Astrology of Hollywood Legend Bette Davis: her life and death

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!"

~:~

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

'Love In the Afternoon' starring Taureans Audrey Hepburn and Gary Cooper (trailer)

Photo: Audrey Hepburn 1956; (Public domain} Wikimedia Commons; no attribution required

A time capsule from 1957 has arrived! It's a trailer teasing us with Billy Wilder's Love In the Afternoon starring Audrey Hepburn, Gary Cooper, and Maurice Chevalier:

~:~

Moon-Isis Rising and the Stars of Audrey Hepburn

The actress we know as Audrey Hepburn was born Edda Kathleen Van Heemstra Ruskin on May 4, 1929 at 3:00 am GDP in Ixelles, Belgium with Sun 13 Taurus, Moon 6 Pisces, and 28 Aquarius rising. After a happy childhood, her parents divorced and later World War II came along which made family life much more complicated as it did for many people. Ballet-trained Edda, as she was called, moved to London in 1948 where she was spotted while dancing by Colette who chose Hepburn for the role of 'Gigi'. For more details, you may wish to view her horoscope and bio at astro.com. Or check out my version, below, with a few of notes penned on--please enlarge for better viewing:

Hour: Venus, planet of love, beauty, and the arts; lunar phase: 3rd quarter, the crisis in consciousness stage; hardworking Saturn in 10th house of Career and the World Stage, strong in its own sign and house, and leader of a Locomotive pattern of determination, ability, and success. Plus, Saturn is at 00 Capricorn, one of the four Cardinal World Points of Manifestation (along with 00Aries, 00Libra, 00Cancer) which tended her toward fame, prominence, recognition, and worldly success, and is also chart-ruler along with co-ruler Uranus which makes no applying major aspects. This throws the spotlight upon Saturn's applying trine with artful Neptune which denotes Miss Hepburn as having a good sense of values and blessed with her intuitive (Neptune) and rational (Saturn) natures in balance. Her personality (Sun) conjoins Jupiter providing her with faith in her abilities (self-confidence) and a desire for recognition. Sun also sextiles (60 degrees) powerful Pluto, an aspect that denotes a mesmerizing way with words, total awareness of a strong will that can accomplish anything, and a deep interest in finding solutions for societal ills.

Now for our Neptunian purposes, we note her natal Neptune on an angle and prominent but for another reason as well--Neptune in dramatic Leo conjoins one of the Royal Stars of Persia, Regulus (success if revenge is avoided)--and, as you may read in her bio, Audrey's mother was a Baroness. An out-of-sign opposition between Moon and Neptune indicates vast creative talent and an attraction to illusion--handy on-screen but Moon-Neptune issues can cause trouble accepting reality within relationships, as we'll see.

And for her goddess-related asteroids, there's lovely Isis conjoining natal Moon in dreamy, creative Pisces as they rise together in 1st house of Physical Body. Her early attraction to dancing makes sense since having either Sun or Moon in Pisces, sign of the feet, most often describes someone who is a good and agile dancer--very 'watchable' as she proved in her films. Yes, fluid movement came easily to Miss Hepburn with her Moon in a Water sign! And of course, a Pisces Moon relates closely to her humanitarian work which is also denoted by her Pre-Natal Solar Eclipse in Saros Series, the 2 South with its themes of: great gains through changing group associations via travel, the arts, and/or love of humanity (Brady).

You see her PE at 19 Scorpio marked in 8th house; this eclipse manifested on November 12, 1928 and is linked by opposition to her natal Jupiter in Taurus. I suspect that the Jupiter connection (planet of expansion and increase) to 2 South themes enlarged her prospects for humanitarian work for she served as special ambassador for UNICEF. Natal Jupiter also conjoins her North Node of public contact which is a Jupiterian point all on its own. Plus, you know that one of Jupiter's many roles is the thespian so here we have a well-balanced lady (all her modes, elements, and houses are in balance) and we see her equanimity displayed upon the Silver Screen--and her good posture from years of dance training!

Other goddess asteroids are prominent and signal inspiration:

Angular Urania conjoins natal Descendant, Neptune, and Regulus, and 7th house Terpsichore Rx is at 16 Virgo (sign of archetypal goddesses including, The Virgin--1959's The Nun's Story?! Well, her Mercury does conjoin asteroid Vesta). Both asteroids are named after two of the Nine Greek Muses. Urania (discovered in 1854) is known as the Muse of Astronomy, Astrology (they were once studied as one, you know), Music, and Science. Did she study or use Astrology, or perhaps have someone who did this for her (7th house)? Perhaps, yet Urania also resonates with the planet of innovation and originality, Uranus, here in Audrey's first house (and unaspected which emphasizes its sign and house position and denotes originality, eccentricity, and love of independence). But Astrology buff or not, the musical link via Urania is there along with the influence of Terpsichore, the Muse of Choral Dance, Choreography, and Song. (New Insights into Astrology, Nona Gwynn Press). And as previously noted, Miss Hepburn began her career as a dancer--in choruses and cabarets.

Now with Venus in Mars-ruled Aries, she may have relished being the aggressor or initiator in relationships (in real life) yet she desired (Mars in Cancer) a passionate home life with a mate. Yet divorce marred her life and we might suspect the tension within the Venus-Mars square (see paragraph, below), plus, nebulous and often deceitful Neptune conjunct the Partnership angle, the Descendant, as part of the problem. Neptune links to acting, of course, or to those who wear masks or disguises--not a stable influence in actual partnerships but fine on celluloid. Mars in the 6th house of Work denotes relationships with males begun at or through work activities--and there also is sexy Sappho in romantic, dramatic Leo.

And with Neptune in this position, her expectations of a mate may have been too high and the subsequent let-down too disappointing to accept. And with royal Regulus affecting the house of Partnerships, was her first husband perhaps a royal or linked somehow to kings or kingmakers? Another romantic issue may have been her Venus-Mars square indicating one who becomes impatient and irritable with loved ones--perhaps exasperated might be the operative word. And in addition, asteroid Juno (the wife) conjunct natal South Node, a Saturnian point of separation, does not bode well for marriage longevity and suggests that Miss Hepburn may have repeated past behaviors (SN) that no longer benefited her--either depending on her usual behaviors or inherited ones from Mother or from more distant generations of the family (maternal and/or paternal). Yes, separation is denoted by Juno-South-Node and may possibly describe sexual issues (8th house) along with some measure of moodiness or over-sensitivity (Neptune-Ascendant = Mercury). And with eccentric Uranus in 1st house of Self, Audrey could be quite independent and subject to flashes of genius--though Uranus in 1st house also hints at relationship break-ups.

All in all, I see Audrey Hepburn's horoscope as a portrait of an independent-minded lady (Uranus in 1st house) of practicality (Sun Tau-Moon Pisces), a talented dancer and actress with a cool, elegant exterior (Moon conjunct Isis)--somewhat detached yet inside a compassionate woman (Pisces Moon) who could be duped in romantic relationships if she wasn't careful (Neptune conjunct Descendant), and who successfully achieved major success on the World Stage due to her talent, poise, charm, and beauty which may still be admired and appreciated upon Neptune's Silver Screen.

R.I.P. Audrey Hepburn May 4, 1929 - January 20, 1993; age 63, from cancer.

Please enlarge the chart image to read a description of Audrey Hepburn's Earth-Water personality blend of Sun Taurus-Moon Pisces!

Related horoscopes with bios: Gary Cooper (also a Sun Taurus, a very creative sign), Maurice Chevalier (Sun Virgo), director Billy Wilder (Sun Gemini or Cancer, an untimed chart), and libertine author, Colette (Sun and Moon conjunct in Aquarius).

To view Love In the Afternoon in its entirety, visit the film's IMDb listing, plus, you'll find it available on Amazon and on YouTube.