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-AirSun 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.
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 Neptunesquare her natal Sun and Uranussquare 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?
Friday September 2, 2016: Heads up! This weekend a book signing is of interest for all fans of Louise Brooks if you're in the LA area. Check out The Diary of a Lost Girl and event details on the Louise Brooks Society blog.
And while you're at it, view the natal horoscope of Louise Brooks with its prominent Sirius, the goddess star!
Link: a trailer for Saratoga starring Jean Harlow and Clark Gable (1937). Apologies that the film clip with Cary Grant has been removed (sorry!) but on Blogger a post's title cannot be changed...or else!
Also note that this post is being updated June 7, 2018, the 81st anniversary of the death of the luminous Jean Harlow of renal failure, age 26. Saturn Return time? Yes. But tragically, the lady deserved better.
An Astro-Portrait of Jean Harlow
by Jude Cowell
If you wish, read a brief bio and view the natal horoscope of Jean Harlow who was born on March 3, 1911 at 7:40 pm CST in Kansas City, Missouri; Rodden Rating: AA (BC in hand); Hour of the Sun. Naturally March 3rd identifies The Blonde Bombshell as having Sun in Watery Pisces, the imaginative sign of creativity and compassion, ruled traditionally by expansive thespian Jupiter and sub-ruled by the glamorous planet of acting, illusion, and the Silver Screen, Neptune, seen here in her 10th house of Career:
Now since her birth data is accurate we know that Harlow's natal Moon is in Aries ruled by pushy Mars which gives her a Sun Pisces-Moon Aries personality combination of Water and Fire...steamy! Although Jean Harlow, nee Harleen Carpenter, was active in films for only 10 years (1928 --1937) she made 36 movies! At age 18, a major career break came in 1930 when Howard Hughes cast Jean in the role of the "sexy, voluptuous blond" in Hell's Angels, a war film. Hmm...apparently Howard Hughes played the role in Jean's natal chart and life of wealthy Pluto conjunct Cupido! (see her goddess asteroids, below.)
Her Pisces Sun in the Virgo-Pisces Victim-Savior Axis
As mentioned, her Sun (vitality) is in Pisces which is also the sign of contagion, infection, and illness. Harlow suffered serious illnesses in her childhood such as meningitis age 5 and scarlet fever age 15. She left home at 16 to marry and get away from a home situation: a 'gangster' stepdad and an overbearing mother (see the top of her chart with Neptune and Pluto, an underworld crime/occult pair of energies). Soon the young couple moved to Beverly Hills, California. However, an abusive husband victimized Jean so badly that it caused internal injuries which was not properly treated at the time and which weakened her later on. Jean Harlow tragically died at age 26 of cerebral edema and uremia on June 7, 1937 in Los Angeles.
Her Planetary Patterns: a YOD, T-Square, and Grand Trine
To an astrologer, the 26th year suggests an early response to her Saturn Return (a 28 to 30 year cycle) which can be difficult for health matters if there are medical conditions from the past that can come back to haunt. Unfortunately, this was the case for the lovely and popular Jean Harlow though her date of death on June 7, 1937 (hour unknown) shows transit Saturn @3Ari52--conjunct natal Venus on her Descendant and transit Venus @2Tau51 conjunct natal Saturn in the 8th house of Death. And Ebertin gives the Venus-Saturn pair as a potential for "kidney disease." It isn't unusual to see a double transit of this nature at the time of death and in this case, Venus is Harlow's chart-ruler (Libra rising), restrictive Saturn is on an angle (Descendant), natal Saturn is in natal 8th house, and there is a health pattern formed at birth--a crisis-ridden YOD configuration (highlighted in red and listed, lower right) pointing to her Ascendant, the Physical Body. The YOD and other chart factors such as Jupiter conjunct South Node suggest that Jean inherited physical weaknesses, plus, Chiron (the wound; the weak spot) sextiles (60 degrees) Saturn (the earthly father) which forms the base of the YOD pattern. Both Jupiter and Saturn are references to Dad and his DNA.
You note the Water Grand Trine (highlighted in blue) between her Sun, Jupiter, and Neptune which is a protective pattern, a closed circuit of energies making her hard to get to know on a personal level. In Water signs (Cancer-Scorpio-Pisces) a need for protection from threat and harm and her psychic sensitivity are emphasized. This pattern denotes an escapist who tends to withdraw from the world in order to dream but also shows great creativity and a talent for sensing underground currents and trends within the Collective.
Jean's Midpoint Pictures
Now there are some natal midpoint pictures containing potentials for health problems as well: Mars-Saturn (the 'death axis') = Sun:weak vitality; inability to master all situations; death; a T-Square pattern of Mars-Neptune (infection) = Moon (also indicative of the physical body; Mars opposing Neptune strains her Moon): illness; infection; crooks. Her two other midpoint pictures are on the romantic and creative side:
Venus-Mars = Mercury:thoughts of love; actors, writers: thinking of marriage and progeny (she wanted to have a baby!) and Mercury-North Node = Venus:an art association; a love relationship (R. Ebertin.) With midpoint pictures we can say that whenever Jean's natal Sun, Moon, Mercury, or Venus were or are activated by transit or progression, these midpoint pictures--two health related, two romance related--are or were triggered as well.
An indicator of urinary disease or weakness that is aggravated is marked upon the chart--her Moon conjunct asteroid Bacchus whose mythology denotes overuse of alcohol and/or other drugs which affected her physically (Moon), plus, her Moon is ruled by Mars (Aries), a planet associated with infections, fevers, and surgical tools--the ones she didn't have a chance to profit by, thanks to her odd and overbearing mother (Moon in Aries), the legend goes. Mother became a religious fanatic which also is indicated by Bacchus conjunct the Moon.
Yes, the story of Jean Harlow is tragic yet I didn't know how to write this tribute without mentioning the Astrology of her brief life and death so please pardon if this isn't what you expected. Now let's list her glamorous and romantic goddess asteroids before we close:
Urania rising; Juno (the wife) in 1st house opposing natal Moon and Bacchus; glamorous Neptune and goddess star Sirius in 10th house of Career and Public Status; Cupido (romantic cupid but also corporations and The Syndicate) conjunct powerful Pluto in 9th house near her MC; Sappho (sexual relationships) in 9th h but conjunct a difficult star, Alcyone of the Pleiades (something to cry about); Vesta (the vestal virgin) in 8th h with her North Node (NN = public contact); erotic Eros and Pallas (the daughter) in 6th h of Health, Work, and Service; Amor (intimacy) just barely in 4th h of Home and Domestic Scene but influencing her 5th h of Romance and Creative Pursuits.
You must agree that The Blonde Bombshell was a very glamorous star of the Silver Screen but sadly was born with poor health, victimized in her private life by people who should've protected her, and in the end did not possess the stamina (Pisces Sun weak in the 6th house of Health) to enjoy the popularity and success that she achieved during her brief 26 years on Earth.
For more info on Jean Harlow be sure to visit Jean Harlow, her official website.
~:~
Now here's an astro-portrait of the dapper Mr. Cary Grant in case you missed it!
Image: By Bain News Service (http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ggbain.32453) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Many fans of silent film star Louise Brooks are acquainted with The Louise Brooks Society, an 'homage to silent films' and dedicated to "one of the most seductive...images of woman" to ever appear on film. Naturally astrologers recognize the seductive Lilith archetype here and we will be noting the position of asteroid Lilith and other glamorous archetypes in her natal horoscope, below. We'll check on her asteroid Pandora as well because Louise's most famous role was Lulu in the film Pandora's Box. In her natal chart (below) you'll find asteroid PANDORA @18Libra near her natal Mars and seductress Lilith near her Scorpio Sun along with Persephone, Pluto's unwilling love interest in Greek Mythology!
But first...
News Flash: On the weekend of January 16, 2016 there will be an EPIC Event: Pandora's Box screens at LACMA in Los Angeles, California with pianist Michael Motilla performing improvised scores from five silent films including Pandora's Box on Sunday January 17th. LACMA is the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Pandora's Box (1929) "depicts the social realities of the Weimar Republic..."
Astrologers may wish to note that there is a natal horoscope for Germany's Weimar Republic: November 9, 1918 13:30 CET Berlin, Germany; 12AQ54 rising; MC 10Sag24; Sun 16Sco18; Moon 19Cap48. (N. Campion chart #125, The Book of World Horoscopes.)
Now when most people recall early Hollywood film star Louise Brooks it's her stylishly bobbed hair ('Prince Valiant') that seems to be best remembered. But here's an informative video on the life of Louise Brooks which begins with a difficult childhood episode that may help account for her seductive adult behavior (Lilith!) though of course she also was a freedom-loving young woman of her era, the Roaring Twenties! For you see, a neighbor molested her when she was nine years old--and her mother blamed Louise:
Also Recommended: a full documentary from BBC Arena (55 minutes) with Louise speaking about her life and films along with narration, film clips, and the story of how James Card of the Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York, rescued a run-down Louise from a New York tenement and made a new life for her possible. Her last years successfully writing articles for various magazines here and abroad may be found via her Mercury-Venus conjunction in Sagittarius, sign of foreign lands, as you'll see.
Update Jan 8, 2016: just found an excellent article about the career of director G. W. Pabst, Opening Pandora's Box. Perhaps you know that G. W. Pabst developed not only the acting talent of Louise Brooks--but also of Greta Garbo!
An Astro-Portrait of Louise Brooks by Jude Cowell
Image: Louise Brooks' natal horoscope set for 'noon' November 14, 1906 Cherryvale, Kansas; Hour of the Sun (21Sco27) with the Moon ranging from 21Libra27 to 6Scorpio49; Luna crossed asteroid Juno (the wife) during the 24-hour period and the Sun approached asteroids Persephone (of kidnapper Pluto and Hades fame), glamorous Lilith, and erotic Eros.
My guess for her would be a Scorpio Moon because of the betrayal vibes it suggests coming from mother (Moon) who, as noted, refused to believe Louise when she told her she'd been molested by a neighbor. The incident was perpetrated via his putting candy on his porch to entice her to his house, if the legend is correct. And looking at a Solar Return chart for her birthday, age 9, (November 14, 1915 using the 'Noon' natal to calculate), we find a crisis-ridden YOD pattern which points toward lusty Mars @18Leo, sign of romance. A YOD times a turning point in her life. There's a dynamic T-Square pointing toward deceptive Neptune Rx in early Leo which indicates that she didn't know what to think of someone or something and that she was 'open to deception' (Tyl) and the planet of shocks and disruption, Uranus, conjoins one of the victim stars, Facies.
To check out her two possible Sun-Moon blends, read on...
As noted, the natal horoscope of Louise Brooks is untimed and is best calculated as either a solar chart (sunrise: career or hero's journey issues) or as a Noon chart with Sun on or near Midheaven (MC), the Why? Point of any chart and the most visible spot (angle) of a horoscope. The MC reveals information about a native's Career, Public Status, and Aspirations in life so it works quite well for famous persons. And the MC is part of the Parental axis, the 4th/10th, so it touches on security and family matters as well.
However, with Brooks' birth time unknown, the following astro-portrait of the lovely Lilith-Venus-Isis-Selena-Pandora-Persephone Hollywood icon Louise Brooks is based on her planets, their signs, degrees, aspects, her Sun-Moon personality blend, feminine asteroids, and her Pre-Natal Eclipse series since house angles cannot be determined with certainty.
Our 'Noon' Astro-Portait of Louise Brooks reveals her Sun @21Scorpio and Moon @28Libra49. However, if born after 1:53 pm, her Moon would have entered brooding, intense Scorpio so let's compare both Sun-Moon personality blends to see if one or the other fits her personality better:
Sun Scorpio-Moon Libra is a misty, ethereal Water-Air combination of conscious (Sun; adult) and unconscious (Moon; child) energies and denotes procrastination, impracticality and a lack of strategy in creative fields. Note that in the BBC arena video, above, she states that she was never an actress and had no idea what she was doing--that she was playing herself in her film roles! But when writing she knew what she was doing.
Sun Scorpio-Moon Libra keys the sign rulership of Mars-Pluto and Venus. There is an intense magnetic quality and charisma with this combo, a pragmatic idealism, and a tendency toward expensive taste. Quietly ambitious, this blend describes one who can be charmingly cooperative and/or emotionally difficult and demanding. This is the "tough cookie" combo yet with a deep need to be liked--one who may say No when she means Yes, and Yes when she means No--and is not loved by everyone! (She wasn't--ex: fellow actor Richard Arlen.)
Perhaps some people objected to a tendency to use manipulative tactics when she was feeling insecure, or an assumption that she was being fair and impartial (Libra words) when emotional needs were dictating her behavior. Whatever reason some contemporaries formed a dislike of her, I belatedly remind them that much of her acting career occurred she was in her teens and then her 20s--and they were the adults in the room, and jealous of her looks and talent, I suspect! Anyway, Louise was perceptive, romantic, and had the happy ability to think on her feet; passion and charm combine engagingly with Sun Scorpio-Moon Libra the Moon sign of Libra describes her reigning need (Tyl) which is all things Libra (Venus) including love, fairness, relationships, harmony, beautiful possessions, pleasure, and fun.
Or Was Her Moon in Scorpio, Ruled by Mars w/ Pluto undertones and drives?
Sun Scorpio-Moon Scorpio is quite a more intense, even brooding, blend of double Water energies. This denotes one who 'drinks in life's experiences' and 'goes with the flow' most of the time. A fertile imagination and a tendency to tear up over sentiments and anything nostalgic is typical with Water-Water blends.
The wary, private Sun Scorpio-Moon Scorpio blend is self-possessed and indicates many passionate feelings, stubbornness, strong convictions, stamina, and drive. The Arts and in particular, Music, attract. This is the 'desire vs self-control' mix that can turn possessive, jealous, sarcastic, and vengeful. Imaginative, willful, and introspective, Sun Scorpio-Moon Scorpio is not a good loser and is unconsciously drawn to powerful, hidden, mysterious things; a fascination with horror stories, sex, and death may be evident. (Her characters in at least two of her movies I've seen were killed at the end including 'Lulu' in Pandora's Box--imagine my surprise to find Lulu with London's Jack the Ripper!
Actually, double Scorpio is the 'addicted to love' combo with strong desires and deep creative potential which can be limited by a cynical and suspicious nature. The reigning need of a Scorpio Moon reveals more sexy desires and perhaps a death wish on a deep level. However, control is part of the Scorpio picture along with investment, money, and perhaps occult pursuits.
So what do you think? Do you see Louise Brooks as an airier Libra on the emotional level, rather aloof, or, an intense, dark, brooding, passionate Scorpio with black eyes and black hair?Her smoldering screen image suggests a Scorpio Moon yet artistic, cool Libra works, too!
As for her solar Scorpio personality and essence, there is not one major applying aspect to her Sun to tell us something more about her. There is, however, a close applying (1A51) inconjunct (aka, a quincunx; 150 degrees; adjustment) between natal Sun and her Gemini Pluto Rx (sub-ruler of Scorpio) identifying Louise as one who carried deep feelings of guilt and shame (from age 9?) and who overreacted to the expectations of others, then felt bitterly resentful about it.
A deep need for the approval of others is suggested by a Sun-Pluto inconjunct as she fought with other people's wills in a head-strong way. Perhaps maturity brought relief from conflicts which were more easily avoided or resolved by walking away from the film industry and learning how to relax. Unfortunately, negative escapism (alcohol) numbed her feelings until later in her life when she was rescued from a New York tenement (see documentary, above) and given new purpose via a writing career (her natal Jupiter arose with Castor, one of the writer's stars; happy Jupiter rules finances).
You know, there's a collection of her writings, Lulu in Hollywood (expanded edition), if you're curious.
Eclipses: the 'Wild Cards of the Universe'
Manifesting every 18.6 years of her life, her Pre-Natal Solar Eclipse Saros Series (PE) @26Leo04 in the 17 New North series sextiles Pluto, planet of sex, wealth, and transformation. Themes and influences of 17 New North include passion, excitement, impulsive energy, and hectic socializing. Motivations include both financial projects and social relationships with a motto of'have fun!'. (paraphrasing B. Brady's Predictive Astrology). Such themes blended perfectly with her Roaring Twenties lifestyle of champaign and dance. (The 'wild card' reputation of eclipses comes from the Uranian quality of bringing disruption, excitement, and sometimes shock to one's life). 17NN last manifested in November 2014 @00Scorpio which is possibly the degree of her natal Moon!
Conjoining her eclipse degree of 26 Leo at birth is her natal Mars-Neptune midpoint where the energies of the planet of males and desire (Mars) blends with Neptune, planet of illusion, dreams, and the Silver Screen. And there we see her Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in Moon-ruled Cancer adding magnetic appeal with the public (Moon/Cancer) and the ability to play many roles by taking on the characteristics of others. Plus, Neptune @12Cancer conjoins bright SIRIUS, the goddess star of Egypt, aka, 'the scorcher' (which I neglected to mark upon the chart).
Of interest is a Huffington Post article from November 2013, Louise Brooks' Star Shines Brighter Than Ever, an obvious and very appropriate reference to SIRIUS, the brightest star in the heavens, conjunct her natal Neptune, glamorous planet of actors and the Silver Screen which also happens to conjoin her expansive planet Jupiter the Thespian!
Well, that's my Astro-Portrait of Louise Brooks for now. Once my order of the Barry Paris biography using her letters and diaries arrives on my doorstep, this post may require updating but for now, you may wish to enjoy another article concerning the natal chart of Louise Brooks with a listing of her natal planets and their aspects.
~:~
Recommended: Sun Sign-Moon Sign by Charles and Suzi Harvey; Louise Brooks horoscope calculated using SolarFire Gold v9 software. jc
