“I’m a Big Woman. I Need Big Hair.”

What better than an Aries to say, “I’m a big woman, I need big hair.”Anatomically Aries rules the head, which also means hair, hats, wigs, and so forth, but they are also extremely “headstrong” personalities, and The Queen of Soul certainly fits that description. Aretha Louise Franklin, an Aries, was born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee. She began her illustrious career as a child, singing gospel at her father’s church. In 1960, at the age of 18 she initially signed with Columbia Records, but it wasn’t until she moved to Atlantic Recordsin 1967 that her career really took off. And by the end of the decade she had already earned herself the title, The Queen of Soul.

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Yousuf Karsh:

“Character, like a photograph, develops in darkness.”

Yousuf Karsh was an Armenian-Canadian portrait photographer and an “early” Capricorn, born in Mardin, a city in the Ottoman Empire (known today as Turkey) on December 23, 1908 and who died in Boston, Massachusetts on July 13, 2002, aged 93!  Karsh grew up during the Armenian Genocide witnessing the massacre of his relatives and watching his sister die of starvation. How incredible is it to think that such an incredible master of his craft was able to emerge from such horrendous beginnings? But thanks to his parents, he was sent to live with his uncle George Nakash, a photographer in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada when he was sixteen years old. And the rest, as they say, is history!

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David Hockney:

A belief is like a guillotine, just as heavy, just as light.

David Hockney is a British Painter, Draughtsman, Printmaker, Photographer and Stage Designer – a Cancer, who was born on July 9, 1937 in Bradford, England, the fourth of five children. Now in his mid seventies, he currently splits his time between his homes in Kensington, London and Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire. Plus, he also maintains two additional residences in California.

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Bob Monkhouse:

When I said I was going to become a comedian, they all laughed. Well, they’re not laughing now, are they?

Growing old is compulsory – growing up is optional.

Bob Monkhouse 1928-2003

You may (or may not) have noticed that my quotes for the last several months have all come from funny people – which is ironic really since now we have arrived at the sign of Gemini, who is truly the jokester of the zodiac! So I would be remiss if I did not continue the trend and bring you a quote (actually two since Gemini is a “dual” sign represented by the symbol of the “twins”) from yet another funny person! Last year I chose Joan Rivers (who turns 80 this month!), so this time I decided to go with a British Comedian I grew up with, Robert Alan “Bob” Monkhouse, OBE (Order of the British Empire), a Gemini, born June 1, 1928 in Beckenham, Kent, England, and who died on December 29, 2003 aged 75 in Eggington, Bedfordshire, England.

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Ben Elton:

People who get through life dependent on other people’s possessions are always the first to lecture you on how little possessions count.

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Charlie Chaplin

A day without laughter is a day wasted!

The 1^st of this month’s quotes comes from the famous British comic actor and filmmaker Charlie Chaplin, or rather Sir Charles Spencer “Charlie” Chaplin, an Aries born April 16^th, 1889 in London, England, and who died on Christmas day, December 25^th, 1977 at the age of 88 in Vevey, Switzerland. Chaplin rose to fame in the “silent movie” era, which seems a bit odd for an Aries, since silence isn’t exactly one of their strong suits! Instead, Charlie Chaplin displayed the pioneering spirit of an Aries, just look at the path he carved out in the film industry for all those to follow after him? That’s what an Aries does – they inspire everyone around them, and then move on to the next project, often leaving others to complete what they have started! They are very passionate people.

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IT’S HARD ENOUGH TO WRITE A GOOD DRAMA, IT’S MUCH HARDER TO WRITE A GOOD COMEDY, AND IT’S HARDEST OF ALL TO WRITE A DRAMA WITH COMEDY. WHICH IS WHAT LIFE IS.

This month’s quote comes from a much-loved American actor Jack Lemmon, an Aquarius born on February 8^th, 1925 in Newton, MA, and who died June 27^th, 2001 in Los Angeles, CA. One of his best and perhaps most iconic roles was in Some Like it Hot with Marilyn Monroe & Tony Curtis. They pretty much set the stage for the later “drag” roles of Dustin Hoffman’s “Tootsie” and Robin Williams’ “Mrs. Doubtfire.” But back to Jack and some of his other classic movies, such as The Apartment, Days of Wine and Roses, The Great Race, and The Odd Couple followed by Grumpy Old Men, both with Walter Matthau.

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So for this month, I am giving you two different quotes from two different Sagittarians. The first is from a very famous British Politician, best known for his leadership during the Second World War, Sir Winston Churchill – a Sagittarius, born into an aristocratic family as the grandson of the 7th Duke of Marlborough in Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, England, on November 30^th, 1874, and who died in London on January 24^th, 1965 at 90 years old. His funeral was the largest state funeral in world history with representatives from 112 nations in attendance.

Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.

Churchill was a noted statesman and orator, two roles perfectly suited for a Sagittarius because Sagittarius is the sign who speaks to God, and then tells the people what to do, and that’s what he did. Many thanks to Julie Grahame for allowing to use this iconic photograph of Winston Churchill from the Yousuf Karsh archive taken in 1941 after his speech to the Canadian Parliament – splendid! Thanks to Julie Grahame for allowing us to use this wonderful image of Sir Winston Churchill from the Yousuf Karsh Archive!

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When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.

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“Drama is like life with the dull bits cut out.”

©Yousuf Karsh

Alfred Hitchcock, August 13, 1899 – April 29, 1980

Last year we didn’t have an August newsletter, so this month’s quote is our first from a famous Leo, and trust me when I say, there were plenty to choose from! Besides being royal and natural-born leaders, the sign of Leo is also the sign connected with creativity and the arts, so there are many actors and musicians, writers and filmmakers in this group. In the end I decided to go with the iconic and brilliant British film director Alfred Hitchcock, a Leo born August 13^th, 1899 in London, England. He made more than 50 feature films in a career spanning 6 decades and was rightly referred to as the “master of suspense.” And although the Leo definitely has a flair or natural tendency for the dramatic, they are also very playful creatures and like to have fun.