J Paul Getty, whose name became a synonym for great wealth (made from Middle Eastern oil) and extraordinary frugality, is the subject of FX’s TV drama series Trust along with his splintered dysfunctional family. He married five times, had five sons, was a serial womaniser, manipulated his relatives over his will and took stinginess to extreme lengths, including infamously refusing to pay a ransom for his oldest grandson. Eventually he lent his son money at 4% interest to pay it, but only after an ear arrived through the post.
Born 15 December 1892 8.43 am Minneapolis, MN (biography), he had no planets in either of his financial houses or an especially afflicted Saturn. His Sagittarius was in the 12th square Mars in the 3rd, so competitive, secretive and outspoken.
What leaps out is Neptune Pluto conjunct in his 5th house of children and love affairs, which is tied into a so-called Mystic Rectangle in opposition to Mercury and trine/sextile Saturn opposition Jupiter in upfront Aries. Neptune Pluto is associated with megalomania, scandals, the supernatural, and a tendency to deception. Neptune would give him commitment problems while Pluto made him possessive, hence the unkind games of dangling carrots of money before relatives and then pulling his promises back. His North Node in Taurus on his IC would also prompt him into secret battles over money and property.
His Scorpio Moon Uranus in the 10th suited him for an individualistic career in the public eye which he pursued with ferocious determination.
His love life was clearly driven by that Pluto Neptune in the 5th, plus Venus in Scorpio trine Mars.
His 9th Harmonic which shows what brought him pleasure is exceptionally strong with a New Moon; a confident, lucky Jupiter trine Pluto; and a cruel Mars Saturn Venus trine MC, Uranus. The 9th often shows up as heavily aspected with money-men.
Also, what’s interesting, if we’re to believe “Trust”, is that J. Paul hated drugs, but John Paul III’s ransom money basically gave “poor Calabrian cousins” a break they needed in European drug trade. And there probably is some truth to this, because even if kidnappings were rampant in 1970’s Getty kidnapping was the largest heist.
Worth noting: He was not entirely selfmade, but inherited the initial wealth, although indirectly through a fund set by his mother. In fact, it seems he was duplicating behavior set by his father with his children, which definitely resonates with 10th house Uranus/Moon.
I gather making money never was his true passion. He loved things he could do with that money. He was very talented linguistically, and interested in Antiquity. This is definitely his 3rd house, and Mercury/Jupiter. He saw J. Paul Getty Museum as his crowning achievement and legacy. It’s also worth noting many of his descendants inherited interest for collecting art and even artistic talent. Poor John Paul III tried acting after kidnapping, and his son Balthazar is, of course, an actor.
Typo…..6th line down….should read “His Sagittarian Sun in 12th…..”