#great garbo

[busterkeatonsociety]

This Day In Buster…January 26th 1928…

Buster Keaton signed a two-year contract with MGM for $3,000 a week plus 25% of the profits from his production company. The contract made him the 3rd highest star at MGM (after John Gilbert and Greta Garbo) & unfortunately, not very happy.

[yesterdaysprint]

Greta Garbo and a friend hiding behind an umbrella, Sweden, 1932 (photograph by Martin Munkacsi)

[ironmaidenhead]

Hollywood: The Oral History by Jeanine Basinger, Sam Wasson

[geographerdose]

Why isn't anyone talking about the great Greta Garbo?

Oh, right—because you’re out there living your best life with friends and social plans while I’m over here… analyzing celebrity natal charts and obsessively reading biographies. Totally normal, right? :D

Image: Greta Garbo, 1931, photo by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Courtesy of Wikipedia (public domain).

She possessed an otherworldly beauty—something so unique and maddeningly elusive that no simple adjective could fully capture it. Beautiful, gorgeous, stunning—while you wouldn’t be wrong to use any of these, none truly convey the essence of her allure. There was just something about her that defied definition, impossible to confine to a box.

As I delved into her biography, I learned that she preferred a solitary life, often grappling with melancholia. She had a penchant for solitude, favored wearing men’s clothing after retiring, and lived with a quiet disregard for societal expectations.

She also had a deep aversion to school, preferred to play alone, and was a shy daydreamer—traits I found strikingly familiar from my own childhood.

Her refusal to attend social functions—and even to appear at award shows—was reportedly a source of frustration for MGM executives. Yet, they eventually realized that her absence only deepened the enigma surrounding her, enhancing the value of her presence. She was even nominated for an Oscar and chose not to attend the ceremony.

Her birth time has an AA Rodden Rating which is about as good as it gets, however I am not sure how accurate the recording of exact birth times were in the early 20th century.

She was born September 18, 1905-- the year of the Wood Snake.

OMG and 2025 is currently the year of the Wood Snake! I swear, I couldn't make up these synchronicities if I tried. According to Google AI, the Wood Snake symbolizes complexity, mystery and transformation.

Four years before her death, she told her Swedish biographer:

"I was tired of Hollywood. I did not like my work. There were many days when I had to force myself to go to the studio ... I really wanted to live another life."

The quote sparked a reflection on her North Node, and it came as little surprise to find it in Leo—a sign often associated with a path toward visibility, creative expression, and a life of bold self-actualization. Leo and Aquarius sit opposite each other on the zodiac wheel, symbolizing a dynamic interplay of individuality and collective purpose. While Leo North Nodes may be drawn toward the spotlight, Aquarius North Nodes are called to embrace authenticity and lead by example, not through performance but through genuine selfhood. In many ways, her life seemed to embody the Leo North Node ideal—a vivid contrast and complement to the Aquarian path of quiet revolution and inner truth.

She lived a life that many could only dream of. Rising from humble beginnings, she became the highest-paid star at MGM for much of her career, a testament to both her talent and perseverance. By the time of her passing, she had earned a place in cultural history, with the Washington Post in 1990 describing her as a "virtual cult figure," cementing her status as an icon whose influence transcended the silver screen.

[photos-black-white]

[msmarymillspaulos]

“Give me a whiskey baby, ginger ale on the side and don't be stingy”.

Great Garbo

Anna Christie 1930

[ripplefactor]

‘Garbo's day off...’

[inmyownvintage]

Greta