MarÃa Rosario Pilar MartÃnez Molina Baeza,
professionally known by her
stage name
A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...
Charo, is a Spanish-born actress, singer, comedian, and
flamenco guitar
A flamenco guitar is a guitar similar to a classical guitar but with thinner tops and less internal bracing. It usually has nylon strings, like the classical guitar, but it generally possesses a livelier, more gritty sound compared to the clas ...
ist who rose to international prominence in the 1960s on American television, as well as starring in several films.
Charo began playing
classical (Spanish-style) guitar at the age of nine, training under the famed guitarist
Andrés Segovia
Andrés Segovia Torres, 1st Marquis of Salobreña (21 February 1893 – 2 June 1987) was a Spanish virtuoso classical guitarist. Many professional classical guitarists were students of Segovia or their students.
Segovia's contribution to the m ...
.
In 1966, she married 66-year-old bandleader
Xavier Cugat
Xavier Cugat (; 1 January 1900 – 27 October 1990) was a Spanish musician and bandleader who spent his formative years in Havana, Cuba. A trained violinist and arranger, he was a leading figure in the spread of Latin music. In New York City ...
and moved to the United States with him. In the late 1960s and 1970s, she became a ubiquitous presence on
American television
Television is one of the major mass media outlets in the United States. , household ownership of television sets in the country is 96.7%, with approximately 114,200,000 American households owning at least one television set as of August 2013. ...
, frequently appearing as a
guest star
In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other ...
on series such as ''
Laugh-In
''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' (often simply referred to as ''Laugh-In'') is an American sketch comedy television program that ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on the NBC television network, hosted by comedians Dan ...
'', ''
Fantasy Island
''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. Gu ...
'', ''
The Love Boat
''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pac ...
'', and ''
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...
''. She is known for her uninhibited and exuberant manner, high energy levels,
vague age, heavy Spanish accent, and
catchphrase
A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...
"cuchi-cuchi". She frequently
pokes fun at herself, while also pointing out the potential judgment of others, through her accent.
As a musician, Charo has performed and recorded in various styles for five decades. She released a series of
disco
Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
recordings in the 1970s with
Salsoul Records
Salsoul Records is an American New York City based record label, founded by three brothers, Joseph Cayre, Kenneth Cayre, and Stanley Cayre (the Cayre brothers). Salsoul issued about 300 singles, including many disco/post-disco 12-inch releases, ...
, most notably ''Dance a Little Bit Closer'' (1977). In 1995 her flamenco album ''Guitar Passion'' (1994) was awarded Female Pop Album of the Year at the ''Billboard'' International Latin Music Conference, and was named Best Female Latin Pop Album by ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' Magazine.
[RuÃz, Vicki and Virginia Sánchez Korrol. ]
Latinas in the United States: A Historical Encyclopedia
'. Indiana University Press (2006), p. 144. In an interview, Charo has said, "Around the world I am known as a great musician. But in America I am known as the cuchi-cuchi girl. That's okay, because cuchi-cuchi has taken me
all the way to the bank."
Early life
Charo was born in the city of
Murcia
Murcia (, , ) is a city in south-eastern Spain, the capital and most populous city of the autonomous community of the Region of Murcia, and the seventh largest city in the country. It has a population of 460,349 inhabitants in 2021 (about one ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
.
Her birth date has been a matter of some dispute (see '
Birth year controversy
Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring, also referred to in technical contexts as parturition. In mammals, the process is initiated by hormones which cause the muscular walls of the uterus to contract, expelling the f ...
' below). Her Spanish passport gives her name as MarÃa del Rosario Mercedes Pilar MartÃnez Molina Baeza.
Charo has claimed she was enrolled in a convent school until the age of 15, when a nun told her that she belonged in show business. In the most colorful version of her childhood, Charo's grandmother hired a music professor to give her weekly
classical guitar
The classical guitar (also known as the nylon-string guitar or Spanish guitar) is a member of the guitar family used in classical music and other styles. An acoustic wooden string instrument with strings made of gut or nylon, it is a precursor o ...
lessons, and he became the first man to enter the convent.
In a 2005 interview, she reminisced:
"The institution had great young teachers and students. Everything was a charity. Mr. Segovia, between concerts that's when he'd come, and if you'd been there a year and you weren't good, you'd go out and they would give your place to another young kid."
Charo has stated in several interviews that she graduated with honors at age 16.
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a music group such as a rock or pop band or jazz quartet. The term is most commonly used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or ...
Xavier Cugat
Xavier Cugat (; 1 January 1900 – 27 October 1990) was a Spanish musician and bandleader who spent his formative years in Havana, Cuba. A trained violinist and arranger, he was a leading figure in the spread of Latin music. In New York City ...
"discovered" her while in Spain filming a television special in 1964. They wed on August 7, 1966. An April 1966 column by
Earl Wilson on the couple's wedding plans announced:
"Sixty-year-old Xavier Cugat and his 20-year-old Spanish girlfriend and singing star Charo hope to marry in San Cugat, Spain, in a few days if Cugat can convince church authorities his two divorces should not be counted against him since he wasn't married in church."
They were the first couple to be wed at
Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The hotel is situated on the west side of the Las Vegas Strip between Bellagio and The Mirage. It is one of Las Vegas's largest and best known landmarks.
Caesars P ...
in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
. Charo later claimed that her marriage to Cugat was merely a business contract, a way for him to legally bring her to the United States.
["Fin del 'cuchi cuchi', principio del arte"](_blank)
''La Opinión Digital'', February 17, 2005
Birth year controversy
Charo's year of birth is the subject of
dispute. Her Spanish birth certificate and passport, as well as her American naturalization papers, give her birthdate as March 13, 1941. She later claimed she was born in 1947, then changed it to 1949. In 1977, she asserted in a court hearing that her passport and naturalization papers were incorrect and that her birthdate was January 15, 1951.
Several newspaper articles around the time of her wedding to Cugat gave Charo's age as 17. Others referred to her as Cugat's "18-year-old protégée".
[Earl Wilson. "It happened last night" (column), ''The Dallas Morning News'', September 16, 1964, section 4, Ataahua's song] An April 1966 column on the wedding plans stated that she was 20 and Cugat was 60.
[Earl Wilson. "It happened last night" (column), ''The Dallas Morning News'', April 18, 1966, page D18.] Many sources identified her as 21 on the day of her wedding.
[Francis Raffetto. "Las Vegas Opens Caesar's Palace", ''After Dark'' column, ''The Dallas Morning News'', August 8, 1966, page A14][Paul Steiner. "Jackie followed trend of May–December", ''The Dallas Morning News'', October 27, 1968, page E9]
Later, when asserting her birthdate was 1951, she claimed her parents allowed her to falsify her age to appear older when marrying Cugat. However, that would have made her 15 at the time, contradicting her claim to have graduated from school at 16, not yet having begun her performing career. She has never clarified the discrepancy.
[John Beck. "Ageless persona: Vegas headliner Charo thrills fans at Sonoma County Fair: Cuchi-cuchi time at the fair", ''The Press Democrat'' (Santa Rosa, California), August 1, 2002, page B1.]
In October 1977, the same year in which Charo filed for divorce from Cugat and became a naturalized American citizen, judge Roger Foley in Las Vegas adjudicated the 1951 birth year to be official. Charo provided sworn
affidavit
An ( ; Medieval Latin for "he has declared under oath") is a written statement voluntarily made by an ''affiant'' or '' deponent'' under an oath or affirmation which is administered by a person who is authorized to do so by law. Such a statemen ...
s from her parents,
[Larry Powell (column). "Exact age for Charo leaves plenty of wiggle room", ''The Dallas Morning News'', February 7, 1999, page 38A]["Charo, Sister 'Younger'"](_blank)
''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', November 10, 1977. although the claim has been viewed with skepticism.
Commenting on the disputes over her age, she has said that the public's disbelief could prove advantageous:
"But if people really believe I'm older, that's fine. Don't be surprised if I come out with my own cosmetics, a new energy bar, and maybe some vitamins."
Career
Charo was highly visible throughout the 1970s, appearing eight times on ''
The Love Boat
''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pac ...
'', and on variety and talk shows such as ''
Donny & Marie'',
[''Donny & Marie'' broadcast listings, "Channel Choices", ''The Dallas Morning News'', February 27, 1976, pg. C7 (with ]George Gobel
George Leslie Goebel (May 20, 1919 – February 24, 1991) was an American humorist, actor, and comedian. He was best known as the star of his own weekly comedy variety television series, ''The George Gobel Show'', broadcasting from 1954 to 1959 ...
); December 3, 1976, pg. B11 (with Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner (March 20, 1922 – June 29, 2020) was an American actor, stand-up comedian, director, screenwriter, and author whose career spanned seven decades. He was the recipient of many awards and honors, including 11 Primetime Emmy Awards, ...
); December 2, 1977, pg. A16 (with Milton Berle
Milton Berle (born Mendel Berlinger; ; July 12, 1908 – March 27, 2002) was an American actor and comedian. His career as an entertainer spanned over 80 years, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and tel ...
and the Sylvers
The Sylvers were an American R&B family vocal group from Watts, Los Angeles, California. The Sylvers were a popular act during the 1970s, recording the hit singles "Fool's Paradise", "Boogie Fever", and "Hot Line (song), Hot Line". Prior to bec ...
) ''
Tony Orlando and Dawn
Tony Orlando and Dawn is an American pop music group that was popular in the 1970s, composed of singer Tony Orlando and the backing vocal group Dawn (Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson). Their signature hits include "Candida (song), Candida" ...
'',
[''Tony Orlando and Dawn'' broadcast listings, "Channel Choices", ''The Dallas Morning News'', July 10, 1974, pg. C7 (with ]Lloyd Bridges
Lloyd Vernet Bridges Jr. (January 15, 1913 – March 10, 1998) was an American film, stage and television actor who starred in a number of television series and appeared in more than 150 feature films. He was the father of four children, includi ...
); March 5, 1975, pg. D4 (with Tony Randall
Anthony Leonard Randall (born Aryeh Leonard Rosenberg; February 26, 1920 – May 17, 2004) was an American actor. He is best known for portraying the role of Felix Unger in a television adaptation of the 1965 play ''The Odd Couple'' by Neil Sim ...
); January 28, 1976, pg. C9 (with Freddy Fender
Freddy Fender (born Baldemar Garza Huerta; June 4, 1937 – October 14, 2006) was an American Tejano, country and rock and roll musician, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados. He was bes ...
). ''
The Captain and Tennille
Captain & Tennille were American recording artists whose primary success occurred in the 1970s. The husband-and-wife team were "Captain" Daryl Dragon (1942–2019) and Toni Tennille (born 1940). They have five albums certified gold or platinum ...
'',
[''The Captain and Tennille'' broadcast listings, "Channel Choices", ''The Dallas Morning News'', March 7, 1977, pg. B7 (with ]John Byner
John Byner (born John Biener; June 28, 1938) is an American actor, comedian and impressionist who has had a lengthy television and film career. His voice work includes the cartoon series ''The Ant and the Aardvark'', in which the title characte ...
, Ben Vereen
Benjamin Augustus Vereen (born October 10, 1946) is an American actor, dancer and singer. Vereen gained prominence for his performances in the original Broadway productions of the musicals '' Jesus Christ Superstar'', for which he received a To ...
, Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Manfred Mann's Earth Band are an English rock band formed by South African musician Manfred Mann (musician), Manfred Mann. Their hits include covers of Bruce Springsteen's "For You (Bruce Springsteen song), For You", "Blinded by the Light" an ...
, and LeVar Burton
Levar Burton Jr. (born February 16, 1957) is an American actor, director, and television host, best known for playing Geordi La Forge in '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (1987–1994). He also played Kunta Kinte in the ABC miniseries ''Root ...
). ''
The John Davidson Show
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'', ''
The Mike Douglas Show
''The Mike Douglas Show'' was an American daytime television talk show that was hosted by Mike Douglas. It began as a local program in Cleveland before being carried on other stations owned by Westinghouse Broadcasting. The show went into nati ...
'' (which she guest-hosted at least once)
[Rena Pederson (column), ''The Dallas Morning News'', December 3, 1976, pg. B11; refers to Charo as "the dizzy Spanish sexpot-songstress".] and the short-lived ''
The Brady Bunch Variety Hour
''The Brady Bunch Hour'' is an American variety show featuring skits and songs produced by Sid & Marty Krofft Productions in association with Paramount Television. It ran on ABC from November 28, 1976, to May 25, 1977.
The series starred the o ...
''.
In 1975, ''Dallas Morning News'' critic Harry Bowman wrote that the
ABC network had "penciled in . . . a half-hour comedy starring the uninhibited wife of Xavier Cugat" and commented, "This is probably the worst idea of the season."
[Harry Bowman. "New season guessing" ("Broadcast Beat" column), ''The Dallas Morning News'', April 22, 1975, pg. A12] By October of that year, Charo was promoting a TV special slated for November,
[Earl Wilson. "Hackett 'Teaching' Charo" (column), ''The Dallas Morning News'', October 13, 1975, pg. D5.] but it did not actually appear until May 1976.
[Harry Bowman. ''The Dallas Morning News'', April 27, 1976, page C5][UPI. "Charo special looms as family sizzler", ''The Dallas Morning News'', May 24, 1976, pg. B7.]
A TV listing for August 24, 1976, shows what appears to be an unsold pilot airing on ABC at 8:30 p.m.
CST: "''Charo and the Sergeant''—Situation comedy starring Charo Cugat. Charo's first U.S. job is to be a dancer at an off-limits nightclub, and her conservative
Marine Corps
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...
husband finds out. The few episodes that were taped ended up being broadcast on the American
Armed Forces Network
The American Forces Network (AFN) is a government television and radio broadcast service the U.S. military provides to those stationed or assigned overseas. Headquartered at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, AFN's broadcast operations, which i ...
overseas."
By the late 1970s, Charo was being mentioned as an example of how overexposure could damage a celebrity. One such article quoted the "
Q score The Q Score (popularly known as Q-Rating) is a measurement of the familiarity and appeal of a brand, celebrity, company, or entertainment product (e.g., television show) used in the United States. The higher the Q Score, the more highly regarded the ...
" of Performer Q, Steve Levitt's celebrity popularity rating service, to show that her popularity declined slightly even as her familiarity increased:
![Charo black dress](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Charo_black_dress.jpg)
She was named Best Flamenco Guitarist in ''
Guitar Player Magazine
''Guitar Player'' is an American popular magazine for guitarists, founded in 1967 in San Jose, California. It contains articles, interviews, reviews and lessons of an eclectic collection of artists, genres and products. It has been in print si ...
''s readers' poll twice.
Charo returned to the dance-music scene in June 2008 with the single "España Cañi", which was released through Universal Wave Records.
On March 1, 2017, Charo was revealed a contestant for
Season 24
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...
of ''
Dancing with the Stars
''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the forma ...
'', paired with professional dancer
Keo Motsepe
Keoikantse Motsepe (born 24 November 1989) is a South African dancer. His dancing styles are Latin and Ballroom. He is known for being the first black professional dancer on the ABC show ''Dancing with the Stars''.
Life and career
Motsepe sta ...
. On April 3, 2017, they were the second couple eliminated from the competition and finished in 11th place.
Personal life
In 1977, she became a
naturalized citizen
Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-citizen of a country may acquire citizenship or nationality of that country. It may be done automatically by a statute, i.e., without any effort on the part of the in ...
of the United States. That year, she filed for divorce from Cugat, which was granted on April 14, 1978.
[Roger Piantadosi. "Personalities" (column), ''The Washington Post'', April 15, 1978, page C3.]
On August 11, 1978, she married her second husband, producer Kjell Rasten, in
South Lake Tahoe, California
South Lake Tahoe is the most populous city in El Dorado County, California, United States, in the Sierra Nevada. The city's population was 21,330 at the 2020 census, down from 21,403 at the 2010 census. The city, along the southern edge of Lake ...
. He soon became her manager. They have one child, son Shel Rasten (born 1981), who is the drummer for the
heavy metal band Treazen. He is also an actor and producer, known for ''The Boulevard'' (2013), ''FAMOUS (and on the List)'' (2010) and ''
CSI: Miami
''CSI: Miami'' (''Crime Scene Investigation: Miami'') is an American police procedural drama television series that ran from September 23, 2002 until April 8, 2012 on CBS. Featuring David Caruso as Lieutenant Horatio Caine, Emily Procter as Dete ...
'' (2002).
They moved to Hawaii, but eventually moved back to
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Bev ...
.
[Corinthios, Aurelie; White, Chelsea (2019, February 19). "Charo's Husband Kjell Rasten Dies by Suicide: 'He Was an Amazing Man,' Star Says". ''People'', 19 February 2019. Retrieved on 2019-03-11 from https://people.com/tv/charo-husband-dies-suicide/.]
Rasten died by
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
on February 18, 2019, at the age of 78. Charo publicly stated:
In recent years, his health began to decline and he developed a rare and horrible skin disease called bullous pemphigoid
Bullous pemphigoid (type of pemphigoid) is an autoimmune pruritic skin disease which typically occurs in people aged over 60, that may involve the formation of blisters ( bullae) in the space between the epidermal and dermal skin layers. It is cla ...
. He also became very depressed. That, along with the many medications he needed to take, became too much for him, and he ended his suffering.
Discography
Albums
* ''Cuchi-Cuchi'' (1977)
(with the Salsoul Orchestra
The Salsoul Orchestra was the backing band of session musicians for many acts on the New York City label Salsoul Records and, under its own name, recorded several hit singles and albums between 1975 and 1982.
History
The orchestra was formed i ...
)
* ''Olé Olé'' (1978)
(with the Salsoul Orchestra)
* ''Bailando con Charo'' (''Dancing with Charo'', 1981)
(with the Salsoul Orchestra)
* ''Guitar Passion'' (1994)
* ''Gusto'' (''Pleasure'', 1997)
* ''Charo and Guitar'' (2005)
Singles
* 1976: "La Salsa"
* 1977: "Dance a Little Bit Closer" –
US Dance
Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as th ...
No. 18;
UK No. 44
* 1978: "
Mamacita, ¿dónde está Santa Claus?" ("Mommy, Where's Santa Claus?")
* 1978: "Olé Olé" –
US Dance
Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as th ...
No. 36
* 1979: "Sha Na Na"
* 1979: "Stay with Me" – US Dance No. 55
* 1979: "Hot Love"
* 1981: "La Mojada (Wet Back)"
* 2003: "Prisionera De Tu Amor" (with Seductive Souls)
* 2008: "
España Cañi
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
" – US Dance No. 14
* 2011: "Sexy Sexy" – US Dance No. 24
* 2013: "Dance a Little Bit Closer" (Charo & the Salsoul Orchestra vs. the Cube Guys Remix)
Filmography
Television
* ''
The Danny Kaye Show
''The Danny Kaye Show'' was an American variety show, hosted by the stage and screen star Danny Kaye, which aired on Wednesday nights from September 25, 1963, to June 7, 1967, on the CBS television network. Directed by Robert Scheerer, it premier ...
'' (October 6, 1965)
* ''
The Ed Sullivan Show
''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...
'' (four episodes; 1965–67)
* ''
Ironside'' (one episode; S05E19 "Find a Victim", 1972)
* ''
The Carol Burnett Show
''The Carol Burnett Show'' is an American variety/sketch comedy television show that originally ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 279 episodes, and again with nine episodes in fall 1991. It starred Carol Burnett, Harvey ...
''
* ''
The Cher Show
''Cher'' was an American variety show that premiered on CBS in 1975, hosted by singer-actress Cher. The show had many famous musical guests. It followed a TV special featuring Elton John, Bette Midler, and Flip Wilson as guests. ''Cher'' pre ...
'' (May 14, 1975)
* ''
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...
''
* ''
Rowan & Martin's Laugh In
''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' (often simply referred to as ''Laugh-In'') is an American sketch comedy television program that ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on the NBC television network, hosted by comedians Dan ...
''
* ''
Donny & Marie 1976
* ''
The Hollywood Squares
''Hollywood Squares'' (originally ''The Hollywood Squares'') is an American game show in which two contestants compete in a game of tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The show piloted on NBC in 1965 and the regular series debuted in 1966 on the ...
'' (semiregular panelist; 1972–78, 1986–89, 1998–2004)
* ''The Charo Show'' (1976; unsold pilot for variety series)
* ''
Chico and the Man
''Chico and the Man'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC for four seasons from September 13, 1974, to July 21, 1978. It stars Jack Albertson as Ed Brown (the Man), the cantankerous owner of a run-down garage in an East Los ...
'' (cast member from 1977 to 1978) -- Aunt Charo
* ''
Sha Na Na
Sha Na Na was an American rock and roll doo-wop group. Formed in 1969, but performing a song-and-dance repertoire based on 1950s hit songs, it simultaneously revived and parodied the music and the New York street culture of the 1950s. After g ...
'', Season 3
* ''
The Love Boat
''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pac ...
'' (guest-starred in 10 episodes, 1977–84) -- April Lopez
* ''
Flying High'' (guest-starred in episode #9, 1978–1979)
* ''
Fantasy Island
''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. Gu ...
'' (guest-starred in four episodes, 1981–84)
* ''
The Facts of Life'' (guest appearance in 1985)
* ''
The Jeffersons
''The Jeffersons'' is an American sitcom television series that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, to July 2, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of List of The Jeffersons episodes, 253 episodes. ''The Jeffersons'' is one of the longe ...
'' (January 8, 1985)
* ''
Marblehead Manor
''Marblehead Manor'' is an American sitcom that originally aired in first-run syndication from September 19, 1987 to May 28, 1988. It starred Paxton Whitehead, Phil Morris, Linda Thorson, Bob Fraser and Michael Richards. The series was a Dames- ...
'' (February 18, 1988)
* ''
Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special
This is the complete episode list for ''Pee-wee's Playhouse''. A total of 45 half-hour episodes and 1 primetime special were recorded for CBS from 1986 until 1990.
Series overview
Episodes Season 1 (1986)
Season 2 (1987)
Special (1988)
S ...
'' (guest star; 1988)
* ''
Mickey Mouse Works
''Mickey Mouse Works'' (also known as ''Disney's Mickey Mouse Works'' or simply ''Mouse Works'') is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation featuring Mickey Mouse and his friends in a series of animate ...
'' (special guest voiceover)
* ''
That '70s Show
''That '70s Show'' is an American television Period piece, period teen sitcom that aired on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox from August 23, 1998, to May 18, 2006. The series focuses on the lives of a group of six teenage friends living in the ficti ...
'' (special guest appearance: "
Red Sees Red" in 2000)
* ''
The Brak Show
''The Brak Show'' is an American Adult animation, adult animated sitcom created by Andy Merrill, Jim Fortier, and Pete Smith for Cartoon Network's late-night programming block, Adult Swim. ''The Brak Show'' serves as a Spin-off (media), spin-off ...
'' (special guest star; 2001)
* ''
The Surreal Life
''The Surreal Life'' is an American reality television series that records a group of celebrities as they live together in Glen Campbell's former mansion in the Hollywood Hills for two weeks. The format of the show resembles that of ''The Real W ...
'' (cast member; 2004)
* ''
So NoTORIous
''So Notorious'', sometimes stylized ''So NoTORIous'', is an American sitcom starring — and loosely based on the life of — actress Tori Spelling. The series debuted on VH1 on April 2, 2006, and despite lasting only ten episodes, rece ...
'' (Season 1, Episode 5 in 2006)
* ''
I Love the '70s: Volume 2'' (appearances in 2006)
* ''
Chappelle's Show
''Chappelle's Show'' is an American sketch comedy television series created by comedians Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan, with Chappelle hosting the show and starring in the majority of its sketches. Chappelle, Brennan, and Michele Armour were th ...
'' (guest appearance in 2006)
* ''
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
''
* ''
Viva Hollywood!
Viva may refer to:
Companies and organisations
* Viva (network operator), a Dominican mobile network operator
* Viva Air, a Spanish airline taken over by flag carrier Iberia
* Viva Air Dominicana
* VIVA Bahrain, a telecommunication company
* V ...
'' (new reality show on VH1; May 11, 2008)
* ''
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that first aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009. It resumed production on March 1, 2010 and ended on February 6, 2014.
The fourth incarnation of the ...
'' (special appearance April 17, 2008)
* ''
Chelsea Lately
''Chelsea Lately'' is an American Late night television, late night Television comedy, comedy talk show created by Brody Stevens and hosted by comedian Chelsea Handler which was broadcast on E! The show debuted on July 16, 2007, and was produced ...
'' (special appearance; July 24, 2008)
* ''
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that first aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009. It resumed production on March 1, 2010 and ended on February 6, 2014.
The fourth incarnation of the ...
'' (special appearance; December 18, 2008)
* ''
RuPaul's Drag Race
''RuPaul's Drag Race'' is an American reality competition television series, the first in the ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by World of Wonder for Logo TV (season 1–8), WOW Presents Plus, VH1 (season 9–14) and, beginning with the f ...
'' (guest performer; March 9, 2009)
* ''
The Suite Life on Deck
''The Suite Life on Deck'' is an American teen sitcom that aired on Disney Channel from September 26, 2008 to May 6, 2011. It is a sequel/Spin-off (media), spin-off of the Disney Channel Original Series ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody''. The ser ...
'' (special appearance as Esteban's mother; 2010)
* ''
The Wendy Williams Show
''The Wendy Williams Show'' (often shortened to ''Wendy'') is an American syndicated talk show created and hosted by Wendy Williams, and produced by Wendy Williams Productions, along with Perler Productions. The show is distributed by Debmar-Me ...
'' (Episode 363; aired October 5, 2010)
* ''
Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
''Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23'' is an American television sitcom created by Nahnatchka Khan and starring Krysten Ritter that aired on ABC for two seasons from April 11, 2012 to January 15, 2013 and July 19 to September 6, 2014. Original ...
'' (special appearance May 17, 2013)
* ''
Hell's Kitchen
Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton, is a neighborhood on the West Side of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is considered to be bordered by 34th Street (or 41st Street) to the south, 59th Street to the north, Eighth Avenue to the eas ...
'' (dining-room guest; May 26, 2015)
* ''
Celebrity Wife Swap
''Wife Swap'' is an American reality television program that was first broadcast on ABC in 2004 based on the British show with the same name. In the program, two families, usually from different social classes and lifestyles, swap wives/mothers ...
'' (aired June 17, 2015)
* ''
Jane The Virgin
''Jane the Virgin'' is an American romantic comedy-drama and satirical telenovela developed by Jennie Snyder Urman. The series premiered October 13, 2014, on The CW and concluded on July 31, 2019. It is a loose adaptation of the Venezuelan telen ...
'' (special appearance March 28, 2016)
* ''
RuPaul's Drag Race
''RuPaul's Drag Race'' is an American reality competition television series, the first in the ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by World of Wonder for Logo TV (season 1–8), WOW Presents Plus, VH1 (season 9–14) and, beginning with the f ...
'' (special appearance April 4, 2016)
* ''
Dancing With the Stars
''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the forma ...
'' (contestant during Season 24, 2017)
* ''
RuPaul's Drag Race
''RuPaul's Drag Race'' is an American reality competition television series, the first in the ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by World of Wonder for Logo TV (season 1–8), WOW Presents Plus, VH1 (season 9–14) and, beginning with the f ...
'' (special appearance March 13, 2020)
* ''
RuPaul's Drag Race
''RuPaul's Drag Race'' is an American reality competition television series, the first in the ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by World of Wonder for Logo TV (season 1–8), WOW Presents Plus, VH1 (season 9–14) and, beginning with the f ...
'' (special appearance March 3, 2023: "
50/50's Most Gagworthy Stars")
* ''
Generation Gap
A generation gap or generational gap is a difference of opinions between one generation and another regarding beliefs, politics, or values. In today's usage, ''generation gap'' often refers to a perceived gap between younger people and their paren ...
'' (special appearance September 21, 2023)
See also
*
List of Spanish Americans
This is a list of notable Americans who self-identify themselves as Americans of Spanish American, Spanish descent, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants.
There are also many peopl ...
*
Mononymous person
A mononym is a name composed of only one word. An individual who is known and addressed by a mononym is a mononymous person. In some cases, a mononym selected by an individual may have originally been from a polynym, a word which refers to one o ...
*
Age fabrication
Age fabrication occurs when people deliberately misrepresent their true age. This is usually done with the intention to garner privileges or status that would not otherwise be available to that person (i.e., a minor misrepresenting their age in o ...
Notes
References
External links
*
*
*
*
* "Charo Baeza" episode of ''El Tiempo Vivido'' , first broadcast on
7RM in Murcia, Charo's home town
part 1part 2part 3part 4part 5
{{DEFAULTSORT:Charo
Living people
Age controversies
American women comedians
20th-century American actresses
American dance musicians
American women guitarists
American women singers
American television actresses
American voice actresses
Flamenco guitarists
Singers from the Region of Murcia
People from Murcia
People from Beverly Hills, California
Spanish dance musicians
Spanish emigrants to the United States
Spanish women singers
Spanish television actresses
Spanish voice actresses
Spanish women comedians
Women classical guitarists
Actresses from Beverly Hills, California
Naturalized citizens of the United States
Year of birth missing (living people)
Las Vegas shows
Women in Latin music
21st-century American women