Walter Mercado Net Worth: How Rich was Walter Mercado Actually?

Walter Mercado also was known by his stage name as Shanti Ananda was a Puerto Rican actor, astrologer, dancer, and writer. He is best known for his shows as an astrologer where, his predictions show aired for decades in Latin American, Puerto Rico, and the United States. Walter Mercado’s net worth before his death is estimated to be $7 million.

He studied psychology, pedagogy, and pharmacy and used what he learned to teach others to explore the human mind and learn about the healing properties of plants.  He also studied Singing and had a talent for dancing.  Talking about dancing, he also studied classical and modern ballet and was one of the most known dancers in Puerto Rico.

Mercado was born on March 9, 1932, in Ponce, Puerto Rico, to parents Jose Maria Mercado and Aida Salinas. Both of his parents were from Catalonia, Spain. He attended the University of Puerto Rico, majoring in pedagogy, psychology, and pharmacy. With the knowledge he gained, he was able to study the human mind and learn about the healing properties of medicinal plants.

Initially, Mercado started his career as a dancer. He had a knack of singing and dancing. He was one of the prolific dancers in Puerto Rico and was the dancing partner of comedian Velda Gonzalez. Mercado also worked for some years as an actor. HE starred in Puerto Rican telenovelas Un adios en el Recuerdo and Larga Distancia.

However, Mercado is known to several people as an astrologer. In 1970, he started his regular astronomy segment in El Show de las 12. After that, Mercado hosted a weekly astrology television show at WKAQ-TV, Channel 2/Telemundo. Mercado then moved his show to WRIK-TV, where he worked there for many years.

Mercado was seen in several TV channels in the 1980s throughout Latin American and the United States. After working several years at WRIK-TV, he moved his show to WKBM-TV. In addition to that, Walter also wrote his predictions for newspapers, magazines, and web pages. He was a writer in the Miami Herald.

In 1986, Mercado was awarded the title Mr. Televisión by the Asociación de Cronistas del Espectáculo de Nueva York which, when translated in English, is the Association of Latin Entertainment Critics of New York. From the mid-1990s to 2010, his show aired in the Univision network throughout the US. He also appeared on Primer Impacto during that period.

In 2014, he established a business which consists of Zodiac Soaps, body lotions, aromatic candles, and beaded jewelry. His website received over 1 million visits in the first month. In 2010, Mercado changed his name to Shanti Ananda, which in Sanskrit translation means peace happiness.

On November 2, 2019, at the Auxilio Mutuo Hospital in San Juan, Walter Mercado died at the age of 87. The cause of death was an apparent renal failure.

Walter Mercado Net Worth: $7 million