Laurel & Hardy were a twosome so iconic the name of their act entered the lexicon as meaning an inseparable duo. A new biopic movie ‘Stan & Ollie’ picks up the pair towards the end of their career, having been two of the biggest stars in Hollywood, known for their over-the-top slapstick comedy, with 100 films to their credit since the late 1920s. By the early 1950s they were down on their luck running into health and money problems.
Oliver Hardy was born 18 January 1892 9.02 am Harlem. Georgia and Stan Laurel 16 June 1890 in the north of England.
I’d have expected to see more obvious crossovers in their charts which apart from mild Venus connections isn’t there. Hardy was a Sun Capricorn trine Saturn sextile Mars in Scorpio with a Virgo Moon – earthy, practical, ultra-determined. With a confident Jupiter square Pluto.
Laurel was a Sun and Moon in Gemini with his Sun trine Uranus sextile Saturn and his Saturn square Mars; and Jupiter in Aquarius trine Neptune Pluto in Gemini – communicative, chatty, confident and used to difficulties.
In an odd way despite the Earth Air difference they were relatively similar – both with Sun Saturn aspects, both with edgy and determined Mars aspects; both with Jupiter Pluto. Which would help them play a double act which requires the sensitivity to react to a partner, almost like a dance, to submerge the ego to play second fiddle then move forward again to be centre stage. And there was a Venusian resonance with Laurel’s Venus in Cancer opposed Hardy’s Sun; and Hardy’s Venus in Aquarius trine Laurel’s Sun and Uranus.
Their relationship chart has a composite Sun perhaps (which seems likely) trine Moon and sextile Neptune Pluto North Node. Neptune Pluto has an association with larger-than-life ambitions and success. Neptune Pluto is also in a do-or-die opposition to the composite Mars. Jupiter is in a lucky trine to Uranus and a confident square to Pluto Neptune. And there’s a workmanlike and sensible Saturn trine Venus and opposition Mercury.
There’s not a huge amount of warm-hearted friendliness and affection in the relationship chart. Which was pointed up in the scene in the film when there’s a telling moment as Stan scowls that “I loved us’, Ollie stingingly retorts: “But you never loved me.”