Everything You Need To Know About Cher
Cher has led a spectacular life, both in front and behind the camera, and her star-studded career has spanned over the last four decades. The legendary diva that we all came to know and love, first gained popularity in 1965 when she became a part of the lovable singing duo Sonny & Cher. This led to one of her most successful shows ever aired, which became known as The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour Show and brought her world recognition. Since that point, she has enjoyed an astonishingly long and satisfying career venturing into almost every aspect of show business. Aside from singing, she also invaded the world of television, shows and movies. This actually made her a triple threat in the industry.
Some time ago, a biography about Cher was released, which delved further into her incredible life and revealed some little-known facts about the star. When it was published, the author Mark Bego decalred, “No one in the history of show business has had a career of the magnitude and scope of Cher’s.” Nothing could be truer! In reality, she has gone on and off the grid over the years and she just keeps coming back for more. But whenever she makes her comeback, it’s always fresh, original and guaranteed to steal the show.
Cher’s musical life is that of a cat – it has many lives. Looking back through the years, she has released a show-stopping amount of memorable hit singles. There’s literally too many to mention, but the the release dates were actually far apart. She has rejoined the industry time and time again and most recently has starred in a Broadway play!
Behind her star-studded career, Cher has also experienced an eventful and quite dramatic personal life. In fact, as you can imagine her life has been full of twists and turns. Throughout the years, she has been married two times. The first time was her high-profile and much-publicized marriage to Sonny Bono. Cher later re-married and this time was to Gregg Allman. From both marriages, Cher has two children named Chaz and Elijah, who are both now grown up, but we’ll get to that part later. Actually, there’s many details that you probably didn’t know about Cher’s phenomenal life. So, let’s find more and meet the legend behind the lens…
No (Christmas) dinner for you
Cher was totally displeased with Elijah, her son, when she thought he would run away with his former fiancée, Angie. She was totally upset that he defied her that she had stopped inviting him on holidays that year. Unfortunately, Elijah felt that he had to do it and went on with his rebellion.
No Christmas Dinner For You
Daughter
In 1972, Cher and Sonny were blessed with a daughter, their only child. They named her Chastity. Their television viewers would often see Chastity on The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour Show. They named Chastity after the movie that they starred and produced where Cher played the role of a bicurious woman. It is ironic because Chastity grew up to have issues in her gender identity.
Daughter
No touching
What came as an astonishing revelation was that Cher and Sonny was revealed to have a poor physical relationship. Sonny even said, “we never had a good physical relationship.” He added, “I can’t blame it on her. Maybe I was the lousy lover. Maybe I was the biggest pain because I’m a real physical person.” No one would have been able to guess it as the two had an amazing on-screen chemistry.
No Touching
Marry in secret
Cher and Sonney had a secret marriage in Tijuana, Mexico, in a hotel room. The said wedding, however, was not legal as it had no witnesses (literally!). Despite this, the couple saw it as a real union. Cher was only 18 that time and was totally head-over-heals with Sonny. Vows were exchanged, and rings were given inside that hotel room. Their $10 rings were engraved with their names. The marriage, however, was kept a secret for a while.
Marry In Secret
Separating from Sonny
In 1974, Sonny and Cher announced their separation. The once most loved couple in the music industry stated that they had had issues since 1972. Sonny said, “The public still thinks we are married, that’s the way it has to be.” While a legal separation was filed by Sonny, Cher cited “involuntary servitude” as grounds for filing a divorce. She also said that some of their joint earnings were withheld from her by Sonny. Not surprisingly, their separation went from okay to sour.
Separating From Sonny
Rejecting Elvis
Cher’s popularity on the dating field increased after her divorce. Even stars of that time noticed. Among them was the King of Rock, Elvis Presley, himself. Cher was invited to Elvis’ concert in 1976 which was held in Las Vegas. Cher declined. She reminisced about it in David Letterman’s show and said, “I was about to do it and thought “No, I don’t want to.” She even said, “I’ve regretted it ever since!” What a great couple they would have made! But still, we think she avoided a disaster when she declined his offer.
Rejecting Elvis
Her pain
Cher talked about her pain during and after her relationship with Sonny in an interview a few years ago. She mentioned that she felt “more like a golden goose than like his wife…. I forgive him, I think. He hurt me in so many ways, but there was something. He was so much more than a husband – a terrible husband, but a great mentor, a great teacher.” Cher has always insisted that Sonny was the one who had brought her great success, despite the unhappy memories they had shared.
Her Pain
Mini-relationship
When Cher talked about her relationship with Sonny, she had been dating David Geffen, a record executive, for two years. Even though they eventually broke up, it was Geffen who helped Cher stand up on her own two feet again. He got her out of her contract from Cher Enterprises, Sonny’s company, and also got her a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records, worth $2.5 million. Technically, Geffen gave Cher’s career a big boost at that time.
Mini Relationship
Cher’s comeback
Cher’s breakup with Sonny understandably hit her hard both personally and professionally. As she needed time to recover, she kept herself out of sight from the public. She lied low until 1979 when she made her comeback with a new disco style album entitle Take Me Home. She also got a residency show in Las Vegas from 1980 to 1982. Her earning per week at that time was at $300,000.
Cher’s Comeback
Married again
This marriage was probably one of the fastest rebound-marriages in history. Cher married rock star Gregg Allman only four days after she divorced Sonny. This marriage was quite short as Cher immediately filed for divorce only 9 days into the marriage. They made up, however, and had a son together. Theirs is a problematic marriage which even caused Cher to cancel one of her shows that time.
Married Again
Auctioning off her belongings
You can hardly imagine how much possession a superstar like Cher has gathered. She decided to auction off some of them ten years ago. Items like paintings and furniture from her house in Malibu, and other memorabilia – both personal and professional – were sold in the auction. The total sales amounted to $3.5 million which was mostly donated to The Cher Charitable Foundation, Cher’s charity. Her bed, for example, was bought at more than $80,000.
Auctioning Off Her Belongings
She left an impression
Cher has been known for her unique fashion and her unusual actions ever since. Cher and weird behavior became somewhat synonymous. Performers of her time wouldn’t have had the nerve to do what she had done, which was what made her charming and what drew people’s attention to her. Because she didn’t follow the norm with her unconventional clothes and her actions, her presence as a whole, was entirely different.
She Left An Impression
Cher wasn’t a believer
Many people around her, including her husband, believed in her talent and abilities. However, she did not have the same belief. She might have come across as confident and so put together with the way she dressed, but her self-confidence was actually not so high. She just didn’t believe in her capabilities and talents. She always felt that she wasn’t beautiful or good enough: ‘I couldn’t think of anything that I could do…I didn’t think I’d be a singer or dancer. I just thought, well, I’ll be famous. That was my goal’.
Cher Wasn’t A Believer
Coming out for the first time
Chastity, the love-child of the famous singing duo, was named after the movie Cher headlined. She took a bold step when she was 18 – she came out as a lesbian. She is now a transgender man and has changed her name to Chaz Bono. He had always thought and felt he was different when he was growing up and even wrote ‘as a child, I always felt there was something different about me…When I was 13, I finally found a name for exactly how I was different. I realized I was gay.’
Coming Out For The First Time
The big transition
Chaz’ public announcement that she was transitioning into a transgender man in 2008 made headlines. Chaz started having surgeries in 2008 and is now recognized as a man. His transition was confirmed by his publicist who said: ‘It is Chaz’s hope that his choice to transition will open the hearts and minds of the public regarding this issue, just as his coming out did.’
The Big Transition
Cher’s reaction
You would think that Chaz’ decision was easy for Cher to accept, given her own extroverted and a bit unusual personality. However, she said that it later affected her despite the fact that she accepted it when Chaz first told her about transitioning. She admitted that it was a strange experience to got through as a mother. She was also afraid that she might not recognize her child.
Cher’s Reaction
1998
1988 marked a horrible year for Cher as Sonny died in a terrible skiing accident in the said year. The musical duo was actually given a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame in the same year. After that, Cher wrote a memoir which talked about some of her significant life events which she referred to as her “first times”. Many of those events involved Sonny, her late husband. She thought of not talking about him in the memoir but realized that she couldn’t ignore the important events that they shared together.
1998
Endorsements
It’s a given that some celebrities get a portion of their income from product endorsements and some would even accept debatable offers just to have a career boost. In 1994, Cher accepted such offer and endorsed a line of custom-made furniture. She also did some informercials for certain hair products. This may have been suicide to the careers of other stars, it had a totally different effect with Cher’s.
Endorsements
Life is plastic
Cher was a muse and inspiration for a lot of fashion designers for many years because of her unusual features and unique beauty. However, she admitted to not having an all-natural beauty. She said that she went under the knife a couple of times for procedures like a facelift, a nose job, breast augmentation, and others. She acknowledged that she went through beauty transformations and said that ‘yes, I have had a facelift, but who hasn’t? I have become the plastic surgery poster girl.’
Life Is Plastic
On screen
Cher’s career in the film industry is equally successful as her music career. She even won awards from the Emmy, Academy, and Grammy. She even bagged three Golden Globe Awards and another one from Cannes!
Some of the movies which boosted Cher’s popularity were Mask, Moonstruck, Silkwood, Mermaids, The Witches of Eastwick and Burlesque. Although she had more television appearances as herself than movie roles, her success in the big screen made her one of the actresses that people revere. A triple threat, as we already mentioned as she can act, dance and sing.
Get to know this beloved woman more by checking out the little-known facts of her life.
On Screen
The death of a rock star
Even though her marriage to Greg Allman was like a roller coaster with its ups and downs, she grieved his passing in 2017. He died at 69 years old. Although they were only married for four years, they were actually closer than we think. She tweeted ‘Words are impossible, Gui Gu.’ as a goodbye to the rock star. Cher also admitted that she was once the happiest girl in the world because of him.
The Death Of A Rock Star
Six decades of Cher
In 2017, Cher was awarded the sought-after Billboard Icon Award. She was even called “one of the most dominant figures in music and entertainment for more than six decades,” which was mostly due to her easy transition in different music genres. This skill has allowed her to draw many audiences and fans from different generations. She thanks her mother and ex-husband, Sonny, for their trust in her abilities and for pushing her to success.
Six Decades Of Cher
Debilitating illness
In the 1980s, Cher was diagnosed to have Epstein-Barr virus and its effects on her body are felt over the years. This variation of herpes leads to communicable mononucleosis which causes flare ups. The Flare-ups can cause immobility and can be debilitating for a long period of time. Because of this, Cher even had to cancel some of her concerts on her “Dressed to Kill” tour in 2014.
Debilitating Illness
Charitable giving
Cher has used her fame as a platform to inform the world of issues that affect many individuals. She has been and advocate in anti-poverty campaigns. She also brought to light the struggles of US veterans whose rights and benefits were not given. She even set up her own Cher Charitable Foundation. She is also quite active in fighting AIDS, along with Elizabeth Taylor, when they went to Cannes together.
Charitable Giving
Getting inked
With Cher’s clean public image, it was quite a surprise that she used to have a total of six tattoos on her body. She got the first one on her back in 1972. However, she started getting rid of them by undergoing laser treatments. This started in the 1990s. She said that she had wanted get inked in the 1970s because at the time, only “bad girls” got tattoos. Since almost all have tattoos these days, she feels that they are not as cools as before.
Getting Inked
She doesn’t age
How is it possible that Cher doesn’t seem age? Is she a vampire? A goddess? Turns out it’s because of her healthy lifestyle, she claims that she doesn’t drink, or smoke and she only eats healthy and nutritious food. However, she does admit to having a group of around 60 people whose job is to help her maintain her body and beauty. Maybe youth can be bought with money after all.
She Doesn’t Age
Cher’s documentary
In 2013, Cher in collaboration with Lifetime made a documentary about her mother. Georgia Holt, her mother, explained Cher and their family history in the interviews. Among those who were interviewed were of course Cher’s mother, Cher and her two children, Chaz Bono and Elijah Allman. Cher’s 25th album was released on the same day that the documentary was made public. It was given the ‘Women’s Image Network Award for Outstanding Show Produced by a Woman.’
Cher’s Documentary
Cher’s will in the making?
As of 2017, Cher’s net worth was more than $250 million. However, there have been reports that she has bought houses for her children and has even divided her estate and holdings amongst her family members. Cher, who is not quite healthy herself, is taking care of her mother in Malibu. Her estate in Malibu, which is estimated to be worth $2 million dollars, was given to Cher’s sister.
Cher’s Will In The Making@
The marriage that never happened
Cher was having an on-off relationship with Tim Medvetz, a member of the biker gang Hell’s Angel. They were introduced by a mutual friend and immediately got along because they both love Harleys. Apparently, their love was genuine despite the 24-year age gap. Cher’s busy schedule caused the couple to break up the first time, by they got back together because of her children’s bidding. They wanted to have a Vegas wedding, but it never came to pass.
The Marriage That Never Happened
People want her body
Even though Cher is in her 70’s now, she still has the looks and agility of a woman half or even three-quarters her age. People think this is mainly because she went through a lot of cosmetic surgeries. However, Cher credits her healthy diet and lifestyle for her youthful looks despite having some work done of her body. Allegedly, she can hold a plank for five minutes.
People Want Her Body
She’s super smart
She is quite different from other performers in that she doesn’t only work very hard, she also is quite smart. It was common knowledge that she was a model student when she was at school. She’s popular not only for excelling in her English literature classes but also in her French language class when she was younger. This drive and intelligence have enabled her to connect to her audiences throughout two generations.
She’s Super Smart
Entering the fashion world
It is inarguably true that Cher and her fashion sense are hard to ignore. With her slender figure, long black hair and weird (and often controversial) fashion, she has graced the covers of some of the most famous magazines. Diana Vreeland, former Vogue editor, saw something special about Cher in 1967 when she first saw her at a party. Cher then started her career as a model which helped in her success in show business.
Entering The Fashion World
Cher and KISS
In 1979, Cher dated Gene Simmons of KISS. She asked him for an autograph for Chastity. This apparently started their one-year romance. They had an open relationship that allowed them to be physically intimate with others. Cher seemed to be okay with the setup and even said that she was mad about Gene. All of that changed when Gene met Diana Ross.
Cher And KISS
Cher’s real name
We all know Cher as no other than Cher, but she was actually named Cherilyn Sarkisian when she was born. She got her American side from her father while she became part Irish, English and German through her mother. The combination of races in her blood was what made her a real beauty which she still is. We simply adore her monosyllabic name – Cher. So much easier to remember!
Cher’s Real Name
Solo career
It is indeed true that Cher first rose to fame in 1965 when she was part of the singing duo, Sonny & Cher. However, she actually started her solo career a year after she and Sonny became famous. She juggled a singing career as part of a duo and a solo artist at the same time. I Got You Babe was her hit song with Sonny, while Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) was her hit song as a solo artist. Wow! Her ability to find her balance in all types of situations is such an inspiration.
Solo Career
Directorial debut
Okay, so we already know that Cher is a multi-talented star. That is actually an understatement. She doesn’t just sing, dance or act, she can also direct! In 1996, she debuted as a director with the movie If These Walls Could Talk. Cher has admitted that she always wanted to be involved in all aspects of the creative process of the production.
Directorial Debut
Album after album
As previously mentioned, Cher has the amazing ability to reinvent herself and soar to new heights in her career. She released Closed to the Truth, her first studio album after 12 years of hiatus. To date, it’s her top-grossing solo album in the US. Yes, she did it again.
Album After Album
She was a natural
Cher, like many celebrities in Hollywood, was a multi-talented star who was also quite passionate about acting. She first tried acting in Broadway in the 80’s, then was given a break on the big screen in the movie Silkwood. She got an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for the film, quite impressive for someone who didn’t have a lot of acting experience. No doubt working with Hollywood big shots such as Meryl Streep gave her a quick access to stardom. Later in her acting career, she won a Best Actress in the Oscars for the movie Moonstruck.
She Was A Natural
With success comes more success
Her triumph in acting seemed to have drawn more success in her life. Back in the spotlight, not only due to her acting skills but also for her musical flair, she started releasing new albums again. She was back to topping the charts in no time. After that, she tried her luck with concert tours which turned out to be a good decision as it ultimately became the top-grossing tour performed by a female singer in 2002. She even managed to grab a $180 million deal to perform at the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
With Success Comes More Success
Back to business
Although it seems like Cher has tried everything and anything, her career choices have actually been quite safe. This was precisely why she took a break from singing when she wanted to focus on her acting career and vice versa. After a seven-year break, Cher played a part in the musicale Burlesque in 2010. Her co-stars where Kristen Bell and Christina Aguilera. Although the movie itself got mixed reviews, the soundtrack got more success and even got a nomination in the Grammy’s. Cher was praised by the critics in both her vocals and acting ability in the said film.
Back To Business
The icon’s role model
She has known from when she was young that she wanted to be a part of the glamorous life of the stars in Hollywood. Audrey Hepburn was her role model while she was growing up. She started looking up to her when she first saw Audrey in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, a movie in the 60’s. Cher loved everything about Hepburn and started dressing up like her and even imitated how Hepburn behaved.
The Icon’s Role Model
Musical on Cher’s musical life
Cher announced to her fans in 2017 that the story of her life will be live on ad infinitum through music and dancing. Apparently, a Broadway show about her life, starting from her time as a backup singer, to her married life with Sonny and other important events in her life, will open some time in 2018.
Musical On Cher’s Musical Life
Born to be a star
It turns out, Cher was always meant to be a performer. Even from when she was a fifth-grader, she organized a performance for her teacher and classmates, along with other students. Unfortunately, she had to play all the male parts of the play as the boys in her class didn’t want to participate.
Born To Be A Star
Stage fright
Sonny had arranged for Cher to be a solo artist, but she did not push through with it due to her stage fright. Apparently, this was the main reason why Sonny was always on stage with her, performing. She would look at him whenever she had the urge to get off the stage and she would feel strengthened from his gaze. Imagine that. Cher, whose career took her to different stages all over the country, once suffered from stage fright.
Stage Fright
Cher’s her own harshest critic
Cher is actually her biggest critic. She always makes sure that she follows the standards that she has set for herself in all her performances. She even admitted in her interview that she’s not such a fan of her work as she has too much information about her limitations and weaknesses. However, she admits that it was a such a feat to succeed in such a rough and competitive industry.
Cher’s Her Own Harshest Critic
The first auto-tuned single
Almost all music artists nowadays use autotune in its various form. This makes it difficult to hear their natural voice. Cher, however, became one of the first singers to sing with autotune in her songs. It all started with her single Believe which was produced by Brian Rawling and Mark Taylor.
The First Auto Tuned Single
Cher’s style: everything
Cher has indeed tried everything and anything that she has, in fact, covered a wide range of styles and genre. It would be much easier to identify which ones she has not tried. From hip-hop to disco, to folk, ballad, pop and even punk rock, Cher has done them all. This is due to the fact that she tries to be relevant to her current audiences which she has managed to do due to her unique voice.
Cher’s Style Everything
Cher and Tom Cruise dated
Let’s not forget that Cher, who was then 39 years old, had a short romance with Tom Cruise when he was 23 years old and a newbie actor. She once looked back on their romance and said that she really liked him. She even said in her interview years after their breakup, “I was crazy for Tom Cruise!” She even believed that it would have been a “great big romance” if it weren’t for their busy schedules that time.
Tom, of course, became one of Hollywood’s A-list actors and got married for the first time in 1987 to actress Mimi Rogers. He later on married actresses Nicole Kidman and then Katie Holmes. Sadly, all his marriages were unsuccessful, all ending in divorce.
Cher And Tom Cruise Dated
Navy was NOT amused
In 1989, Cher’s hit single If I Could Turn Back Time had a video of Cher singing in front of a group of sailors. Her outfit was outrageously revealing which made the navy quite upset as they were told that the video would only show a sailor receiving a letter. Her clothing in the said video caused her some problem with the navy, earning her a nickname she doesn’t like.
Navy Was NOT Amused
Hippie style
Cher and Sonny rose to fame during the hippie generation. They were well-known for their flower power fashion. Their clothing was colorful and had flowers and many different patterns. However, times changed and their younger audiences were gone as the conservative movement hit America after its time of total freedom. This all happened during the shift in the music industry and the way of life in the United States.
Hippie Style
Television fame
The singing duo Sonny & Cher started as folk singers in the 1960’s. They became famous due to their hit song, I Got You Babe. It rose to the number one spot in the music charts in both the US and the UK. After having been disappointed with where their music careers were going, they decided to give television shows a shot. They starred in their own show entitled The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour which later on became quite sensational.
The television show was a very good move for her as it helped her rise to star status. She became a household name overnight. The viewers loved her bubbly personality in the show. It even received several Emmy Award nominations.
Television Fame
Cher and Sonny
Cher met Sonny Bono in 1962. At the time, he was working for music producer Phil Spector. Cher at the time wanted a shot at the spotlight and she knew that Spector could give her the ticket to the life she wanted. Cher immediately took her chance when Sonny asked her to become his housekeeper. She started first as a backup singer then rapidly rose up the musical rank. Spector eventually produced her first album, Ringo, I Love You, which unfortunately, was a flop.
Cher And Sonny
Relationship
Cher was only sixteen when she met Bono, while Bono was twenty-seven years old. The two got on like a house on fire and became best friends, lovers and the relationship deepened further to marriage rumors. Despite Bono claiming that in 1964 the marriage wasn’t official, they actually did get hitched in 1969 following the birth of their child, Chaz. Cher began her singing career with Bono as a session singer, working as a backup singer on many of Spector’s classic recordings.
Relationship
Developing Career
Bono continued to compose and produce songs, with the couples first song being released as “Caesar and Cleo”. Some of the singles release din 1964 include “The Letter”, with Vault Records, and “The Letter”, “Do You Wanna Dance” and “Love Is Strange”, with Reprise Records. Their first regional hit was “Baby Don’t Go”, a song they released under the name “Sonny & Cher”.
Developing Career
Rise
Their first album was released in 1965, titled Look at Us. It contained their number one single and the album itself peaked at number two on the Billboard chart and stayed there for eight weeks. Subsequently, the couple made many television appearances, such as on: The Ed Sullivan Show, American Bandstand, Where The Action Is and Hollywood A Go-Go. The pair even featured as themselves in movie Wild on the Beach, singing It’s Gonna Rain.
Rise
More Success
The couple followed up on their first album with The Wondrous World of Sonny & Chér, which ultimately peaked at 34. This album included the two dressing in animal skins, with Bono wearing knee high caveman boots and Cher shoeless. 1965 saw the couple have five songs reach the US Billboard Top 20, a record only passed by legendary Elvis Presley.
More Success
1967 Started Well
1967 saw Sonny and Cher release their third album titled: In Case You’re In Love, which peaked at 45 in the U.S. charts. This album contained two hit singles which were both composed by Bono. These songs were “The Beat Goes On”, which reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and “Little Man”, which reached No. 21.
1967 Started Well
A Step Too Far
Bono saw the initial success that the duo had, and wished to capitalize on this. As a result, he arranged a film project for which the pair would star in. The film was titled Good Times and bombed, majorly. Following the disappointment of the film, Columbia Pictures sold the rights to the scheduled sequel, Speedway, to MGM. MGM wasted no time in replacing the pair with Elvis Presley and Nancy Sinatra. Sonny released another film starring Cher, Chastity, in 1969, which also bombed.
A Step Too Far
Stalling
Unfortunately, by 1968 Sonny and Cher’s career had somewhat stalled. Album sales had declined and their music just wasn’t so relatable near the end of the ’60s. Where soft, easy-listening pop with a drug-free vibe had once been popular; after the emergence of psychedelic rock and the evolving landscape of U.S. pop culture, they had simply become unpopular.
Stalling
Re-Brand
Aware of how they had become less relevant, Bono sought to rebrand their act and therefore moved to Las Vegas. It was here that they sharpened their public persona with Cher as a stunning, wise-cracking singer and Bono the well-natured recipient “butt” of the jokes. Bono in reality actually controlled all aspects of the act, from music to jokes. After network TV scouts attended a show, they saw potential for a TV variety series.
Re Brand
Television
Sonny and Cher’s first television special was The Nitty Gritty Hour, which was a combination of slapstick comedy, skits and music. Their appearance on this show was so successful that it led to a series of appearances as guest stars on other shows, they even featured in the new Scooby-Doo films! It was while they were guest hosting The Merv Griffin Show that they caught the eye of CBS exec Fred Silverman, which led to something huge.
Television
Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour
After Silverman offered the pair their own variety show, the pair didn’t look back. Their show, The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour debuted in 1971 as a summer replacement series, but swiftly returned the following year as an immediate hit. It reached the top 10, received 15 Emmy Award nominations during its time on air and even won one. At the same time as their variety series lived on, the pair revived their recording career too. The duo got two more top ten hits in “All I Ever Need Is You”, and “A Cowboy’s Work Is Never Done” in 1972.
Sonny And Cher Comedy Hour
Divorce
Despite success with Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, the pair’s marriage was on the rocks. Even though the show imploded, it remained in the top 10. A messy, very public divorce, ensued; eventually being finalized in June 1975. Cher even won a Golden Globe for Best Performance By an Actress in a Television Series in 1974. A divorce didn’t stop the pair from trying to make it on their own, however.
Divorce
Sonny Vs Cher
Bono’s own show, The Sonny Comedy Revue was launched in the fall of 1974, retaining most of the writers and comedians that made Sonny and Cher so popular. Cher had also planned her own solo show, and critics predicted that Bono would be the more successful of the two. Nevertheless, Bono’s show was abruptly canceled after only six weeks, whereas The Cher Show debuted as an all-star television special featuring guest stars such as Elton John. The series received four Emmy nominations and the initial season even ranked in the Top 25. Cher had won the first round.
Sonny Vs Cher
Return of The Sonny & Cher Show
Sonny and Cher initially kept their distance until Cher was seen attending one of Bono’s restaurant’s grand opening. The Sonny & Cher show eventually returned in 1976, despite the fact that the pair were no longer married. The show struggled for ratings in 1977 and in the end the pair finally parted fully once and for all.
Return Of Sonny And Cher
Surprise Reunions
Despite the fact that Sonny had gone on to acting and eventually politics, Cher had gone on to become a Grammy award-winning solo singer, as well as an Academy award-winning actress. So with this in mind, it was surprising that the pair made two surprise reunion performances on The Mike Douglas Show and on Late Night with David Letterman. The Letterman appearance proved to be the last time that the duo would ever perform together.
Surprise Reunion
Bono’s Death
Bono died in 1998 as a result of injuries suffering during a skiing accident. The funeral was broadcast live (without Cher’s prior knowledge), where she gave an emotional eulogy. Subsequently, the attending mourners sang “The Beat Goes On” in memorial. Cher praised Bono and called him “the most unforgettable character I’ve ever met”. The pair received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1998.
Bono’s Death