Annette Charles

Annette Charles, who died on August 3 aged 63, played the raunchy Cha Cha DiGregorio in the hit musical Grease (1978).

Her character was the ex-girlfriend of Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and the love interest of a rival gang member Leo Balmudo, played by Dennis Stewart.

Annette Charles and John Travolta in 'Grease'

 

Set during the 1950s in a typical American high school, Grease met with both critical and popular acclaim. The film’s soundtrack album became the second-bestselling album of the year in the United States, behind the soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever, another film starring Travolta. In Britain the album proved even more successful, remaining at the top of the charts for 13 weeks.

The character of Cha Cha resonated across the world as the fallen woman made good. She went on to inspire other American teenage roles, most recently Quinn Fabray (Dianna Agron), the gutsy cheerleader and teenage mother in the current American high school television series Glee.

In one of Grease’s most memorable scenes, Cha Cha performs a sexy, high-octane number with Zuko at the nationally broadcast school dance contest, prompting Sandy (Olivia Newton John) to storm out in a fit of jealousy.

“Women were pretty mean to me following the release of the picture, especially for that particular scene,” Annette Charles remembered. “Cha Cha was like catnip to Danny Zuko and his friends the T-birds . I was wild and experienced and terrified the almost demure Pink Ladies [the T-birds female equivalent], whereas Sandy was all-American and wholesome. However, film audiences preferred me and I know for a fact guys loved and lusted after my character”.

Her most memorable line in the film was: “They call me Cha Cha ’cause I’m the best dancer at St Bernadette’s,” to which Frenchie (Didi Conn) responded: “With the worst reputation.”
She was born Annette Cardona on March 5 1948 in Los Angeles and began performing at an early age. Encouraged by her mother, Annette became an actress after leaving high school.
She was already a successful television actress, appearing in episodes of The High Chaparral, The Flying Nun, Bonanza and The Bionic Woman, when she was considered for the role of Cha Cha.
Despite the film’s success and her own good reviews, other screen work proved unforthcoming. For a while she acted under her real name, Annette Cardona, and worked mainly on television, making her final appearance in an episode of Magnum PI in 1987.
After retiring from acting the following year, she became a teacher at California State University. In 2001 she was awarded a degree from the New York University School of Social Work. The following year she appeared in an episode of Where Are They Now? for an American music channel, revisiting her saucy dancer persona.
Annette Charles was thrice married and is survived by her third husband, Robert Romeo.