrologer wonder if her birth time was rounded off rather than 100% accurate. Still, Libra rising does fit her looks and her profession so let's consider Colbert's personality blend of Sun Virgo-Moon Gemini. Then we'll check out her goddess and romance asteroids, eclipses, and her 9th house Neptune in Cancer which is her most elevated planet.
The Earth-Air combo of Sun Virgo-Moon Gemini denotes one who loves words, has refined tastes, and is quick-witted and playful. Here is both a thinker and a doer who takes play as seriously as she did work. Quickly adaptable, Ms. Colbert possessed analytical ability, logic, and a cool, detached approach to most things, and while delighting in spontaneity, she probably appeared at times to be something of a snob.
In relationships, the twice-married actress upheld romantic idealism but it's doubtful that she became as emotionally involved with people as she thought she did. Yet a settled domestic life and a creative career were conducive to her enjoyment of life and helped her put aside the tendency of discriminating Virgo to criticize. With her Gemini Moon, too many details may have overwhelmed her at times and caused worried moods and pessimism.
In the 'Hollywood Goddess of the Silver Screen' department, Claudette Colbert as a Virgo, the sign of The Goddess and Virgin, had an attractive persona on screen and seductive asteroid Lilith in the 4th house, one of the psychological houses. Of course, her goddess planet Venus was also in sexy Virgo, a placement which adds issues of morality and practicality vs romantic considerations to the picture.
Above, we mentioned her cool detachment which is supported by icy-cool Isis, goddess of them all, in Moon-ruled Cancer in her 9th house of Foreign Lands and *parallel Silver Screen planet, Neptune. As most elevated planet (although in 9th house), Neptune is most visible on the world stage (Midheaven/MC) and with powerful Pluto there as well, we see that her Mercury-North Node conjunction rising fulfilled itself in easy access to public contacts (NN), communication skills (Mercury), and powerful backers (Pluto).
Asteroid of intimacy, Amor @6Pis58, is in the 5th house of Romance and Creative Pursuits so romantic partners may have been met on film sets; Sappho, asteroid of sexual encounters and in the 8th house of Sex, is in lusty Taurus, sign of The Bull, plus, with Venus in the secluded 12th house, perhaps a few secret assignations took place! Her planet of desire, Mars, is in its own sign of sexy Scorpio, after all, no matter how prim and proper she may have seemed!
And erotic asteroid Eros conjoins electrifying Uranus (fighting against tradition in Sagittarius) in the 3rd house of Communications which suggests a form of genius and a novel approach (Uranus) in getting romantic messages across the screen to the audience.
In addition, her Venus and Mars sextile (60 degrees) one another which suggests a need to be in charge (see Mars in Scorpio listed on the chart image), a good organizer, and one who can be assertive when she wants to be. This Venus-Mars aspect identifies an inner conflict of warrior vs peacemaker who is peaceful until provoked (Epstein).
There is more to say, of course, for hers is quite a complex horoscope with several planetary patterns which include an Earth Grand Cross (marked in red), several T-Squares (formed by the Grand Cross), and twoGrand Trines (protection; talents; marked in blue) if we count the North Node (public contact) and her MC (Career Point) between: 1. Moon, Saturn, NN, and 2. Mars, Jupiter, MC, a guarantee of career success). Yes, Grand Trine patterns can suggest laziness (things are too easy, so why bother!) but there are massive amounts of energy and dynamism within such a major Grand Cross.
Well, that's my astro-homage to the lovely Claudette Colbert. Hopefully you've gotten something out of it and now feel you know Claudette a little better than you did before!
But if you're still curious about the lady, here is a brief bio of Colbert's life and career along with a bit of trivia (ex: why she preferred that her left side be photographed).
And if you look closely at her photo, above, you may wonder as I do: did the actress suffer from a case of strabismus?
*A parallel in Astrology is similar to a close conjunction and may be used for timing purposes. Here, Colbert's Isis and filmy Neptune are in a sense conjoined and their energies working together as with a planetary conjunction.
By Self made screen capture from a public domain film trailer Licencing information: http://www.creativeclearance.com/guidelines.html#D2 Trailer can be viewed here; there's no copyright notice. (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes trailer) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Perhaps you'll agree that the most perfect Lilith-Venus Neptunian goddess of them all is Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortensen on June 1, 1926 for she personaifies the glamorous Lilith archetype with her translucent looking skin on celluloid! Add the magic of Hollywood illusion to her natural beauty and you have a Silver Screen legend of extraordinary ability and a life cut short. Her close links to underworld figures and politicians increased the dangerous power she possessed if she ever vowed to spill the beans, a vow I believe she riskily made.
Yes, it is tempting to post here Marilyn's death chart though of course there are several charts to work from given the conflicting evidence and the uncertainty of her exact time of death--or the cause. Poison in the form of prescription drugs would be the method whether purposefully done or accidentally self-administered. If by another's hand perhaps it was via enema or perhaps an injection under a toenail. And though I've always intended to publish on this tragedy for Marilyn's sake, its complexity places it beyond the scope of this post which is meant as a fond tribute so you may wish to check out Killing the Legend for more details, pro and con.
However, her life ending at age 36 implicates the timing of planet Jupiter, of course, which you can see in her natal horoscope, below, @26AQ49 in the 7th house of Partnerships and Open Enemies along with her Moon, also in Aquarius, denoting fluctuating (and publicized) relationships (and perhaps a woman as an open enemy). Marilyn's final Jupiter Return (an approximately 12-year cycle) occurred on March 11, 1962 about 6 months prior to her death. Are there intimations of violence in the Return chart? Yes, and in her natal horoscope, too, but that's an avenue off our main path today.
Now as gorgeous as she is in photographs, we really must see her in action, mustn't we? So here is a brief excerpt from the 1953 hit Gentlemen Prefer Blondes starring Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell with Marilyn's famous line, "There's a wonderful moon out tonight!"
~:~
Before we begin our astro-portrait, you may want to consult astrologer Dr. Liz Greene regarding Marilyn's Psychological Horoscope Analysis. I suspect that Miss Monroe's therapists might have benefited from reading it. And please note that the following natal chart assessment in no way references that of Dr. Greene but is only the effort of yours truly!
The Shining Stars of Gemini Marilyn Monroe
by Jude Cowell
Marilyn's list of goddess asteroids is...stellar (sorry!) and include two in 10th house of Career and Public Status: Lilith @29Taurus and Isis @4Gemini (notated on the chart--please enlarge for viewing). Actually, gold-lover MIDAS is even there as well and even closer to her Midheaven (MC), the Goal Point of all charts. This hints at her famous song, 'Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend' as in the photo, above!
Also near MC on the 9th house side (Foreign Lands) is beautiful Venus herself in Mars-ruled Aries--yet there is interference from wounded Chiron @00Taurus, which some believe is a degree of violence (00-1 Taurus) but let's not go into that at the moment (perhaps in another post or an e-book if my ducks can be aligned). Still, a Venus-Chiron conjunction indicates one who sacrifices herself on the altar of love and we can probably agree that she did just that repeatedly and with her subsequent disappointment made very public (MC).
But perhaps a most telling asteroid for Marilyn Monroe is Demeter, a fertility goddess which is penned directly on her MC and in fertile Taurus, Earth sign of growth and development. And with her Ceres in 1st house (Physical Body), we see Marilyn's focus on devoted mothering which she didn't have a chance to fulfill (or perhaps the abortion gossip was tragically true, plus, rumors of miscarriages). It was demonstrably very difficult for her though I suppose lifestyle choices may have interfered with successful pregnancies by which I mean drug use, including alcohol, and the possibility that she suffered from epilepsy which can be a potential of one of her natal midpoint pictures: Uranus-Neptune = Sun.
(An epileptic condition, if present, could in part explain her always-late behavior on film sets, in my opinion. However, a deep sense of inferiority and her chronic depression were enough to block creative efforts. Years ago--sorry I don't remember the source--I read that she had been taking a drug usually prescribed for epilepsy and it was suggested that it was to aid her debilitating insomnia, if memory serves.)
Now natal Sun @10Gemini rules the chart and makes no major applying aspects to other planets which emphasizes the Sun's sign (Gemini) and house (10th). If you notice on the chart, the shape of it is a Splay pattern, an indicator of one who is very individualistic with many talents and gifts, and this supports her Sun which is basically unaspected but for a minor semi-square to her Scorpio Saturn in 4th house and retrograde (Rx). A semi-square (45 degrees) is also a health indicator due to low-grade stress--here between her vitality (Sun) and calcium-ruling Saturn.
Plus, Saturn Rx denotes difficult father issues such as a dad who isn't there.
Yet it is Mercury, planet of thinking processes, communications, and the senses, that is the Final Dispositor of the chart and all the planets. Dualistic Gemini, as we saw with actress Gene Tierney, is a brilliant and versatile communicator, actor, and much else, even a magician. Yet its burden can be the Dark and Light Twins, double stars Castor and Pollux.
Both stars lend creativity to the nature but also can trigger an inner fear that one might at some point in life "go crazy". This fear, associated with the dualism of Gemini, can play tricks upon the mind especially when a mental or an emotional incapacity of any sort lies within the family such as with Norma Jean's mother who had to be institutionalized. Mother-child issues of loss and separation are often present as with both Marilyn and Gene Tierney, and psychiatric treatment is often needed and sought. This can bring prescription drugs into the life yet again, such a topic is beyond the scope of this tribute (as are the Kennedy brothers, or her other paramours).
As you see on the chart, lower right, I've written notes concerning her T-Square pattern formed by a difficult Moon-Neptune opposition (creative yet irrational like mom; deep need for the 'ideal' relationship; self-delusion) pointing toward her 4th house Saturn Rx (dad; sense of authenticity and authority). There are enough issues within the Moon-Neptune-Saturn trio to keep several therapists busy for years and years and it's overlaid with a Water (emotional-intuitional) Grand Trine if we count the North Node (public contact/publicity, but also related to mother--North Node of the Moon). A Water Grand Trine is a very creative pattern which emphasizes the protective quality of all trines (120 degrees) which are usually considered beneficial (though they can also 'grease the skids').
But for Marilyn, this trine includes the harsh combination of Mars and Saturn so let's say that things could have been more beneficial here than Mars-Saturn with its destructive energy and destroyed vitality implications (Ebertin). After all, Saturn is the earthly father and Mars represents males--one birth father never there for her and probably too many males in her life that wanted to objectify and use her! Plus, Mars in murky Pisces hints at unreliable and/or deceptive males especially with eccentric Uranus nearby--and both planets in the sexy 8th house. Secretive behavior is promised here along with parties (orgies?) and the negative escapism that Pisces is often attracted to. And that goes for Marilyn herself for the sign of Uranus describes how one behaves. Some form of theft may also be indicated by Uranus in Pisces along with the quality of genius. And as you see, Uranus conjoins the Aries Point of Fame and Fortune--though please note that I've mismarked a star conjunct Uranus--Regulus, which should be penned at the end of Leo near her 1st-house Ceres. Mea culpa!
Then for Marilyn's associations with powerful men, we look to her Pluto-North Node conjunction while appreciating her powerful (Pluto) effect on the public (NN). Pluto-NN is also known as the 'tiger by the tail' duo and their conjunction from 13Cancer to 16Cancer+ contains two notable stars and two asteroids. First @13Cancer is Sirius, the goddess star of Egypt (aka, Isis in star lore, and The Scorcher) and Canopus, often found in the charts of film stars who go on voyages. Canopus is also the plumb line with end-of-life connotations.
The two asteroids are Moon goddess Diana conjoined with the North Node of destiny, and Hopi (conjunct saboteur Pluto), with keywords: prejudice and ambush. This grouping relates to Marilyn's tragic and untimely death on August 5 (or 4), 1962 but alas, such an assessment shall remain beyond the scope of our astro-portrait and fond tribute to Miss Marilyn Monroe!
Photo: March 1, 1937 by Carl Van Vechten {Public domain} via Wikimedia Commons
The filmography of Orson Welles includes what some people consider the best film ever made, Carol Reed's The Third Man. And of course you're familiar with his realistic Mercury Theater radio broadcast the evening of October 30, 1938 of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds which turned out to be an exercise in terrorizing the gullible. Well, it was the night of Halloween! (Some sources give 'October 31' but I'm not certain why).
Anyway, here's a video excerpt of Orson Welles 'apologizing' for the confusion and fear caused by a fake Martian invasion of planet Earth which was too well performed and brought Mr. Welles instant fame:
As you see, the above clip contains a watermark which is not on the copies you'll find at Public Domain Footage, plus, for access to more classic videos why not 'Like' them on Facebook and perhaps we'll cross paths there!
Now here's a link to a 21-minute Mysteries and Scandals documentary featuring Orson Welles in which you may find interesting information. And of course you know that both mysteries and scandals fall within the realms of Neptune!
Check out Welles' natal chart and brief bio at astro.com, plus, more info is available on his Wikipedia page.
And if you're curious about the brief marriage of Orson Welles and 'love goddess' Rita Hayworth, here's a site featuring the synastry between their planets. They "didn't match" but they did have a daughter together. Welles had a child with each of his three wives: Virginia Nicolson, Rita, and Paola Mori. Actress Delores Del Rio was one of his amours during his first marriage which lasted from 1934 to 1940; Oja Kodar was with him from 1938 to his last year, 1985 (October 10, Hollywood, found sitting at his typewriter.)
But wait! We can't very well move on to our Astro-Portrait of the great Orson Welles without mention of Citizen Kane, now can we?
Curiously enough, just the other day (Feb 4, 2016) an article by Nina Metz concerning the classic film appeared in the Chicago Tribune. Ms. Metz relates that didn't see Citizen Kane until she became a film critic and a synopsis of the plot is included in the article. The classic film will be shown at the Pickwick Theater on February 11, 2016 and if I were in the vicinity of Chicago it would be a treat to see Orson Welles performing once again on the Silver Screen! You'll also see in the article a photo with the caption: 'Is Donald Trump Charles Foster Kane in disguise?' to which I can think of no apt reply unless Kane's overbearing nature accounts for their resemblance to one other.
Astounding to think now that Orson Welles was only 26 years old when Citizen Kane debuted. He was nominated for a Best Actor Academy Award and received an Oscar for Best Writing of an Original Screenplay which was well deserved since he was a (misunderstood) genius, born with the planet of genius and eccentricity, Uranus, in its own sign of Aquarius which implies unorthodox interests such as Astrology and other metaphysical subjects, interplanetary space travel ('UFOs'), and other occult topics such as may be seen in certain mystery or supernatural films and tales. Mr. Welles was decidedly a Uranian (cue the theramin!) and his Uranus conjoined natal Moon (Moon = reigning need; emotions), North Node (public contact), and Midheaven (MC = Career and Public Status). Whew! That's a gracious helping of Aquarian vibes and he expressed them in his writing, directing, and acting endeavors.
Now as you know, popular movie critic Hedda Hopper interfered with the film's public reception and she influenced newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst to campaign against Welles and the film (for its too deft portrayal of a man like Hearst himself) so it opened at a small NY venue, the RKO Palace Theater on May 1, 1941. Controversy followed (as it had with War of the Worlds) so the film was shelved but released later on and is now atop the Best Films List of practically everyone, movie critics included. And Mr. Hearst, of course, is long gone though if the birth data I have for him is accurate, his Ascendant @23Taurus (his nibs himself) was rewarded by transiting Jupiter the Beneficent and quirky planet of novelty and genius Uranus on the very night that Citizen Kane debuted! (Jupiter and Uranus as a pair = a lucky break or a fortunate turn, and that it was.)
And it's quite amusing that if we look to the natal planets of Hedda Hopper (nee, Elda Furry!!) we find that both Hedda and Orson shared Sun and Mercury in stubborn, bullish, sensual Taurus--as did publisher William Randolph Hearst!Three creative Suns and Mercurys? This trio ruled by comfort loving Venus signifies three bulls locking horns or three business minded Ferdinands joining their artistic forces to thrill the masses!
A Brief Astro-Peek at Orson Welles, the Uranian Extraordinaire!
May 6, 1915 7:00 am Kenosha, WI; Hour of Mars; ASC 24Gem20 which makes communicating messenger Mercury his chart-ruler; Mercury @20Tau36 is 5 degrees 41 minutes from the Sun @14Tau55 (conjunct asteroid Amor!) denoting him as intelligent yet subjective and ego-centric in a (stubborn, creative) Taurus-the-Bull sort of way. Easy going until ruffled we might say, and his close resonance with Spain is well known.
Rising in his 1st house of Physical Body is a dissociate Saturn-Pluto conjunction (Gemini and Cancer). Karmic Saturn is critical and anxious at 29Gem25 while powerful Pluto--also a karmic planet--rises at one of the four Cardinal 'Aries Points' of World Manifestation and Fame--here @00Can38 (the Gate of Birth) though the 29th-degree Saturn melded with Pluto may signify physical problems during delivery for mother and child. Asteroid Toro, one of the power asteroids, conjoins Pluto doubling the power signature, and suggests the world war that was then on the horizon, but for Orson, Saturn-Pluto in 1st house is a planetary imprint of The Magician (supporting his Moon-Hermes-Uranus-in-Aquarius trio) and of scientific interests. A sesquisquare (135 degr) from Uranus to Saturn-Pluto was disruptive and may have caused some of his on-set filming and never-ending editing issues, plus, as you know, Mars in Aries begins new projects with contagious enthusiasm but isn't as great at completing them.
His chart shows that Orson Welles was destined for stardom with the North Node (NN) of public contact conjoining his Midheaven (Mc = Aspirations/The Goal/Career) with natal Moon also linked to The Public, Publicity, PR, and popularity. Aquarius is, of course, the sign of Otherworldliness, Science, futurism, and spacey things such as UFOs. Obviously, his Mercury Theater radio broadcast of a bogus Martian invasion is keyed here--and there is quirky, inventive genius Uranus electrifying in its own sign of Aquarius @15AQ34; Moon @18AQ48 conjoins asteroid Hermes, a trickster element and magician, which Welles certainly was on film and in his writing and his work is now aided by the long lasting effects of the transformative Saturn-Pluto duo.
His Venus-Mars conjunction in lusty Aries shows more than romanticism and passion in love, it shows creative power, emotional warmth, and generosity toward others, plus, work that involves the public. Mars in its own sign of Aries provides uncontainable energy and Venus there impassions and increases competitiveness when seeking romance, plus, there's asteroid Bacchus supplying champagne and delirium for the evening. However, a Mercury-Neptune midpoint rises at ASC bringing a streak of deception and illusion into the picture, best used in his creative career, of course, yet the pair potentially created problems in close relationships especially when exploitation was added viaMercury-Neptune.
Now if you check the chart, lower left, you see that chart-ruler Mercury makes only one applying aspect in the chart--a very close sextile (60 degrees) to Jupiter which adds philosophical interests and much self-confidence to the personality yet also denotes a tendency toward indecision which can undermine authority.
As for Silver Screen Neptune in the 2nd house of Values and Earning Ability, finding resources for creative projects continued to be necessary throughout the life of Orson Welles for Neptune here tends toward unstable finances that can flood or 'dry up' but with a magical ability to grab funds out of thin air (another magician indicator!) as needed. The Neptune in Cancer generation was hypersensitive and impressionable to outer influences, another hint at topics such as UFOs. In Moon-ruled Cancer, Welles' Neptune found its deepest expression on film and the love arrows of piercing EROS conjoins dreamy Neptune while asteroid Lilith, the seductress in the 5th house of Romance, languishes in sexy Scorpio an dis linked to Orson's natal Sun personality, ego, and life purpose.
Finally, his 10th house of Career and Public Status has generous, beneficial Jupiterthe thespian in compassionate Pisces conjoining priestly Chiron (the Wound, the Wounded Healer, the Blind Spot) indicating a man of ebullience and unflagging optimism on his life quest that includes the acting profession. To me, Orson Welles has always seemed primarily to constellate two planetary archetypes: Jupiter and Uranus. When their energies blend, life experiences usually include lucky breaks, fortunate alliances, new discoveries, original inventions, travel, exploration, and bliss. At least, these are things I could wish for Orson Welles during his lifetime...perhaps with a strong emphasis on bliss!
So there you have my brief astro-portrait of Orson Welles, a passionate, magical, powerful man who grew from an l'enfant terrible of Hollywood society into a super-creative if flawed genius of film and illusion expressing his arresting talents upon Neptune's Silver Screen.
May Orson R.I.P. (May 6, 1915--October 10, 1985)
~:~
Blog Note: Two paramours of Orson Welles have been astro-profiled here if you're curious about the beautiful and exotic Delores del Rio and/or his wife, 'Venusian love goddess'
Rita Hayworth who may be represented at his Ic (Home; Domestic Scene) by asteroid Hera, the legal wife who keeps the accounts, or by Junothe wife in practical Virgo in the cozy 4th house where she takes care of her husband's everyday needs.
