One Of The Love Boat's Most Memorable Guest Stars Tried To Turn The Show Down
The Love Boat saw no shortage of actors come and go, but one of the show's most frequent recurring guest stars had to be persuaded into her first episode.
Gavin MacLeod, Bernie Kopell, and other members of The Love Boat cast were joined by notable guests throughout its nearly decade-long run. Some were newcomers like Tom Hanks, while others were already renowned icons such as Ginger Rogers. Despite the series' success in attracting guest stars, producer Aaron Spelling faced challenges in booking musician and dancer Charo during the first season. Her initial refusal stemmed from an already packed schedule of live performances at the Sahara in Las Vegas, Nevada.
To convince Charo, Spelling made her guest role as April Lopez, a stowaway, easy to prepare for and closely aligned with her real-life persona. Once the role was more manageable, everything fell into place, and the best cast in the world, as Charo recalled to Remind Magazine in 2025, remained mutually enticed. Charo had already acted in films and TV shows, including The Carol Burnett Show, before joining The Love Boat.
Charo's experience on The Love Boat extended beyond one episode, eventually becoming a series regular. Although the beloved 70s show has not aged well, Charo made lifelong friends through her involvement. Since then, she has continued to expand her resume, including guest appearances on That 70s Show and The Suite Life on Deck. Charo's guest commitment multiplied from one episode to nine, even during significant moments in her life, including the birth of her son Shel Rasten in 1981 and a pregnancy during one of her guest appearances.
Despite her busy schedule, Charo maintained her character's bikini scene by using creative blocking with other actors. When the final episode of The Love Boat aired in 1986, it returned for a few specials, and Charo reprised her role as April Lopez once more in the 1987 feature-length episode Who Killed Maxwell Thorne. While not willing to sacrifice her career for a regular role on The Love Boat, by the end of 1988, Charo took a hiatus to focus on raising her son.
Once they settled in Hawaii, she balanced parenting and performing live, returning to live performances.
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