Liberace

The newly-released film Behind the Candelabra tells the story of the pianist Liberace's life and his relationship with his boyfriend, who had to pose as his chauffeur. Liberace didn't want the world to know he was gay - but with a public image like his, was it ever likely to be otherwise? Liberace is played by Michael Douglas,whose appearance has been made to look uncannily like the glitzy star's. 

Liberace, born on16 May 1919 at 23.15, West Allis, Wisconsin

 

Liberace

Liberace's chart has a strong fixed quality in appearance, as it's dominated by a large 5-sided figure, indicating that his inner and unconscious motivation is to be and feel secure and to seek stability. This need he played out through his extravagant and OTT lifestyle, wearing clothes plastered with sparkling gemstones, and living in opulent surroundings. He also had a Taurus Sun, and Taureans are well-known for their love of the good life, if they are fortunate enough to have the money to fund it. The son of a Polish mother and an Italian father, he started playing the piano aged 4.

Michael Douglas as Liberace

 The dominant 5-sided figure in the chart is made up of a Model  aspect pattern and a Search figure. Green and blue aspects dominant the chart, indicating an imaginative, sensitive disposition as well as giving him escapist tendencies - perhaps that's where the opulent lifestyle, home decor and gem-laden, fur trimmed outfits come in. The Model suggests a person with high aspirations, and someone who will not be sidetracked by pessimism. People with this aspect pattern can offer courage and hope to others, via their persistence in pursuit of their goals. Liberace, a jazz pianist as well as a classically trained one, brought a lot of pleasure into the lives of his audiences. He was hugely popular from the 1950s to the 1980s. He starred in films and TV shows and was a regular performer in Las Vegas.

The Model is pinned by Mercury, Uranus and the Venus/Pluto conjunction. The adjoining Search figure shares the Venus/Pluto conjunction, with Neptune in Leo at the blue/green corner. All these planets share the Moon's North Node as a focal point. More of that later. 

First let's take a look at Venus/Pluto slap bang on the DC. Here they are strongly placed and can't be missed as these are the planetary drives and energies that will be picked up first and foremost by others. For me, Venus here = charm, allure, attraction and a love of beauty; Pluto = power play and allure of a different kind, maybe sexual. These two planets are also placed at the blue/green corner of the Search figure, where the outlet and expression of whatever it is that is being sought is channelled out into the environment.

Let's turn now to Liberace's North Node in the 11th house. The 5th and 11th houses are on the axis of the chart concerned with relationships. If the North Node (shown in the chart) is in 11th house, this usually indicates an important way forward for the individual. In Liberace's chart it suggests that for personal and spiritual growth, he should become far more selective in the friends and associates he keeps company with. The South Node (not shown in a Huber chart using the Huber Method as it relates to the past, and to being comfortably stuck in that place) suggests stagnation and a reluctance to move away from those kinds of relationships with which the individual is familiar. Sad to say, this may have been a contributory factor to Liberace's eventual death as he died from AIDS-related illnesses. His Taurean Sun/Mars conjunction in the 5th house may have proved to be too strong a pull and lure in the arena of relationships and the pursuit of hedonism.

Read more about the Model and the Search figure in my book Aspect Patterns in Colour.