Annette Charles (née Cardona; March 5, 1948 – August 3, 2011) was an American actress, dancer, and educator best known for her role as Charlene "Cha-Cha" DiGregorio in the 1978 feature film ''
Grease''. She made several appearances on television as well.
Early life
Charles was born Annette Cardona in Los Angeles, California of Mexican and Italian ancestry.
Career
Charles became an actress, and was best known for her role as Charlene "Cha Cha" DiGregorio in the 1978 feature film ''
Grease''. She made several appearances on television as well.
Charles later earned a
bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to si ...
from
Antioch University Los Angeles
Antioch University Los Angeles (AULA) is a campus of Antioch University in Culver City, California.
Background
Antioch College was founded in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Horace Mann, Antioch College’s first president's goal was to create an educat ...
in psychology and theater, and a
master's degree in social work from
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, th ...
before becoming a speech communication professor in the Chicano Studies department at
California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge (CSUN or Cal State Northridge) is a public university in the Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. With a total enrollment of 38,551 students (as of Fall 2021), it has the second largest un ...
.
Personal life and death
Charles died on August 3, 2011 in Los Angeles from lung cancer, aged 63.
She initially was hospitalized for pneumonia.
Credits
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Charles, Annette
1948 births
2011 deaths
Actresses from Los Angeles
American film actresses
American television actresses
California State University, Northridge faculty
Deaths from cancer in California
New York University alumni
21st-century American women
American people of Italian descent
American actresses of Mexican descent
Hispanic and Latino American actresses