Harold Dean Carsey (1886-1947), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
My Astro-Tribute to the First "It" Girl Clara Bow
by Jude Cowell
When we check out the A-rated natal horoscope of legendary silent film actress Clara Bow we find Hollywood's "IT" girl of the Jazz Age to possess a steamy, passionate fire-waterSun Leo-Moon Cancer personality blend. With her mega-popularity and appealing beauty, Clara Bow successfullly transitioned to talkies. Born into abject poverty in a Brooklyn, NY (Kings County) tenement with restrictive Saturn rising in Pisces, Bow broke into acting at around the age of 16, and at age 22 the film "It" paved her a glowing path to major stardom.
As a sparkling, elegant flapper extraordinaire, Clara Bow epitomized the let-loose spirit of the Roaring Twenties era (horoscope shown) with her insouciant style and verve - always dancing, always romancing. She was a mere 18-yo when the Roaring Twenties Eclipse manifested in 1923 while many American women bobbed their hair and copied Clara Bow with her bright red lipstick and heavily made-up eyes. Significantly, her sexy Venus-Pluto Conjunction in sparkling Gemini added much excitement to her allure.
Bow's Sun Leo-Moon Cancer personality blend suggests a woman of passion, a creative woman with a rich imagination; a true romantic - a "loveable radiant star". Self-dramatizing and sociable yet self-absorbed, Clara Bow was always a self-assured lady who could be moody upon occasion, and who was possibly on the sentimental side (Cancer Moon). Even today, her vulnerable quality comes across readily on the screen, and she could "turn it on" whenever a script called for it. Those big eyes!
So if you wish, check out Clara in the 1927 film It:
Here's a link to the film in case the video is removed at some point.
As for Clara Bow's worldwide stardom, we might glance at the electrical, exciting planet of novelty and technology, Uranus, for on the day of her birth, the rebellious planet of disruption conjoined one of the Cardnial World Points of Fame and Recognition, 00Capricorn! She was something of a disruption to the film industry, I'd say, and she wrote her own scripts, an unusual circumstance in those days.
Of Course, The Roaring Twenties Were Pre-Great-Depression Era
As for societal conditions during her time, Bow was born during an opposition phase of Uranus and Neptune (across the early Capricorn-Cancer axis), revealing that society was acting under the influence of mystical, confusing, mass delusional vibrations. The Wikipedia page of Clara Bow supplies us with quite a few biographical details concerning her film career, her multiple scandals, and her difficult final years of health issues and other troubles.
Then on September 26, 1965, Clara Bow passed away from a heart attack in Glendale, California, her life cut short, age 60. So with this astro-tribute to a legendary film star of the Silver Screen, I take this opportunity to say, May Clara Bow R.I.P.
For more personality blend info, see Sun Sign-Moon Sign, by Charles and Suzi Harvey #ad.
A Fond Astro-Tribute to Aquarian James Spader: Uranian Eccentric
by Jude Cowell
James Spader 2007; smary9342@aol.com, CC BY-SA 2.0> https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; file no longer hosted by Flickr
"Venus sextile Neptune = Lover of the Universe," says astrologer Alan Oken, and for the highly talented James Spader, this artful, imaginative aspect is involved with his intensely passionate Venus-Pluto trine, all together a vastly creative trio of planets when yoked together in such a fashion. But there are other indications of creativity and inspiration shown in his natal horoscope which you may view, below, along with my study notes penned on.
But first, how about a few words from the man himself: from February 2022, here's an interview with James Spader, star of TV's globally popular The Blacklist, announcing Season 10 for the long-running show. And here's the exciting official trailer for The Blacklist, a TV series first airing the evening of September 23, 2013.
Now admittedly, we won't find a huge amount online about the actor's life other than a few YouTube video interviews as noted, above, but I did locate one with a few bio details for the curious: Seven Things You May Not Know About James Spader which mentions his two marriages (Victoria and Leslie) and his three sons.
So turning to Mr. Spader's AA-rated horoscope, shown below, and without being overly intrusive (I hope!), we see Sun, Chiron, and Mercury in the 5th house of Children and Creative Pursuits (Mercury conjunct 6th cusp but in process of entering 5th house - Placidus system - and the little one is close enough to 5th and represents young people wherever he/she is posited - in this case, Mercury is the puer = son).
James Todd Spader February 7, 1960 8:02 pm est Boston, Massachusetts; RR: AA; ASC 23Vir26; Midheaven 22Gemini16: Sun Aquarius-Moon Gemini: double Air = friendly, flippant, bright, progressive, witty, and idealistic:
A prominent feature of creativity is that James Spader's natal Sun in 5th house hints (in particular) at his having an offspring who attains fame or some other sort of recognition, yet for him this also shows, as do other natal placements, Spader's natural talent in any creative department he chooses. In fact, the actor expresses a fertile imagination, through his nearly unaspected Neptune (but for a wide sextile to artful Venus and a generational Neptune-Pluto sextile of mysticism), viaacting with Scorpio linking his characters to intensity and to issues of betrayal, sex, the criminal underworld and/or tales of spies and surveillance. This sounds like his film Sex, Lies, and Videotape for which James Spader won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival in 1989.
And for additional astro-notes of that nature, see lower right corner for more 'seduction, lies, and danger' which relate to his character Raymond Reddington in The Blacklist. This character is also described by his Career Point ('MC' = Midheaven) conjunct a publicity-seeking Moon in communicating, sparkling Gemini in the 10th house (World Stage). Plus, his Moon leads a Locomotive shape of planets determined on success, and there's Black Moon Lilith @19Gem54 in 9th house which adds issues of destruction, decay, and seduction to his acting roles.
Then with both his parents being teachers, we see Dad in the form of Saturn, in Saturn's own sign of no-nonsense Capricorn (an expert in his field?), and Moon (Mother) in Gemini, sign of teachers, writers, and manual dexterity which is helpful in the field of teaching and practicing Art.
Natal Sun Is Where We Shine and Chiron Is the Wounded Healer
Now besides the actor's closest applying aspect to natal Sun (personality, vitality; essence) being an opposition to quirky Uranus - behaving like a dramatic, romantic Leo (11th house), the two planets opposing one another across the Leo-AQ axis of Self-Will, there's an intriguing Sun-Chiron Conjunction which you may wish to read about. Meanwhile, see lower left corner for details on his Ascendant/Midheaven ruler Mercury, planet of communication and commerce, applying only once via an opposition to powerful Pluto Rx in Mercury-ruled, scientific Virgo. Among other things, this aspect suggests a fellow with 'extreme curiosity about other people's secrets' - again suggesting some of his film and TV roles.
Ascendant Conjunct North Node of Public Contact: It's Only Natural!
North Node rising indicates a life destined to be lived in the public eye, but also one whose quest includes a search for identity (as thespians often do via their acting roles), and we see rising the Uranus-Neptune midpoint (@29Vir05) which seems fortuitous since the Prenatal Solar Eclipse Saros Series that little James was born into is the gentle 16 North right there penned into the first house of Self. 16 North is the 'Uranus-Neptune' series which provides the gift of illumination and creative insight drifting up from the Unconscious (B. Brady) - and with deeply creative Pluto in his 12th house of the Unconscious. In other words, Mr. Spader possesses a never-ending supply of creative ideas that can be acted upon.
To view an unsullied-by-my-notations image of his natal chart, visit astro.com. And compare his chart with the triple Taurus horoscope of actress Andie MacDowell, if you wish.
So as noted, there are other indications of talent in James Spader's natal chart, plus, an attraction to 'New Age' philosophies and interests in social concerns, yet his Uranus-Neptune eclipse has given James Spader the creative inspiration that has thrilled and fascinated audiences - the Collective! - since his acting career began, and will continue to do so as long as he so desires to use these energies in such a way. With service an important factor in his life (ex: Vertex in the 6th house of Service, Work, and Pets!), acting is a good choice since actors must work with others to produce creative content such as film and TV.
In closing, here's a curious factoid: a 16 North eclipse last manifested on November 3, 2013 @11Scorpio - conjunct and activatinig his creative Neptune (see lower right corner!) and during the very year that The Black List premiered on September 23rd with transit Saturn in intense, brooding Scorpio sitting directly upon that same Neptune, and adding structure, consolidation, and organizing ability to creative projects!
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
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, charmingVenus 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!
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."
