Hollywood, Beware in 1943! – A Psychic Predicted What Would Happen in 1943. Was She Right?
NINTEEN-FORTY-THREE—HOLLYWOOD BEWARE! BEWARE! BEWARE!
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So rang the threat, from the February 1943 issue of Photoplay, in which a psychic/medium/woman who studied Hollywood stars and gossip and could make educated guesses warned the stars of what was to come in 1943.
Matilda Trotter claimed to know what would happen to some of
Hollywood’s biggest stars in 1943; and she had some laurels to rest on because
she’d made a few accurate—or well-educated—guesses in 1942, among them that
Joan Crawford would marry (she did, to Philip Terry), that Cary Grant would (also
true, he married Barbara Hutton that year), and that Robert Stack would experience
a career interruption in September or October (he was commissioned in the
Navy).
But 1943, Trotter predicted, would be different. She wrote: “The
year 1943 will bring about a great leveling of all the world’s peoples. It will
bring to mankind the equality of a common burden. Each of us will be forced to
share and share alike in sacrifice, service, and almost primitive living
conditions. The fight for existence will be paramount, not the fight for
sables, caviar, dated wines and self-aggrandizement. The strong will survive.
The weak will break.”
Bleak, man.
Now that that melodrama is out of the way, she directs her
crystal ball towards Hollywood, and predicted that after July—when Jupiter
moves into Leo—stars and entertainers “will be called upon to keep up the morale
of the entire world.”
Here are some of the psychic’s predictions for some Hollywood
stars from the February and March 1943 Photoplay issues. I’ll tell you
if they ‘came true' 80 years later.
CLARK GABLE
Trotter predicted that since he’d already had a tough year
after entering the service—his wife, Carole Lombard, died in a plane crash on January
16, 1942 on a war bond trip and the grief shattered him—he might see that
things are looking up. She specifically predicted that he “may be released from
the service or make some drastic changes in July 1943” and that November should
bring him “romance and happiness.”
Did It Come True? No.
Clark Gable was still in active service throughout 1943 and
was discharged on June 12, 1944, obtaining the rank of major. Though romance
was predicted in November, Gable didn’t remarry until 1949, marrying Sylvia
Ashley.
GINGER ROGERS
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Trotter predicted that Ginger Rogers would, to borrow an
ABBA lyric, finally face her Waterloo. Although she saw an acting award in Ginger’s
year, “the last six months of 1943 will be difficult” in her personal life.
Specifically, September 10, 1943, was predicted to be “a fatal day” for Ginger because
it could bring “a broken romance, the termination of a valued friendship or
association, public disfavour and—hold everything—suit for alienation of
affections or any kind of a law suit and the aspects will not be in her favour.”
Did It Come True? No.
Ginger only made one film in 1943, Tender Comrades,
and while it was sentimental and successful, she didn’t win any acting prizes
for it. She married Jack Briggs in January 1943, but as near as I can tell, no ‘alienation
of affection’ came until they divorced at the end of the decade. Plus, Ginger
had decided to go freelance in 1941, so no worries there about a lawsuit with
RKO.
GREER GARSON
The fact that Trotter wasn’t even sure she had Greer’s correct
birth year made no matter on her predictions, because “she is far too important
to pass up.” Trotter foresaw “the end of a love affair or an abrupt separation
from a loved one between Christmas and February” but noted that by June, she’d
have love, whether with the old flame or someone new.
Trotter’s prediction had more to do with love, predicting
that Greer would never be fulfilled in a romantic sense which, ouch, and to
keep everything in her name. That’s right, Greer. You keep that money!
Did It Come True? Yes, ish. On July 24, 1943, Greer
married for the second time, to actor Richard Ney, a man 12 years her junior…who
also played her son in Mrs. Miniver. So you can imagine that the sexist
press at the time was totally on board with this romance and didn’t criticize
her at every turn? Mmm. They divorced in 1947.
But the prediction that Greer would never be romantically fulfilled
was wrong, because her third and final husband, Buddy Fogelson, was with her
until the end of his life. They were married from 1949 to 1987; and by all
accounts were happy together. After he died, Greer never remarried and was
eventually buried next to him in 1996.
MICKEY ROONEY
Trotter warned Mickey Rooney that he’d need to watch his
step in 1943 because of the position of Pluto in his chart—it could mean a
sudden rise to fame or an equally sudden drop into oblivion. Yikes. Also, his
marriage to Ava Gardner was already on the rocks by this point, but Trotter
predicted that beginning on May 27 and lasting throughout the month of June,
his prospects pointed towards a divorce.
Did It Come True? Yes, the marriage prediction was bang
on.
Mickey and Ava Gardner were divorced on May 21, 1943.
Trotter predicted that a divorce was inevitable after May 27. Professionally,
his career was as high as it was ever likely to be again. He received his
second and final Oscar nomination that year, for The Human Comedy. In 1944,
he enlisted and saw active duty, and once he returned to full civilian life,
his career never recovered to its former glory and he spent the rest of his
life employed, but never at the zenith he'd once enjoyed.
RITA HAYWORTH
Trotter predicted that 1943 would be a great year, professionally,
for Rita. As for romance, “her stars foretell many love affairs and a number of
marriages during the course of her life, but Victor Mature is her true love.” If
their love was broken up, those who had a hand in doing so would regret it, she
predicted.
Did It Come True? In the sense that Trotter foretold
that Rita would have a lot of love affairs and marriages, yes. By 1943, she
already had one marriage and divorce under her belt. She married Orson Welles
in 1943 (they divorced in 1947) and went on to marry three more times after
that, including to Prince Aly Khan in 1949. And the romances that didn’t lead
to marriage? They existed, and good for her, honestly.
She was engaged to Victor Mature, who Trotter predicted was
her true love, but they didn’t last. He was stationed overseas and heard that
she was getting comfort from Orson Welles, so he called up to ask if it was
true. It was and it wasn’t, Rita allegedly said—she was getting comfort from
Orson, but she wasn’t in love with him. Allegedly, Victor called it off. Rita
and Orson married on September 7, 1943.
Professionally? Rita didn’t make a single film in 1943. But
1944 was a good year for Rita. She starred in one of Hollywood’s best musicals,
Cover Girl.
SPENCER TRACY
Trotter predicted that Spencer would, like Mickey Rooney, need to watch his step in 1943 because the year wouldn’t be all sunshine and roses and unless he took care. Specifically, she foretold that there might be conflict between Spencer and the studio, “which could cause him to suffer loss and disappointment” and that if he wanted to make it through, “he must yield to the restricting and restraining influence of those who are attempting to check him.”
Ominous? Maybe, but she also predicted that he’d have great career
success in 1943 and 1944 because of the originality of the movies he’d make;
and she saw that he might write, direct, or act in (or all three). She also
predicted that, romantically, by August or September there would be a “definite
severing of conditions of long standing and the beginning of a new life.”
Did It Come True? Meh. Spencer Tracy only made one
film in 1943, A Guy Named Joe, which was a box office success. He didn’t
go to the stage, nor did he direct or write anything.
KATHARINE HEPBURN
Trotter knew that the force of Katharine Hepburn and Spencer
Tracy was undeniable, “professionally their two charts blend and harmonize with
smooth perfection.” Trotter also had her pinned exactly, noting that Katharine “can
control people by exerting her charm, but underneath she is as hard as nails”
and that nothing would stop her from becoming one of the screen’s most romantic
pairings of all time, with Spencer, if only he “will heed the warnings of his stars.”
Did It Come True? Yes, but I don’t think this
prediction was only something a psychic could see. Anyone with eyes could tell
that Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy had undeniable chemistry. And Katharine’s
reputation for charm and a tough exterior was known from the moment she set
foot in Hollywood a decade earlier.
As for becoming one of the screen’s most romantic pairings
of all time, that was also true. Katharine and Spencer made nine films together
between 1942 and 1967. Spencer died in 1967; Katharine died in 2004—their
legacies largely remain their romantic entanglement and professional
partnership.
BETTE DAVIS
Trotter thought that the alignment of her stars meant that Bette would achieve “something as spectacular and original as Orson Welles might pull” and that she might be looking to change her Warner Bros contract in April because this year “Bette is favoured professionally and legally…Bette, it will be your turn to win the battle if there is one,” but only if that excludes the time period of May 28-July 28. Oh, and Bette might also have a baby some time after July 1943.
Did It Come True? No. Bette only made two films in
1943, Old Acquaintance and Watch on the Rhine. And rather than
welcome a child, she buried a husband. Her second husband, Arthur Farnsworth,
died on August 25 from a skull fracture. An autopsy found that he’d fractured
his skull two weeks before and collapsed on the sidewalk and died. Bette testified
at his medical inquiry that she didn’t know what could’ve happened to cause a
skull fracture and his death was ruled accidental.
Bette would go on to have three children, BD Hyman was born
in 1947 while her adopted children, Margot and Michael, were born in 1950 and
1952, respectively.
LANA TURNER
“[Lana] will have to learn self-discipline this year or find
her house of cards scattered to the four winds,” Trotter wrote. Specifically,
she saw that because of Jupiter being in her seventh house, it meant that she
might separate from her husband, her studio, or both. Ominously, Trotter predicted
that in the latter part of the year, Lana “must guard against accidents, fire
and theft in her home, blackmail, and extortion” and that her chart for the
year foretold of a precarious heath condition. “Look out, Lana!” Yikes.
Did It Come True? Like, weirdly, specifically yes, in
a few ways. Lana did have a precarious health condition in 1943—during her pregnancy
with her only child, Cheryl Crane, she was discovered to have RH-negative blood,
which meant being pregnant could be fatal to both her and the baby. Cheryl was
born on July 25, 1943, and would be Lana’s only child.
Trotter predicted that she might separate from her husband, though
they’d already had to annul their marriage in November 1942 on account of him
not being fully divorced. They remarried in March 1943 when Lana discovered she
was pregnant. They would divorce in August 1944.
Professionally, MGM marketed her as a femme fatale due to
the salacious goings-on in her personal life, so no split from the studio. And
no incidents of blackmail, fire or extortion.
CARY GRANT
Trotter, knowing that Cary Grant was a perennial Mr. Popular, wrote that he would continue on a good public popularity swing, but that his home conditions might change as “a separation is indicated in both Cary’s and Barbara [Hutton]’s charts.” But it could also have to do with the war.
Did It Come True? True in that Cary continued to be
popular, but the couple remained married for the entirety of 1943. They did,
however, divorce in 1945. And no military service for Cary.
HENRY FONDA
Trotter saw the actor seeing overseas service between July 8
and August 24 and that it would be a dangerous time for him. All ‘hooey’ and ‘quackery’
aside if you don’t believe, but imagine a psychic printing that about you in
the midst of a world war.
Did It Come True? Given that Henry Fonda died an old man
in August 1982, though he saw active service between 1942-1946, it was by no
means a fatal experience for the popular actor. He received the Bronze Star
Medal and the Navy Presidential Unit Citation and from 1945-1948 served with the
Naval Reserve.
JUDY GARLAND
Trotter predicted great fame for Judy if only she “guards
her health, gets plenty of rest, fresh air and nourishing food” and avoids “drastic
diets and weight-reducing medication.”
Did It Come True? Kinda? Judy was a big star throughout the ‘40s but her personal, studio-caused demons, were forever her Everest.
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