Anthony Chase, our local theater critic, praised Charo who he has seen in concert several times, and urged the listeners of his radio segment to buy tickets to see Charo when she was scheduled to appear in Western New York. For those of you who many be unfamiliar with Charo, she 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 (Spanish-style) guitar at the age of nine, training under the famed guitarist Andrés Segovia. When she arrived in the United States, she became a popular guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and was known as the “cuchi-cuchi” girl.
Since Charo was appearing at the Rivera Theater–five minutes from our house–Diane had me buy two tickets on Thanksgiving Eve to witness this event. Charo performed a high energy show singing some ABBA songs, playing her classical guitar–of course she played “Bolero”!–and plunged into the enthusiastic audience who took dozens of selfies with the famous Charo. All in all, an excellent concert by an 80-ish woman who doesn’t look or act her age! Do you remember Charo? GRADE: B+
Of course I remember her: she was a fixture of 1970s late-night talk shows—the focus always being her ditzy/fiery Hispanic persona and her, um, ample assets, sort of the way Sophia Vagara is perceived today. I’m sure Jeff (if he’s not on a plane right now) will make note of how “flexible” Charo’s approach to her age is: based on some of her “recollections”, she would have been six years old when she married Xavier Cugat, lol.
Deb, Charo looked amazingly fit during this concert! As you suggest, Charo’s age is “flexible” but I’m guessing she is in her 80s.
Deb, was there ever anyone who gave more of an appearance of a randy old goat than Xavier Cugat? (Excluding members of the incoming administration, of course.)
I never knew she was a serious musician. She was so ditzy on those talks shows. Good for you to give it a chance.
Patti, I was impressed with Charo’s guitar playing. I think she just faked the ditziness.
I remember her best from her New Year’s Eve appearances with Xavier Cugat, and being the only reason hormonal teenaged me watched Cugat over Guy Lombardo. Her talent was always overshadowed by her sexiness, much like Pia Zadora in later times.
As for her age, a woman is allowed her secrets, but her Spanish birth certificate (never a reliable source) would make her something that rhymes with greaty-tree. Other ages given out by her, her publicists, and people in general, rhyme with bleventy-bleven, dreventy-drive, skeventy-skree, pleventy-ploo, breaty-blore, In 1977, a Las Vegas judge rules that Charo’s age rhymed with skeventy-skree, which would mean that she was fifteen when she married Cugat, even though she graduated from high school at sixteen, did not start her musical career until later, and this would have made Cugat 51 years her senior. Ah, the wonders of legal (and entertainment) math!
Jerry, I would guess that Charo believes that age is just a number…that changes with her whims!
Yeah, Charo, one of those celebrities whom I watched as a young’un on Carson, Merv Griffin, and Mike Douglas, wondering what exactly her talent was, beyond (forgive the sexism) the obvious. Jack Douglas and Reiko had the same mystery for me as a kid; they showed up frequently on TV talk, but why. I didn’t know that Jack Douglas was a comedy writer, just as I never knew Charo’s fame as a guitarist.
Fred, Charo’s talent with the classical guitar is real.
Yes, unfortunately. My version of Hell would be Charo in concert with Barry Manilow.
Also, what Deb said.
Jeff, it probably won’t surprise you that Diane is a big fan of Barry Manilow. We’ve seen him in concert twice.
So has Jackie, both times without me!
Jerry, my aunt’s third husband – a man I never saw when he wasn’t drunk – had that little Cugat mustache thing going.
Jeff, some men think that little Cugat mustache is sexy. Not me!