María Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Baeza, professionally known by her stage name Charo, is a Spanish-born actress, singer, comedian, and flamenco guitarist who rose to international prominence in the 1960s on American television, as well as starring in several films. Charo began playing classical guitar, classical (Spanish-style) guitar at the age of nine, training under the famed guitarist Andrés Segovia. In 1966, she married 66-year-old bandleader Xavier Cugat and moved to the United States with him. In the late 1960s and 1970s, she became a ubiquitous presence on Television in the United States, American television, frequently appearing as a Guest appearance, guest star on series such as ''Laugh-In'', ''Fantasy Island'', ''The Love Boat'', and ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson''. She is known for her uninhibited and exuberant manner, high energy levels, #Birth year controversy, vague age, heavy Spanish accent, and catchphrase "cuchi-cuchi". She frequently Self-deprecation, 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 recordings in the 1970s with Salsoul Records, 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 (magazine), Billboard'' Magazine.Ruíz, 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 wiktionary:laugh all the way to the bank, all the way to the bank."

Early life

Charo was born in the city of Murcia, Spain. Her birth date has been a matter of some dispute (see '#Birth year controversy, Birth year controversy' below). Her Spanish passport gives her name as María del Rosario Mercedes Pilar Martínez 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 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 Xavier Cugat "discovered" her while in Spain filming a television special in 1964. They wed on August 7, 1966. An April 1966 column by Earl Wilson (columnist), 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 Sant Cugat del Vallès, 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 in Las Vegas Strip, 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"
''La Opinión Digital'', February 17, 2005

Birth year controversy

Charo's year of birth is the subject of Age fabrication#Actors and comedians, 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 A14Paul 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 affidavits 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'"
''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'', and on variety and talk shows such as ''Donny & Marie (1976 TV series), Donny & Marie'',''Donny & Marie'' broadcast listings, "Channel Choices", ''The Dallas Morning News'', February 27, 1976, pg. C7 (with George Gobel); December 3, 1976, pg. B11 (with Carl Reiner); December 2, 1977, pg. A16 (with Milton Berle and the Sylvers) ''Tony Orlando and Dawn'',''Tony Orlando and Dawn'' broadcast listings, "Channel Choices", ''The Dallas Morning News'', July 10, 1974, pg. C7 (with Lloyd Bridges); March 5, 1975, pg. D4 (with Tony Randall); January 28, 1976, pg. C9 (with Freddy Fender). ''Captain & Tennille, The Captain and Tennille'',''The Captain and Tennille'' broadcast listings, "Channel Choices", ''The Dallas Morning News'', March 7, 1977, pg. B7 (with John Byner, Ben Vereen, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, and LeVar Burton). ''John Davidson (entertainer), The John Davidson Show'', ''The Mike Douglas Show'' (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 ''Brady Bunch Hour, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour''. In 1975, ''Dallas Morning News'' critic Harry Bowman wrote that the American Broadcasting Company, 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 C5UPI. "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. Central Standard Time, 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 United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps husband finds out. The few episodes that were taped ended up being broadcast on the American Armed Forces Network 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" 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

She was named Best Flamenco Guitarist in ''Guitar Player Magazine''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 Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 24), Season 24 of ''Dancing with the Stars (U.S. TV series), Dancing with the Stars'', paired with professional dancer Keo Motsepe. 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 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 Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe, California. He soon became her manager. They have one child, son Shel Rasten (born 1981), who is the drummer for the Heavy metal music, 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'' (2002). They moved to Hawaii, but eventually moved back to Beverly Hills, California, Beverly Hills.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 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. 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) * ''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" – Hot Dance Club Songs, US Dance No. 18; UK Singles Chart, UK No. 44 * 1978: "¿Donde Esta Santa Claus?, Mamacita, ¿dónde está Santa Claus?" ("Mommy, Where's Santa Claus?") * 1978: "Olé Olé" – Hot Dance Club Songs, US Dance 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" – 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'' (October 6, 1965) * ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' (four episodes; 1965–67) * ''Ironside (1967 TV series), Ironside'' (one episode; S05E19 "Find a Victim", 1972) * ''The Carol Burnett Show'' * ''The Cher Show'' (May 14, 1975) * ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' * ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh In'' * ''Donny & Marie (1976 TV series), Donny & Marie 1976 * ''The Hollywood Squares'' (semiregular panelist; 1972–78, 1986–89, 1998–2004) * ''The Charo Show'' (1976; unsold pilot for variety series) * ''Chico and the Man'' (cast member from 1977 to 1978) -- Aunt Charo * ''Sha Na Na (TV series), Sha Na Na'', Season 3 * ''The Love Boat'' (guest-starred in 10 episodes, 1977–84) -- April Lopez * ''Flying High (TV series), Flying High'' (guest-starred in episode #9, 1978–1979) * ''Fantasy Island'' (guest-starred in four episodes, 1981–84) * ''The Facts of Life (TV series), The Facts of Life'' (guest appearance in 1985) * ''The Jeffersons '' (January 8, 1985) * ''Marblehead Manor'' (February 18, 1988) * ''Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special'' (guest star; 1988) * ''Mickey Mouse Works'' (special guest voiceover) * ''That '70s Show'' (special guest appearance: "Red Sees Red" in 2000) * ''The Brak Show'' (special guest star; 2001) * ''The Surreal Life'' (cast member; 2004) * ''So NoTORIous'' (Season 1, Episode 5 in 2006) * ''I Love the '70s: Volume 2'' (appearances in 2006) * ''Chappelle's Show'' (guest appearance in 2006) * ''Las Vegas (TV series), Las Vegas'' * ''Viva Hollywood!'' (new reality show on VH1; May 11, 2008) * ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' (special appearance April 17, 2008) * ''Chelsea Lately'' (special appearance; July 24, 2008) * ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' (special appearance; December 18, 2008) * ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' (guest performer; March 9, 2009) * ''The Suite Life on Deck'' (special appearance as Esteban's mother; 2010) * ''The Wendy Williams Show'' (Episode 363; aired October 5, 2010) * ''Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23'' (special appearance May 17, 2013) * ''Hell's Kitchen (U.S. TV series), Hell's Kitchen'' (dining-room guest; May 26, 2015) * ''Celebrity Wife Swap'' (aired June 17, 2015) * ''Jane The Virgin'' (special appearance March 28, 2016) * ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' (special appearance April 4, 2016) * ''Dancing with the Stars (U.S. TV series), Dancing With the Stars'' (contestant during Season 24, 2017) * ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' (special appearance March 13, 2020) * ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' (special appearance March 3, 2023: "50/50's Most Gagworthy Stars") * ''Generation Gap (game show), Generation Gap'' (special appearance September 21, 2023)

Notes

References

External links

* * * * * "Charo Baeza" episode of ''El Tiempo Vivido'' , first broadcast on La 7 Televisión Región de Murcia, 7RM in Murcia, Charo's home town
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{{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