Charo

Those who know Charo only as the hip-shaking Spanish lady who shouts "Cuchi cuchi" would be stunned to learn that she is fluent in five languages and is a classically trained guitarist who studied under the master, Andrés Segovia. Her real age is a point of contention. Charo claims, despite contradictory records from Spain and the United States, that she was born in 1951. She even had a court ruling in 1977 making this official. It is important because she was brought to the U.S. by bandleader Xavier Cugat in 1966, marrying him that same year, which would have made her 15 at the time.

She has had relatively little success in dramatic roles on film and television, relegated mostly to guest appearances on ensemble shows like the romantic comedy "The Love Boat" and the fantasy series "Fantasy Island," with a small recurring role as Freddy Prinze's aunt on the comedy "Chico and the Man" in 1977 and 1978. But, by playing herself, whether on game shows like "The Hollywood Squares," in interviews with Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show," as a guest on Merv Griffin's program, in the reality series "The Surreal Life," on the dais for the Dean Martin roasts, or opposite Bob Hope on a number of his specials, she has maintained her celebrity for over 40 years across several generations of viewers.