Walter Mercado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walter Mercado
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Mercado in 2001
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| Born |
Walter Mercado Salinas
9 March 1932 |
| Died | 2 November 2019 (aged 87) |
| Resting place | Señorial Memorial Park, Cupey, San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Education | University of Puerto Rico |
| Known for |
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| Movement | Sanford Meisner |
| Awards | Mr. Televisión (N.Y.C.) Señor Televisión (D.R.) |
Walter Mercado Salinas (March 9, 1932 – November 2, 2019), also known as Shanti Ananda, was a famous Puerto Rican astrologer, actor, dancer, and writer. He was best known for his TV shows where he shared astrological predictions. These shows were popular for many years in Puerto Rico, Latin America, and the United States. He became a very well-known and loved figure in the Hispanic community.
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Early Life and Talents
Walter Mercado was born on March 9, 1932, in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He spent his early childhood there. His father was José María Mercado from San Germán, Puerto Rico. His mother was Aída Salinas from Catalonia, Spain.
Even as a child, Walter believed he had special spiritual abilities. He went to university and studied teaching (pedagogy), how the mind works (psychology), and medicine (pharmacy). He used these skills to teach others, understand people, and learn about healing plants.
Walter's Professional Journey
Dancing and Acting
Walter Mercado was a talented singer and dancer. He studied both classical and modern ballet. He became one of the most active dancers in Puerto Rico. He even danced with the famous comedian Velda González.
In the 1960s, Walter Mercado also worked as an actor. He appeared in Puerto Rican TV shows called telenovelas, like Un adiós en el recuerdo and Larga distancia. He also had his own acting school called Walter Actors Studio 64.
Becoming an Astrologer
Walter Mercado's TV career as an entertainer began by chance. A Puerto Rican producer named Elín Ortíz invited him to be on his TV show. This happened when another guest artist did not show up. Walter Mercado was at the TV station, and Ortíz asked him to fill in. Walter used the 25 minutes to make astrological predictions while wearing colorful and fancy robes. After that, he became a regular on the show, sharing his predictions. He was known for his heavily decorated costumes and capes.
In 1970, Mercado started his regular astrology part on a show called El Show de las 12. He studied astrology, tarot, and other mysterious subjects even more deeply. He hosted a weekly astrology TV show on WKAQ-TV, Channel 2/Telemundo. Later, his show moved to WRIK-TV (channel 7 in Ponce), where it stayed for many years.
By the 1980s, his show was seen on many TV channels across Latin America and the United States. Walter also wrote his predictions for newspapers, magazines, and websites. He wrote for the Miami Herald and appeared on radio shows.
In 1986, Walter Mercado received the title Mr. Televisión from a group of entertainment critics in New York. By the end of the 1980s, he had written seven books. One of his books, Más allá del horizonte (Beyond the Horizon), was published in three languages: Spanish, English, and Portuguese.
From the mid-1990s until 2010, Mercado's show was on the Univision network across the Americas. On January 8, 2010, he announced that he and Univision were no longer working together after 15 years. He also appeared on Primer Impacto from 1994 to 2009.
In the mid-2010s, Walter Mercado worked on other projects. These included a dating website, a line of Zodiac-themed soaps, and a popular website and app that offered daily horoscopes. His website received over 1 million visits in its first month. He also continued to make public appearances.
A New Name and Legal Matters
In October 2010, Walter Mercado changed his name to "Shanti Ananda." This name means "peace happiness" in Sanskrit. He said that a "being of light" gave him a spiritual message, which he called his "authentic mystic name."
In January 2012, Walter Mercado had a legal case about the use of his name and image. He had signed a contract with a company in 1995 but ended their partnership in 2006. A judge ruled that the company could continue to use his name and image in future projects. Walter Mercado said about the case, "I worked for many years, and gave some releases without thinking much about human wickedness."
Walter's Later Years
In 2003, Walter Mercado said he had a "spiritual relationship" with Brazilian actress and dancer Mariette Detotto. They shared a TV program. In a 2020 documentary about his life, Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado, Walter said that the most important relationship in his life was with his fans. He always lived in Puerto Rico.
In January 2012, Walter Mercado had heart problems and was flown to Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. He said he "had gone and seen death and came back to life again." After this experience, he said he had changed. He wanted to work with young people in Puerto Rico and planned to start the Shanti Ananda foundation. He also wanted to create a center for mysticism and donated three of his famous capes to a museum. Most of his capes had already been sold at auctions.
Walter Mercado passed away on November 2, 2019, from kidney failure. He was 87 years old. He is buried at Señorial Memorial Park in Cupey barrio, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Awards and Recognition
- Awarded the Mr. Televisión title by the Association of Latin Entertainment Critics of New York.
- Awarded the Señor Televisión title at the 1972 Festival de Codazos in the Dominican Republic.
Walter Mercado's Works
Television Shows
- Historia de mi vida (1963)
- Ana Rosa (1965)
- La mujer de aquella noche (1968)
- Recordar (1968)
- Entre el puñal y la cruz (1969)
- Una sombra (1970)
- La intrusa (1970)
- Renzo el gitano (1971)
- Totally Scott-Lee (2005)
- Doritos advertisement (PepsiCo, 2016)
Theatre Plays
- Anastasia
- Bodas de sangre
- La dama de las camelias
- Androcles y el león
- Los cuatro coroneles
- El tríptico de amor, dolor y muerte
- Todos los hijos de Dios tienen alas (1960)
- Look Back in Anger (Mirando hacia atrás con ira) (1970)
Music Albums
- Walter '84 (1984)
- Walter '86 (1986, Sonotone)
- Walter Mercado (1986)
- Guía para una vida mejor (1997)
Films
- Una mujer sin precio (1966) (choreographer)
- Hoy (2003)
- Chasing Papi (2003)
- Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado (2020, documentary released after his death)
Books Written
- Mensajes Para Vivir, co-authored with Dr. Leon Alberto Vasquez (unknown date)
- Enciclopedia De Walter Mercado (Tomo 1) (1983)
- Más allá del horizonte (Beyond the Horizon: Visions of the New Millennium) (1997)
- Guia Para Una Vida Mejor (1997)
- El Mundo secreto de Walter Mercado (Spanish Edition) (2010)
See also
In Spanish: Walter Mercado para niños
- List of Puerto Ricans
- List of people from Ponce, Puerto Rico
