Ask Stacy for 10/13/18

Stacy Jenel Smith
Sat, 13 Oct 2018 21:00:00 -0700
Lifestyle

DEAR STACY: Seeing Sofia Vergara on a recent Hulu commercial made me wonder whatever happened to Charo, who did the same kind of high-energy kookie sexy Latina schtick a few decades back. — Rob B., Ontario, California

DEAR ROB: The blond "Cuchi-Cuchi Girl" is still performing, mostly on cruise ships these days, with an act that combines popular music and flamenco guitar (she studied with Andres Segovia, you may recall, and plays beautifully). The former wife of late bandleader Xavier Cugat went to court to have her age declared 10 years younger than some records showed. So, she is now 67 or 78 depending upon which documents you believe. She also turns up on TV from time to time. In recent years, she's been seen on "Dancing With the Stars," "RuPaul's Drag U" and "Jane the Virgin."
Updated: Sat Oct 13, 2018

DEAR STACY: Seeing Sofia Vergara on a recent Hulu commercial made me wonder whatever happened to Charo, who did the same kind of high-energy kookie sexy Latina schtick a few decades back. — Rob B., Ontario, California

DEAR ROB: The blond "Cuchi-Cuchi Girl" is still performing, mostly on cruise ships these days, with an act that combines popular music and flamenco guitar (she studied with Andres Segovia, you may recall, and plays beautifully). The former wife of late bandleader Xavier Cugat went to court to have her age declared 10 years younger than some records showed. So, she is now 67 or 78 depending upon which documents you believe. She also turns up on TV from time to time. In recent years, she's been seen on "Dancing With the Stars," "RuPaul's Drag U" and "Jane the Virgin."

DEAR STACY: I have read that Nicole Kidman was born in Hawaii and also that she's a native of Australia. I'm curious which is correct? — Tracy M., Cedar Rapids, Iowa

DEAR TRACY: The actress was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her father, clinical psychologist and biochemist Dr. Antony Kidman, was a visiting fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health of the United States at the time. When Nicole was four years old, the family returned to Australia.

DEAR STACY: In the original "Little Women," Amy was Joan Bennett, Jo was Katharine Hepburn, Beth was Jean Paker and Marmee, Frances Dee. But who played the boy, Laurie? — Heather B., Toluca Lake, California

DEAR HEATHER: That was Douglass Montgomery, who acted in a slew of other films ("Mystery of Edwin Drood," "Forbidden") and many 1950s TV dramas. He died in 1966.

DEAR STACY: Whatever became of Cathryn Damon of "Soap"? She was such a talent. — Betty L., Westbury, New York

DEAR BETTY: The accomplished actress of Broadway, television and film fame succumbed to cancer in 1987, at age 56.