Walter Mercado Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth

What was Walter Mercado’s Net Worth?

Walter Mercado was a Puerto Rican television personality, actor, dancer, and writer who had a net worth of $1 million at the time of his death in 2019. Walter Mercado was best known for his astrology television shows and segments. As an astrologer, he became a phenomenon in the Hispanic community, with his shows seen throughout Latin America and the United States. Earlier in his career, Mercado acted in telenovelas and theatrical productions.

Unfortunately Walter also became embroiled in a lawsuit over the rights to his own name and likeness. In 2012 he lost a lawsuit against Bart Enterprises International over a contract signed in 1995 that gave all international intellectual property rights to a former manager. Walter severed ties with Bart Enterprises in 2006 after family members alerted him to the particulars of the contract.

Walter died on November 2, 2019, at the age of 87.

Early Life and Education

Walter Mercado Salinas was born on March 9, 1932 in Ponce, Puerto Rico to Spanish mother Aída and Puerto Rican father José. Growing up, he believed he had special spiritual capabilities. For his higher education, Mercado attended the University of Puerto Rico, where he studied psychology, pharmacy, and pedagogy.

Dancing and Acting

Mercado began his career as a dancer and actor. Having studied classical and modern ballet, he became one of the most prolific dancers in Puerto Rico. Mercado was well-known as the dancing partner of comedian Velda González. As an actor, he appeared in various Puerto Rican telenovelas in the 1960s and ’70s, including “Un adiós en el recuerdo,” “Larga distancia,” “Historia de mi vida,” and “Entre el puñal y la cruz.” He also acted on stage in Spanish-language productions of such plays as “The Lady of the Camellias,” “Androcles and the Lion,” and “Look Back in Anger.”

Astrology

Mercado first did astrology on television when he was invited to perform on the show of Puerto Rican comedian and producer Elín Ortíz. Filling in for a guest artist who never showed up, Mercado donned colorful, flamboyant robes while making astrological predictions. He was a success, resulting in a regular astrology segment on Ortíz’s show. In 1970, Mercado began a regular astrology segment on the midday variety program “El Show de las 12,” where he enhanced his predictions by implementing tarot and other occult disciplines. He soon began hosting a weekly astrology show on the same network, WKAQ-TV. Mercado later moved his show to WRIK-TV, hosting it there for several years before migrating to WKBM-TV.

Mercado’s popularity grew throughout the 1980s as his show was seen on channels in both Latin America and the United States. In 1986, he was named “Mr. Televisión” by the Association of Latin Entertainment Critics of New York. Mercado extended his presence by doing astrological predictions for radio, newspapers, and magazines, and later for websites. For a while, he was a syndicated writer with the Miami Herald. In the mid-1990s, Mercado’s show began airing on Univision, where it stayed until 2010. Meanwhile, Mercado made numerous appearances on the Univision tabloid newsmagazine program “Primer Impacto.” After leaving Univision, he changed his name to Shanti Ananda and created a personal website and app offering daily horoscopes.

Name & Likeness Lawsuit

In early 2012, Mercado lost a lawsuit against the company Bart Enterprises International, with which he had been signed from 1995 to 2006. After he cut ties with the company, litigation was filed on both sides. Mercado sought to prevent the company from using his name and likeness in future commercial ventures, but the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled against him.

Personal Life and Death

Self-described as androgynous, Mercado had an ambiguous relationship with his gender and sexuality. He claimed that he had a “spiritual relationship” with Brazilian actress and dancer Mariette Detotto, and later said that the main relationship of his life was with his fans. Additionally, Mercado claimed, perhaps jokingly, that he remained a virgin into his 80s.

In early 2012, Mercado was flown to Cleveland Clinic in Ohio after suffering cardiac problems. He recovered, and said the experience changed his life, prompting a desire to do extensive philanthropic work in Puerto Rico. Mercado later passed away from kidney failure on November 2, 2019 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He is buried in the city’s Señorial Memorial Park.