Raquel Welch Dies at the age of 82

The actor, who became known as a sex symbol for movies such as ‘One Million Years B.C.’ and ‘Fantastic Voyage’ has died following a brief illness.

Raquel Welch stars in '2017's How to Be a Latin Lover.'

Raquel Welch, an actress, producer and businesswoman, has died. She was 82.

Born Jo-Raquel Tejada in Chicago in 1940, she moved with her family in 1942 to the tiny Pacific Coast village of La Jolla, California. Welch studied ballet for seven years and earned a spot on her La Jolla High School cheerleading squad and at age 14 entered a beauty contest, winning first prize out of a field of 150 contestants. At age 15 she was crowned Miss La Jolla, Miss San Diego, and Maid of California.

After the dissolution of her first marriage, Welch studied acting for one year at San Diego State College but later moved to Dallas, Texas, where she found work as a Neiman-Marcus store model and secured a job on television, reporting the weather on a morning talk show. After six months in Dallas, she moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1963 in search of a film career.

Fantastic Voyage

"A Fantastic and Spectacular Voyage... Through the Human Body... Into the Brain."

PG1 hr 40 minAug 24th, 1966

Watch Fantastic Voyage Online

Big breaks

She made her screen debut as one of the call girls in Russel Rouse’s movie “A House Is Not a Home’ in 1964. That year she also made an uncredited appearance in the Elvis Presley movie ‘Roustabout.’ She did some TV guesting work and appeared in the beach party movie ‘A Swingin’ Summer’ in 1965.

Yet her career truly took off after a screen test at, and the studio signed her to a contract. By 1966 she was among the stars of ‘Fantastic Voyage’, a sci-fi adventure in which a group of scientists is miniaturized to locate and destroy a blood clot threatening the life of a colleague.

That same year, she appeared scantily clad in strips of fur in the prehistoric fantasy ‘One Million Years B.C.,’ which made her into an international sex symbol, and saw her image plastered on bedroom walls across the world.

“I liked that there was something very superhero about her,” Welch told The Los Angeles Times in 2016, referring to her role as Loana the cave girl. “At least I wasn’t one of those mincing little girls; I never wanted to be that.”

One Million Years B.C.

"Travel back through time and space to the edge of man's beginnings... discover a savage world whose only law was lust!"

NR1 hr 40 minFeb 21st, 1967

As the Earth wrestles with its agonizing birth, the peoples of this barren and desolate world struggle to survive. Driven by animal instinct they compete against... Read the Plot

Other acting work

The actor went on to appear in the controversial adaptation of Gore Vidal’s ‘Myra Breckinridge, ‘Kansas City Bomber’ and Richard Lester’s two romps ‘The Three Musketeers’, for which she won a Golden Globe, and follow-up ‘The Four Musketeers: Milady’s Revenge’. She was one of the first women to play the lead role—not the romantic interest—in a Western, 1971 revenge story ‘Hannie Caulder’.

Other movies included ‘Fuzz’, ‘The Last of Sheila’, ‘The Prince and the Pauper’ and, more recently, ‘Legally Blonde’ and ‘How to Be a Latin Lover’.

Legally Blonde

"Boldly going where no blonde has gone."

PG-131 hr 36 minJul 13th, 2001

Showtimes & Tickets

Watch Legally Blonde Online

TV work

Just as active on the small screen as well as the big one, Welch formed more than one production company, and delivered a series of successful TV movies, including ‘The Legend of Walks Far Woman’ and medical drama ‘Right to Die’, for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination.

Welch would also crop up on shows such as ‘Spin City’, ‘Evening Shade, ‘Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman’, ‘Sabrina, the Teenage Witch’, ‘Seinfeld’ and a 2004 episode of ‘8 Simple Rules.’ She was a series regular, playing a former soap star on CBS’ short-lived 2008 comedy 'Welcome to the Captain’.

“Raquel Welch, the legendary bombshell actress of film, television and stage, passed away peacefully early this morning after a brief illness,” said a statement from her company, Media Four. “Her career spanned over 50 years starring in over 30 films and 50 television series and appearances. The Golden Globe winner, in more recent years, was involved in a very successful line of wigs.”