Charo is a Spanish-American actress, singer, flamenco guitarist, and comedian who became famous for her unique style and comic timing. She coined her signature phrase, “cuchi cuchi,” which became her trademark.
What Is Charo Net Worth
As of 2023, Charo’s net worth is estimated at $12-$15 million, but this is nothing compared to Manny Khoshbin and Michael Imperioli‘s net worth. This makes her one of the wealthiest entertainers in the United States. As you might have guessed, she earned her fortune from her career as an actress, comedian, and singer.
Continue reading if you want to learn more about Charo. This post focuses on her career, net worth, earning, personal life, and investments. Let’s jump straight in!
Charo’s Net Worth Annually
Charo’s financial statements are not available to the public. However, we are sure that her wealth came from her successful career as an entertainer. She has appeared in many movies and TV shows throughout her career.
It is nearly impossible to state her annual income since her earnings are based on what she gets as an actor and gigs from comedy shows.
Some sources state that she earns about $1.9 million annually. However, she is yet to confirm these figures. And as it stands, they are only speculations.
Unlike other actresses, such as Lainey Wilson and Jack White and Kay Flock, who are still young with potentials, Charo is unlikely to get any wealthier.
How Did He Get Rich?
Charo is a professional actress, singer, guitarist, and comedian. Her fortune mainly came from her career, where she gets compensated for featuring in movies and comedy shows.
Biography
María Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Baeza, famously known as Charo, was born on January 15, 1951, in Murcia, Spain. However, there have been controversies surrounding her birth date.
According to her Spanish birth certificate and American naturalization papers, her birth date was March 13, 1941. Charo later claimed that she was born in 1947. But what stood today, according to her statement to the court, is that she was born on January 15, 1951.
Charo’s father was a lawyer, and her mother was a homemaker. Her father fled Spain during the dictatorship era of Francisco Franco, and her mother remained behind to look after her and her siblings.
She started playing guitar when she was just 9 years of age. She trained under Andres Segovia, a contemporary classical guitar music pioneer. Ultimately, she became one of the best flamenco guitarists, according to the survey conducted by the guitar magazine readers.
According to her, Charo enrolled in a convent school as a child. She only left the convent at 15 when a nun told her she belonged in show business. Charo’s grandmother hired a music professor to teach her.
| Full Name: | María Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Baeza |
| Nick Name: | Charo |
| Birth Place: | Murcia, Spain |
| Birthday: | January 15, 1951 |
| Zodiac Sign: | Pisces |
| Age (How Old): | 72 |
| Weight: | 58 KG (128 pounds) |
| Height (How Tall): | 5 ft 4 inches (1.63m) |
| Marital Status: | Widowed |
| Husband: | Kjell Rasten (Died in 2019) |
| Boyfriend: | N/A |
|
Father: Unknown
Mother: Unknown |
| Kids/Children Name: | Shel Rasten |
| Siblings: |
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| College: | Unknown |
| Profession: | Comedian, Singer, Guitarist, Actress |
| Social Media Accounts: |
Career and Awards
Charo first appeared on an American TV show, “The Today Show.” She also featured on “The Ed Sullivan Show” along with her ex-husband Xavier Cugat and his orchestra. That happened between 1965 and 1967.
Charo “La Cucaracha” & “La Bamba” on The Ed Sullivan Show
She was highly visible throughout the 1970s, appearing on “The Love Boat” eight times and many other talk shows. These included Donny & Marie, Tony Orlando and Dawn, The Captain and Tennille, The John Davidson Show, The Mike Douglas Show, etc.
Charo was named the best Best Flamenco Guitarist in Guitar Player Magazine‘s readers’ poll twice. She also returned to dancing in 2008 with a single, “España Cañi,” released under Universal Wave Records. She followed this with “Sexy Sexy” in 2011 and “Dance a Little Bit Closer” in 2013.
Charo released up to six albums as a singer between 1977 and 2005. These are as listed below:
- 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)
Charo also had an incredible career as an actress, appearing in many short films and TV series. She had many credits in the industry, including the latest “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” released on March 13, 2020. See the complete list on her Wikipedia page.
CHARO – Malagueña – LIVE in Morongo Casino
Personal Life
Charo’s first marriage took place when she was very young. She married a 66-year-old Spanish musician and band leader, Xavier Cugat. Charo was still a teenager.
Cugat noticed her in Spain while filming a television special. Despite his troublesome previous relationship, Charo did not refuse his marriage. They moved to the United States and were the first to wed at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on August 7, 1966.
Unfortunately, their marriage didn’t last for long. Charo filed for divorce after becoming a naturalized US citizen.
She later claimed their marriage was only a business deal to allow her to move to the US. That explained why she didn’t question Cugat’s marriage proposal despite the age gap and his past marriages that ended in a divorce.
Charo married for a second time on August 11, 1978, to Kjell Rasten in a civil ceremony held in South Lake Tahoe, California. The two had a son named Shel Rasten. The couple limited their public appearance between the 1980s and 1990s to focus on raising their son, who is now a drummer for the metal band, Treazen.
Once again, Charo was unfortunate because her husband committed suicide on February 18, 2019, due to health problems.
Assets
Charo has a valuable real estate portfolio. She owns two homes: one is located in Beverly Hills, and the other is in Hawaii.
Her 8,000-square-foot mansion in Beverly Hills has a market value of about $15-$20 million. On the other hand, Cahro’s beachfront double property on the Hawaiian island is challenging to set its price tag. That is because the property is unique and may be worth more than her Beverly Hills home.
FAQs
What Did Charo Do For a Living?
Charo has been an entertainer throughout her life. She was a musician, actress, comedian, and flamenco guitarist. Unbelievably, she stood out in everything she did.
How Old Is Charo?
There have been controversies surrounding Charo’s birth date. But going with what she told the court, she was born on January 15, 1951. That means she was 72 years old when this article was written.
What is The Famous Saying From Charo?
Charo became synonymous with her “cuchi cuchi” saying. This became her trademark throughout her career as a comedian and was accompanied by spirited hip wiggles.
Who Taught Charo?
Charo learned her guitar skills from one of the pioneers of classical flamenco guitar music, Andres Segovia. She was a good student who became the best guitarist.
How Long Was Charo Married?
Charo has been in two marriages. Her first union was with a Spanish band leader Xavier Cugat in 1966, but they divorced a few years later. She then married Kjell Rasten in 1978, and they stayed married until he died in 2019. The two enjoyed 40 years of marriage and were blessed with one son.
