ZaSu Pitts: From Kansas to Hollywood!

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.

R.I.P. ZaSu Pitts January 3, 1894--June 7, 1963 (Parsons, KS--Hollywood, CA)

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

An Astro-Tribute to the Legendary Buster Keaton

Buster Keaton WWI 1918; Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

March 16, 2022

by Jude Cowell

In our era it's somewhat difficult to credit the past career and stellar popularity of an actor, producer, and writer like Buster Keaton, a man whose physical comedy, amazing stunt work, and basset-hound facial expressions remain easily recognized. Keaton's pioneering career in Hollywood is graced by an impressive, extensive Filmography if you care for a peek.

And you may wish to check out the natal horoscope of Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (RR: A via his Dad: 'born between acts of his parents' medicine show'!) where you'll find his seriously minded, deep-thinking Mercury-Saturn conjunction squared by jolly Jupiter in dramatic Leo, a cosmic signature of his style of comedy - or perhaps tragi-comedy style is more the case. Recommended is a YouTube video (5M 12S) of Some of Buster Keaton's Most Amazing Stunts. Or, fast forward to his September 1, 1957 appearance on What's My Line? (including comic Ernie Kovacs), if you wish. That evening, transit Pluto @00Virgo, planet of power, was conjunct Buster Keaton's natal Ascendant as was the transiting Mercury-Uranus midpoint! This suggests enhanced creative ability and a sense of recklessness - perhaps a reference to his years of celluloid stunt work that looked - still look - dangerous and painful. However, this was Keaton's "line" of work, and that evening a beneficial trine from North Node in Scorpio to his natal North Node in Pisces provided him with the opportunity for a major contact with the public on what then was a very popular TV show.

A Hollywood Legend's 'live-wire' Air-Fire Sun Libra-Moon Aries

Now allow me say this: until a few minutes ago I was unaware that today's position of the North Node of public contact @24Tau14 points directly toward, of all things, the natal Midheaven (@24Tau37, the Career Point of Public Standing) of Buster Keaton but apparently this post might in a very small way fulfill a karmic imperative of public contact with his career. Naturally, Mr. Keaton is no longer around to benefit specifically, but there it is!

As for Mr. Keaton's conscious (Sun) - unconscious (Moon) blend across the Libra-Aries axis of relationships (married thrice!), it's under the influence of the Venus-Mars duo, and admittedly as a child, I always thought the actor was a handsome fellow. His astounding physicality and energy may be seen through his risk-taking Sun-Mars conjunction in Libra, yet with wounded Chiron nearby.

(For more personality details see Sun Sign-Moon Sign, Charles and Suzi Harvey #ad.)

Meanwhile, a natal YOD of crisis-special-task-turning-point-spiritual-opportunity implications may be read as a midpoint picture: Moon-Neptune = Uranus (in brooding, dark, attractive Scorpio along with a bottomless pit of creative, novel ideas) suggesting potentials for emotional unpredictability (three marriages?) and an impulsive nature. Add these energies to his risk-taking Sun-Mars duo, plus his thespian planet Jupiter in entertaining Leo, and we find a legendary Hollywood actor whose pioneering performances and stunts remain awesome, even energizing, to watch - yet as a maternal type myself, this caution must be added: Please don't try this at home!

R.I.P. Buster Keaton: October 4, 1895 Piqua, Kansas - February 1, 1966 of lung cancer.

~:~

UPDATE March 16, 2022: just a note that it occurred to me to check geni dot com to see if Buster Keaton and I are connected and it turns out that we have an in-law connection: we're 17th cousins once removed. Tracing his Keaton line back on the geni site, the earliest of his ancestors I could find was Zachariah Keaton, born circa 1682, died circa 1743, both in Pasquotank County, North Carolina. Also, I left out of the above post the descriptive factoid that Buster Keaton was often called, "The Great Stone Face," and if we look to his natal chart for "30 Pisces" which has this Sabian Symbol attached, we find not a planet but a midpoint of Moon-North-Node = 'contact with the public' along with a link to major publicity, possible spiritual unions, and, biologically, the immune system. jc #

Rebecca (1940) directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Joan Fontaine

image: Joan Fontaine Wikimedia Commons {Public domain}

Perhaps you remember, dear reader, that actress Joan Fontaine is known for starring in the noir-ish film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and based on the popular novel by Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca.

Astro-Notes: Actress Joan Fontaine

View the Astro-Wiki bio of Joan Fontaine (nee, Joan de Beauvoir de Havilland, Olivia's sister, on October 22, 1917 6:00 am Tokyo, Japan) at astro.com where you'll see her Air-Earth personality blend of Sun Libra-Moon Capricorn with Airy Libra rising. Sun Lib-Moon Cap denotes one who is tasteful, tactful, courteous, pragmatic, purposeful, shrewd, diplomatic, and skillful at managing other people. This blend can be the signature of a perfectionist and a snob! A love of Art, luxury, and comfort is typical with Venus-ruled Libra, sign of balance and fairness, yet the Saturn-ruled Capricorn Moon adds quite a bit of ambition to the mix and moderates what is usually Libra laziness. Her career ambition led notably to an Academy Award in 1940 for her role in Rebecca.

Asteroid of glamour and seduction, Lilith @8Virgo is embued with goddess imagery galore while Joan's natal Venus (in one guise, Aphrodite herself) is in Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius showing an attraction to and from foreigners--a handy placement for those desiring worldwide popularity. Speaking of desire, her planet of desire, Mars, is in lusty Leo, sign of romance, drama, and acting. (Fontaine married British-American actor Brian Aherne.)

Astrologically speaking, another aid to Fontaine's rise to fame, recognition, and fortune (besides her icy beauty and talent) may be found on the Nodal Axis of public contact and destiny. For the North Node (of the publicity-seeking Moon) conjoins her natal Moon while the South Node conjoins powerful Pluto, planet of wealthy plutocrats. Together the Moon-Pluto pair indicates public relations and publicity but also a depth of feeling, a desire for passionate romance, and help from, or the influence of, powerful women (or a woman--mother is also implicated.) A Moon-Pluto opposition describes one who wants to remake others and whose aggression may cause quarrels with family members over inheritance and money issues in general.

Astro-Notes: Director Alfred Hitchcock

Genius film director Alfred Hitchcock's birth details are victims of 'Dirty Data' as well (conflicting/unverified) with multiple birth times suggested and chart rectification available. His 3:15 am GMT horoscope is often used and may be viewed at astro.com along with a brief bio. Isaac Starkman's rectified chart is also there with the primary differences being chart angles and house cusps and this, of course, shifts the natal planets into different houses (departments of life).

Yet correct birth time or not, Hitchcock remains a Sun Leo-Moon Scorpio fellow, a Fire-Water personality blend of steaminess which can cleanse or scald. Born August 13, 1899 in Leytonstone, England, his macabre side is well known and displayed by his brooding Scorpio Moon. Drama and showmanship are obvious with a shiny Leo Sun and in the Rodden version of his chart (8:15 am), 3Leo57 rises with his Career/Public Status Midheaven (MC) in Mars-ruled Aries (11:00.)

In the Starkman chart (8:01:30 pm GMT, same date/location), the Moon is later @12Sco52 with creative yet secretive Pisces rising and 23Sag at MC ruled by Jupiter the thespian. Saturn and North Node are snugged around the MC with the supernatural pair of Neptune and Pluto nestled around his IC (Home; Roots; Psychology) Therefore, Glamorous Neptune of the Silver Screen conjoins his South Node of the Moon (SN) which provided him with good intuition, an ability for avoiding the folly of the masses, and a tendency for those who intrigue to rob him of his work in some way. Bad timing and lack of popularity may have been factors in his life as well with Neptune-SN but Saturn-NN describes his long-term and successful (Saturn) contacts with the public (NN).

Alfred Hitchcock's Saturn-Neptune opposition favors artists and other creatives and is generational as is his secretive Saturn-Pluto opposition which tends to channel occult powers (the macabre! murder! mystery! noir!) into ideas that have had a long-lasting and transforming effect upon the world of film. This is, in fact, an aspect of the magician.

Astro-Notes: Author Daphne du Maurier

Now the natal horoscope of Rebecca author Daphne du Maurier is rated DD for Dirty Data (conflicting/unverified) as well yet you may wish to have a peek at her chart and bio; tap or click the 'natal chart' link to view her horoscope with its Earth-Air Sun Taurus-Moon Gemini blend with Gemini being the sign of the writer. Something of a recluse in Cornwall, England all her life, du Maurier was a very popular author in her day and most if not all her novels were adapted into film. Rebecca was published in 1938 and as you see, was transformed into a film and an Oscar win for Joan Fontaine by 1940!

Born on May 13, 1907 at 4:00 pm GMT London, England, her Sun Taurus-Moon Gemini personality blend identifies du Maurier as one who is charming, witty, persuasive, has a good head for business, and is an opportunist. Having a vivid talent for communication, her characters spring to life on the pages of her novels as well as on the Silver Screen and her far-reaching ideas continue to attract readers and viewers all these decades later.

Well, I don't know if you can take time to watch Rebecca but I hope you enjoyed my attempt to give you brief astro-portraits of three of the primary people who made the Oscar-winner a sparkling success way back in 1940!