In “Women Crime Writers: Eight Suspense Novels of the 1940s and 50s,” edited by Sarah Weinman and published by the Library of America, Megan Abbott, a woman crime writer of the 2000s, points out that “women are the primary readers of crime fiction.” She notes a popular theory that opines “women savor the victim role,” for they “are masochists, unable to rise above the roles assigned them by the patriarchy.”
New Yorker Magazine, The Secrets of Vera Caspary, the Woman Who Wrote “Laura” by Michelle Dean, 9/15/2015
Otto Preminger’s movie “Laura” written by Vera Caspary, throws that notion on its head, just like most of the movies that Gene Tierney starred in did; she was never the hapless heroine, but always ready to role up her sleeves and get to work. Laura Hunt was such a plum role, that Marlene Dietrich auditioned for it and when Tierney landed it instead, Caspary thought hertoo “gorgeous” to give her role weight; the author was dead wrong.
Tierney’s chart
The birth details stated in the Sabian Symbols is November 20 1920 in Brooklyn, New York for 5:15 pm is incorrect. The real date according to her daughter Christina Cassini is November 19 1920 .
Her own autobiography surprisingly never mentions the date though it does discuss lots of others events in her life including her parents Howard and Belle Tierney, a former gymnast. She was the second of three children, a brother Howard called Butch was older and a sister Patricia was younger. This new information from Ms. Cassini rectifies Gene’s (named for her mother’s brother) chart to Taurus 21 “a high wind at sea” reminding of us her role in the Ghost and Mrs. Muir though its mesmerizing and lethalness could be the tagline for “Laura” and its heroine as well. The symbol’s keyword is “”Change,” suggesting her versatility in acting and breaking away from her domineering stage-father Howard Sr.
Tierney’s midheaven us 01 Aquarius, a “Mouse sits up to reach a bit of food” and is conjunct her Mars in the 9th house showing how much she craved that extra attention and fame. She has a Grand trine in Water in her chart from the Moon in the 11th House to Pluto in the 3rd and culminating, though trines never finish, Saturn in the 5th.
Gene married twice. the first time to designer Oleg Cassini, a Russian Count, with whom she had two daughters, Antionette Daria and Christina. The many stresses of her marriage to Cassini are documented well in her autobiography including how she contracted measles during her pregnancy with Daria. Her second marriage was to oil tycoon W. Howard Lee, previously married to Hedy Lamar. She died on November 6 1991 from emphysema, ten years after Lee himself had reposed.
Footnotes:
- Tierney, Gene, Self-Portrait, Wyden Books, c. 1979 — the better of the two bios.
- Vogel, Michelle & Cassini, Christina, “Gene Tierney: A Biography,” McFarland Publishing, c. 2005.
