What Is Charo's Net Worth?
Charo is a Spanish-American actress, singer, comedian, and flamenco guitarist with a net worth of $60 million. She gained fame in the 1970s through her engaging personality and musical talent, making frequent appearances on popular American TV shows like The Love Boat and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Renowned for her catchphrase "cuchi-cuchi" and energetic performances, Charo became a beloved entertainer.
Charo showcased her flamenco guitar skills in numerous albums, creating a fusion of traditional Spanish music with pop and Latin influences. Albums like Cuchi-Cuchi and Charo and the Salsoul Orchestra attracted significant acclaim.
Apart from music, Charo ventured into films including Moon Over Parador and Airport '79: The Concorde. She also performed in Las Vegas shows and toured extensively, captivating audiences with her vibrant performances. Her contributions to the entertainment industry earned her recognition such as the "Female Pop Album of the Year" award for Charo and Guitar at the Billboard International Latin Music Conference.
Real Estate
Charo owns a valuable real estate portfolio. Her primary residences are in Beverly Hills and Hawaii. Her Beverly Hills mansion, situated in a desirable area, spans 8,000 square feet and is valued at $15 – $20 million.
In Hawaii, she owns a substantial beachfront property on the island of Kauai. This unique and exquisite property is estimated to be worth at least $20 million, although the exact value is difficult to determine.
Early Life
Charo was born María Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Baeza on January 15, 1951, in Murcia, Spain. Her father, a lawyer, fled Spain during Francisco Franco's dictatorship, while her mother raised the children. Charo grew up playing classical guitar, reportedly attending a Madrid school for underprivileged children founded by guitarist Andrés Segovia, from which she graduated with honors at age 16.
During her teens, bandleader Xavier Cugat noticed her talent. Despite their 40-year age difference and his multiple divorces, they married and moved to the United States, becoming the first couple to wed at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Charo has claimed the marriage was a business arrangement allowing her to immigrate legally.
Early Career
Charo performed on The Ed Sullivan Show four times between 1965 and 1967 with her husband. She featured in a segment of the comedy sketch show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, where she popularized her catchphrase "Cuchi-Cuchi." Her film debut was in the 1970 drama Tiger by the Tale, and by the following year, she was headlining Vegas shows.
Throughout the 1970s, Charo made numerous guest appearances on shows like The Dean Martin Show, The Carol Burnett Show, The Mike Douglas Show, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, and Chico and the Man. She appeared eight times on The Love Boat.
In 1976, Charo starred in her variety television special Charo and the comedy film Charo and the Sergeant. She performed at the 1977 Golden Globe Awards and the 4th Annual American Music Awards. That same year, she became a US citizen and divorced Cugat.
Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images
In 1978, Charo married producer Kjell Rasten. They had a civil ceremony in South Lake Tahoe, California, and welcomed their son in 1981. The family moved to Hawaii where Charo opened a restaurant and performed at the Polynesian Palace resort. She produced and starred in the successful variety show Tropical Heat at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort in Waikiki for nearly a decade.
Charo made various TV appearances in the '80s and '90s on shows like Late Night with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. She released the Latin albums Guitar Passion (1994) and Gusto (1997).
Her career revived in the 2000s with guest appearances on That '70s Show and her variety show Bravo at The Venetian Hotel & Casino, deemed Las Vegas' best variety show by Time magazine in its first year. From 2002 to 2004, she was a panelist on Hollywood Squares. She starred on The Surreal Life in 2004 and co-hosted Queer Edge with Jack E. Jett in 2005. Other appearances included the 1970s documentary series I Love the '70s: Volume 2 in 2006 and an episode of The Suite Life on Deck in 2010.
During the 2010s, Charo participated in reality shows such as RuPaul's Drag U, Celebrity Ghost Stories, Hell's Kitchen, Celebrity Wife Swap, Entertainment Tonight, and RuPaul's Drag Race. In 2017, she competed on Dancing with the Stars, though was eliminated after her second performance.
(Photo by Phillip Faraone/FilmMagic)
Personal Life
Charo and Kjell Rasten moved to Hawaii when their son was 6 years old. Due to Hawaii's large Japanese population, Charo learned Japanese in addition to Spanish, French, and Italian. In February 2019, Rasten died by suicide at 78, suffering from Bullous pemphigoid, a rare autoimmune disease causing painful skin blisters. Charo stated that he had been in immense pain from the disease and its treatments.
In 2014, Charo received the Ricardo Montalbán Lifetime Achievement ALMA Award, celebrating Latino contributions to entertainment. Guitar Magazine twice ranked her as the best classical flamenco guitarist globally. She is a member of PETA and vice president of the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
