An Astro-Portrait of Hollywood Legend Marilyn Monroe

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!"

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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!

jc June 5, 2016 8:20 pm edt

Ulta Beauty All Things Beauty Chandelier Commercial

Oh dear, Ulta Beauty probably won't care for my embedding their brilliant Chandelier ad here on Neptune's Silver Screen so of course I will remove it if they so desire. Or, sadly for you and me, the company will remove it in a sudden poof! of trademark fever.

Naturally as a 'freebie' blog owner and creator I consider embedding the above video as complementary advertising for Ulta! Actually, somewhere there's a photo of yours truly in my cosmetic rep days at Macy's so I suppose my artist's long term make up tendencies are now adding to my artistic susceptibility to this lovely, musically perfect, fun and enchanting ad!

Christina Aguilera aside, I don't know who the model is in the ad but she reminds me of a young Marilyn Monroe whose horoscope and bio are nearing the top of my Coming Soon list!

"Good stuff!" And an Astro-Portrait of Cary Grant

Cary Grant, Suspicion {public domain}

A happy Cary Grant often exclaimed, "good stuff!," proving that a positive attitude makes all the difference.

Here is a screen crop of two of the film industry's most enduring film legends Marilyn Monroe (to be astro-profiled in a later post) and Cary Grant appearing together in Monkey Business (1952):

There are no copyright notices (Monkey Business trailer) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Here you can view the full film: Monkey Business.

And now, let's focus on Cary. Here are 2 minutes 36 seconds of Cary Grant: A Gentleman's Gentleman (Trailer):

Source: The Orchard Movies {Public domain}

And now it's time to place the gentlemanly Mr. Grant under an astrological lens:

Astro-Notes: Cary Grant and his New Moon in Capricorn

The natal horoscope of Cary Grant reveals attractive Venus as chart-ruler since late Libra rises. Tap or click for a brief bio including his filmography details and a view of his natal chart which is rated B for Biography. Born Archibald Leach on January 18, 1904 (1:00 am UT) in Bristol, England, the yet-to-be Cary Grant had a tough beginning--some gossips said he was an illegitimate child though that isn't obvious in his natal chart for mysterious Neptune is not posited in the 4th house of Roots and Family as is often the case of unknown parentage. Baby Archie's Neptune in Cancer is in the 9th house of Philosophy, Religion, Higher Education, and Foreign Travel (denoting trips across water--his first was to NYC as a teen). Still, Neptune in Cancer, sign of mother and family shrouds his birth with a sense of loss and this suggests the death of his older sibling John, a tragedy his mother never recovered from emotionally. Baby Archie was produced in an attempt to console his parents for the loss of their first child and to 'save their marriage', a typical if misguided solution in those days. Needless to say, this put huge pressure on little Archie Leach who escaped through an early interest in a variety of entertainments which included movie-going with his Dad.

Please enlarge his natal chart for closer viewing:

Hour of Saturn; the element of Air (mental) is strong. With Sun in Saturn-ruled Capricorn (26:31) and Moon @00Aquarius (4 degrees 12 minutes past a New Moon) we find the actor with an Earth-Air personality blend denoting the skeptical intelligence of a practical idealist. Here is one with a mixture of order vs change, social yet solitary, conservative yet progressive. Earth-Air types prefer to take an extremely rational approach to matters and can bring abstract thought together with real issues to find solutions. "Applied knowledge" can be an Earth-Air descrption. (See conflicting indicators of unconscious obsessions, below.)

Now much has been written about Grant's difficult childhood (Saturn in Aquarius rules 4th house; Hour of Saturn) and his mother's overbearing nature which may be seen by his natal Moon (mother) in aloof, detached Aquarius (but just barely--if the birth time is off by much his Moon could be in status quo Capricorn). Ruled by Saturn and co-ruled by Uranus, an Aquarian Moon placement may support all or some of the prevalent theories and rumors--including the one about his mother Elsie not actually being his birth mother. However, one key clue is that Mr. Grant was not born with the Moon out-of-bounds of the earthly plane and therefore, separation or a distant relationship with his birth mother is not in evidence, at least not immediately after birth. However, her sense of isolation as she grieved over her first child is indicated. Read on...

His birth at a New Moon phase (26Cap01) shows an impulsive and spontaneous nature but under control of inhibited Capricorn's ruler, Saturn. While he was away at school his father Elias institutionalized his mother and told Archie she had died--and when dad remarried there was no room for Archie. There be deep scars here and it isn't unusual for a talented individual with such scars to strive toward fame and fortune in order to fill a deep emotional void--this Archie fellow certainly achieved the success he aimed for! Plus, a New Moon phase at birth also indicates confusion and a lifelong journey to discover who one really is. His later use of LSD (under guidance of his therapist) was a part of that journey and an attempt to make peace with the past. He eventually discovered that his mother was living and managed to have a relationship with her which must have been a relief.

Yes, there is restrictive, cold, controlling Saturn 9 degrees from his Moon and both snugged around the IC of Home and suggesting a seriously depressed mother who had lost her first child and was married to a philandering husband, Elias Leach. Mercury (young people; the thinking process) is present as well, retrograde in Capricorn (sign of the father), and affecting him psychologically so this depressive indicator adds to his emotional issues of Moon-Saturn-IC and may certainly describe his later control issues with women. And on a sad note, it is reported that Grant made at least one attempt to commit suicide after his marriage in 1934 broke up by overdosing with alcohol and sleeping pills. His enjoyment of alcohol is supported by overindulging Jupiter in Pisces, sign of negative escapism (as in, 'drink like a fish')--and Jupiter is apex planet of an opposition between Venus and Pluto (see below) which means that the planet of actors in creative Pisces is squared by both Venus (women; romance) and Pluto (manipulation, control, sex, wealth) so that dynamic tension results in all things relating to the three planets.

Perhaps he tended to overreact to every nuance in romantic relationships and probably tended to fall in love at first sight but fall out of love just as easily. Playing "Mommy" and "Daddy" may have appealed, too. How curious that onscreen he played the role of a man who was a little afraid of women (ex: Monkey Business) for that is just what his Venus-Jupiter square with its mother/anima issues reveals with the sign of Jupiter denoting how he related to others--as a compassionate, sympathetic, creative Pisces--or, as an evasive, deceitful, slippery fish? My guess is that he alternated these reactions as most people might do in similar circumstances and with similar obsessions.

(Yes, Grant is known to have had a longstanding homosexual relationship with actor Randolph Scott and others but that's beyond the scope of this portrait.)

In their gender-bending films Hollywood studios and directors made good use of Grant's comedic talents honed during his vaudeville and New York theater days. A very popular 'heart throb' for women, he was seen as non-threatening by men who enjoyed his portrayals in 'screwball comedies' where equality between the sexes was heavily and subtly promoted with humor, style, and elegance.

Now on the deeper level of obsessions, add in the powerful energies of his Jupiter-Pluto square and the plot thickens including in the financial realm. With this square the relating principle of Jupiter is blocked in some deep way by images from the Collective Unconscious (Pluto) which results in--you guessed it--control issues. Early childhood memories affect motivations in relationships and confusion over what relating is gums up the proceedings with others. This condition describes one who confuses relating and sharing with being in control and manipulating partners and he obsesses over any relationship that doesn't go his way. "Control games" and "role-playing" are used as substitutes for the genuine give-and-take a successful relationship requires and this negates the emotional security one should feel within a true partnership. Actually, an apt motto for a Jupiter-Pluto square is: "a law unto himself" which for Cary Grant is well supported by his Saturn-ruled Sun ("Daddy" the authority).

But project his handsome face on to Neptune's Silver Screen and it's a different story!

For here stars his attractive, artful, charming Venus in happy-go-lucky Sagittarius ("good stuff!") playing lead planet in a Locomotive pattern as she attracts money and beautiful possessions (2nd house) and sexy partners (Pluto in 8th house of Sexual Unions and Shared Resources)! In Astrology, a Locomotive pattern promises high-powered success and with his Venus-Pluto opposition across the 2/8 money axis, it's small wonder that Cary Grant was able to use his creative talents and sex appeal to build a very successful worldwide career in the Neptunian film industry of Hollywood even though he turned his back on the movie studio system, a maverick move that probably cost him an Oscar or two.

And although his passionate Venus-Pluto opposition aided his career it was not as beneficial for him in personal relationships. With this opposition we find the controlling mother again having a deep and profound psychological effect on her son and there may have been a particularly difficult event just prior to his 4th birthday (Venus-Pluto 3A50 = 3 years 10 months, if his birth time is reasonably accurate). In addition, Venus rules the 12th house of the Unconscious so there are shame and guilt issues involved as well (mother Elsie was on the puritanical side), issues he may never have been able to consciously recognize without benefit of therapy. Yet there is dramatic Leo on his Career Cusp (Midheaven/MC) to gloss over any sadness or feelings of inferiority by entertaining the public via glamour, sophistication, elegance, and a studied self-deprecating manner--and being highly paid for it as royal Leo would expect to be.

A wide conjunction between Venus (relationships; romance) and quirky Uranus (separation; freedom) suggests entering and ending relationships quickly though they may crackle with erotic energy while new.

As for his gender-bending, equality of the sexes film roles, Grant's 4th house Mars, planet of desire, is in detached yet friendly Aquarius conjoined with two asteroids: Lilith the glamorous woman archetype (or harlot) and Hera, the legal wife who keeps the accounts. Perhaps confused gender roles and cross-dressing for the camera are suggested by his Mars-Lilith-Hera trio.

Uranus and Neptune and his Solar Eclipse in Virgo

Though in dissociate signs in 1904, Grant was born during the Great Opposition between generational planets Uranus (science; reason) and Neptune (faith; imagination), Cary Grant's North Node @29Vir27 of public contacts (near his Pre-Natal Eclipse degree of 27Virgo in the 14 North Saros Series with themes of unexpected happenings in relationships and finances, unrequited love and despair, and confusion/delusion - Brady) is involved with the opposition through a double square: Uranus square the Nodal axis denotes nonconformist leanings that conflict with societal standards; Neptune square the Nodal axis reveals mystical tendencies, visionary pursuits (and with Urania rising--see chart), and an interest in the occult, psychism, and/or possibly Astrology. With Uranus also in opposition with powerful Pluto, we see a revolutionary soul with the capacity to unsettle the status quo of society. Putting on an apron in a screwball comedy might do it!

Well, there's my astro-portrait of Cary Grant though of course there is much more to say about this complex man. His childhood memorabilia burned during World War II which was a loss for him and is now a loss for us. He never penned his autobiography so in its place I highly recommended his daughter's revealing book about her father who retired from the film industry in 1966 in order to take care of her and who turned out to be a very good and doting father indeed!

Good Stuff: A Reminiscence of My Father, Cary Grant was published in 2011 and is available on Kindle or in print.

Now let's close on the topic of his shiny Leo Midheaven of Career and Public Status (which happens to conjoin America's natal North Node @6Leo!) for you may wish to check out an October 6, 1984 NYT article announcing that MGM Turns 75--Toasts Cary Grant, a ceremony during which they presented him with 'a 10-inch gold lion with diamond eyes', a symbol of the studio's roaring Leo the Lion (and the mega-bucks he made for the studio with films like Hitchcock's North by Northwest). In response, an 80-year-old self-deprecating Cary Grant "read what he called a prayer on the technical difficulties of growing old."

And I'll wager he was very amusing, wouldn't you?

~:~

Related post: Christmas Dinner with Cary Grant 1934 and then-wife Virginia Cherrill.