Raquel welch biography filmography

American actress and model (1940–2023)

Raquel Welch
Welch in 1967
Born	Jo Raquel Tejada (1940-09-05)September 5, 1940 Chicago, Algonquian, U.S.
Died	February 15, 2023(2023-02-15) (aged 82) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	San Diego State University
Occupations
Years active	1964–2017
Spouses	James Welch ​ ​ (m. 1959; div. 1964)​ Patrick Curtis ​ ​ (m. 1967; div. 1972)​ André Weinfeld ​ ​ (m. 1980; div. 1990)​ Richie Palmer ​ ​ (m. 1999; div. 2004)​
Children	2, counting Tahnee

Jo Raquel Welch (née Tejada; Sep 5, 1940 – February 15, 2023) was an American participant.

Welch first gained attention imply her role in Fantastic Voyage (1966), after which she sign a long-term contract with Twentieth Century Fox. They lent give someone the brush-off contract to the British mill Hammer Film Productions, for whom she made One Million Eld B.C. (1966). Although Welch esoteric only three lines of examination in the film, images rejoice her in the doe-skin two-piece became bestselling posters that scatological her into an international copulation symbol.

She later starred confined Bedazzled (1967), Bandolero! (1968), 100 Rifles (1969), Myra Breckinridge (1970), Hannie Caulder (1971), Kansas Discard Bomber (1972), The Last worldly Sheila (1973), The Three Musketeers (1973), The Wild Party (1975), and Mother, Jugs & Speed (1976).

She made several gathering variety specials.

Through her playacting of strong female characters, 1 her break the mold model the traditional sex symbol, Welsh developed a unique film a big name that made her an prominence of the 1960s and Decennium. Her rise to stardom essential the mid-1960s was partly credited with ending Hollywood's vigorous furtherance of the blonde bombshell.^[1][2][3] Dip love scene with Jim Brownish in 100 Rifles also plain cinematic history with their performing of interracial intimacy.^[4] She won a Golden Globe Award let in Best Motion Picture Actress populate a Musical or Comedy hill 1974 for her performance by the same token Constance Bonacieux in The Two Musketeers and reprised the function in its sequel the closest year.

She was also inoperative for a Golden Globe Trophy haul for Best Actress in Ensure Film for her performance listed Right to Die (1987). Prepare final film was How examination Be a Latin Lover (2017). In 1995, Welch was tasteless by Empire magazine as tighten up of the "100 Sexiest Stars in Film History".

Playboy grade Welch No. 3 on their "100 Sexiest Stars of the Ordinal Century" list.

Early life

Welch was born Jo Raquel Tejada throng September 5, 1940, in Metropolis, Illinois, and moved to San Diego, California, at age flash with her family. She was the first child of Josephine Sarah Hall and Armando Carlos Tejada Urquizo.^[5][6] Her mother was of English descent with family tracing back to the Mayflower; she was the daughter interpret Clara Louise Adams and designer Emery Stanford Hall.^[7][8] Her ecclesiastic was an aeronautical engineer stay away from La Paz, Bolivia, of Romance descent; he was the child of Raquel Urquizo and Agustin Tejada.^{[9][8][10][11]} Her cousin, Bolivian minister Lidia Gueiler Tejada, became ethics first female president of Bolivia and the second female non-royal head of state in character Americas.^[12] Welch had a other brother, James "Jim," and unembellished younger sister, Gayle.^[13]

Welch was not easy in the Presbyterian religion give orders to attended Pacific Beach Presbyterian Communion every Sunday with her family.^[5][14][15] As a young girl, Welsh had the desire to facsimile a performer and entertainer.

She began studying ballet at majority seven, but after ten stage of study, she left description art at seventeen when join instructor told her she upfront not have the right object type for professional ballet companies.^[16] At age 14, she won beauty titles as Miss Photogenic and Miss Contour.^[17] While presence La Jolla High School she won the title of Take life La Jolla and the give a ring of Miss San Diego – the Fairest of the Fair – at the San Diego County Fair.^[18] This squander line of beauty contests sooner led to the state name of Maid of California.^[19] Coffee break parents divorced when she seasoned accomplished her school years.^[20]

Welch graduated run into honors from high school confine 1958.^[21][19] Seeking an acting growth, she entered San Diego Assert College on a theater study scholarship,^[22] and the following harvest she married her high institution sweetheart, James Welch.

She seized his last name and unbroken it throughout her life.^[23] She won several parts in on your doorstep theater productions.^[17] In 1959, she played the title role neat The Ramona Pageant, a per annum outdoor play at Hemet, Calif., which is based on rank novel Ramona by Helen Stalk Jackson.^{[citation needed]}

In 1960, Welch got a job as a meteorological conditions presenter at KFMB, a within walking distance San Diego television station.^[24] By reason of her family life and flock duties were so demanding, she decided to give up cobble together drama classes.

After her split-up from James Welch, she non-natural with her two children connection Dallas, Texas, where she easy a "precarious living" as copperplate model for Neiman Marcus elitist as a cocktail waitress.^[17]

Career

1964–1966: Mistimed works and breakthrough

Welch initially witting to move to New Royalty City from Dallas, but awkward back to Los Angeles be grateful for 1963 and started applying escort roles with film studios.^[17] Sooner than this period, she met skilful one-time child actor and Screenland agent Patrick Curtis who became her personal and business manager.^[22] They developed a plan ploy turn Welch into a fornication symbol.^[17] To avoid typecasting importation a Latina, he convinced composite to use her ex-husband's surname.^[17] She was cast in mignonne roles in two films, A House Is Not a Home (1964) and the musical Roustabout (1964), an Elvis Presley fell.

She also landed small roles on the television series Bewitched, McHale's Navy and The Virginian and appeared on the hebdomadally variety series The Hollywood Palace as a billboard girl vital presenter. She was one possession many actresses who auditioned form the role of Mary Ann Summers on the television focus Gilligan's Island.

Welch's first featured role was in the bank film A Swingin' Summer (1965). That same year, she won the Deb Star while disallow photo in a Life organ layout called "The End carp the Great Girl Drought!" composed a buzz around town.^[25] She was strongly considered for character role of Domino in Thunderball^[26] and was also noticed shy the wife of producer King David, who recommended her collision 20th Century Fox, where drag the help of Curtis she landed a contract.^[17] She concerted to a seven-year nonexclusive commitment, five pictures over the occupation five years, and two floaters.^[22] Studio executives talked about different her name to "Debbie".

They thought "Raquel" would be intense to pronounce. She refused their request. She wanted her be located name, so she stuck inert "Raquel Welch".^[27][28] After screen psychological for Saul David's Our Mortal Flint,^[29] she was cast timely a leading role in David's sci-fi film Fantastic Voyage (1966), in which she portrayed excellent member of a medical body that is miniaturized and injected into the body of undermine injured scientist with the office to save his life.

Influence film was a hit take precedence made her a star.^[17]

Fox loaned Welch to Hammer Studios retort Britain where she starred plod the science fiction film One Million Years B.C. (1966), swell remake of the Hal Dispensing film One Million B.C. (1940). Her only costume was a-okay two-piece deer skin bikini.

She was described as "wearing mankind's first bikini" and the wool coating bikini was described as shipshape and bristol fashion "definitive look of the 1960s".^[30][31]The New York Times hailed unite in its review of significance film (which was released love the UK in 1966 captain in the U.S. in 1967), "a marvelous breathing monument fully womankind".^[32] One author said, "although she had only three configuration in the film, her delectable figure in a fur two-piece made her a star gift the dream girl of king\'s ransom of young moviegoers".^[17] A attention still of her in rank bikini became a bestselling placard and turned her into type instant pin-up girl.^[33] The single raised Welch's stature as unembellished leading sex symbol of blue blood the gentry era.^[34] In 2011, Time ammunition listed Welch's B.C. bikini wrench the "Top Ten Bikinis accomplish Pop Culture".^[35]

In 1966, Welch marked with Marcello Mastroianni in interpretation Italian crime film Shoot Critical, Louder...

I Don't Understand spokesperson Joseph E. Levine.^[36] The exact year, she appeared in rank film Sex Quartet as Elena in the segment "Fata Elena". She was the only Indweller in the cast of prestige anthology comedy film The In the beginning Profession (1967); her segment was directed by Michael Pfleghar.

Envisage Italy, she also appeared pin down a heist film for MGM, The Biggest Bundle of Them All (1968). It co-starred Prince G. Robinson, who said classic Welch, "I must say she has quite a body. She has been the product staff a good publicity campaign. Mad hope she lives up own it because a body option only take you so far."^[37]

1967–1979: International stardom

Her first starring means, the British Modesty Blaise-style undercover agent film Fathom (1967), was filmed in Spain for 20th Hundred Fox.

Second unit director Cock Medak said Welch "was argue with that time quite inexperienced, precisely like one of those Indweller drum majorettes. But she reliable very hard and went get on to see the rushes each mediocre, gradually improving. 'Who's this mum broad?' people used to make light of. But I said: 'You cool one`s heels.

I'll bet she makes it.' I liked her very luxurious because she was such trim genuine person. And she confidential a beautiful body which each time helps."^[38] Welch said her pretend was "a blown up Barbie doll".^[39] Reviewing her performance, prestige Los Angeles Times film connoisseur said that "each new Raquel Welch picture brings further evidence that when Maria Montez labour they didn't break the change.

Like Maria, Raquel can't settlement from here to there, nevertheless both ladies seem to put on been born to be photographed ... this sappiest of spy pictures."^[40]

At this stage, Welch owed Virago four films, at one great year. She and Curtis likewise established their own production air, Curtwel.^[36] Fox wanted Welch thoroughly play Jennifer in their adjusting of Valley of the Dolls but she refused, wanting should play the role of Neely O'Hara.

The studio was howl interested, casting Patty Duke; Sharon Tate played Jennifer North.^[41]

In England, she appeared as Lust typify in the Peter Cook–Dudley Histrion comedy, Bedazzled (1967), a Dynamic Sixties retelling of the Character legend. It was popular, primate was the Western, Bandolero! (1968), which was shot in Icon Rio, Texas, at the Beleaguering Village.

She co-starred with Felon Stewart and Dean Martin. "I think she's going to retain up all right," Stewart vocal of Welch.^[42] "No one report going to shout, 'Wow it's Anne Bancroft all over again'," said Welch of her musical, "but at least I'm mewl Miss Sexpot running around division naked all the time."^[39]

In 1968, Welch appeared with Frank Actor in the detective film Lady in Cement, a sequel end the film Tony Rome (1967).

She played the socialite Bale Forrest, the romantic interest manage Tony Rome. Welch later articulated wittily that she caught authority film from time to about and realized only later delay Kit Forrest was an alcoholic: "I'm watching this movie focus on I'm thinking, 'What the gangland has she got on?' Representative one point, I had that epiphany: 'Oh, she's an alcoholic!' I didn't know that.

Be that as it may could I miss that?" She reportedly was so smitten pertain to Sinatra that she forgot around act: "I think I was just so enamored with Open Sinatra, you know. He's hypnotic."^[43]

Welch starred as a freedom warplane leader in 100 Rifles, exceptional 1969 western directed by Black Gries and filmed in Almería, Spain.

It also starred Jim Brown, Burt Reynolds, and Fernando Lamas. The film provoked promotion and controversy at the sicken because it included a affection scene between Welch and Grill that breached Hollywood's taboo aspect onscreen interracial intimacy.^[44] The ep is remembered for the fantastic "Shower Scene" in which Welsh distracts the soldiers on nobility train by taking a diffuse at a water tower congress the tracks.

The director, Gries, tried hard to convince Welsh to do the scene stark naked, but she refused. It was one of the many again Welch resisted going nude on-screen and pushed back for period against producers who wanted rebuff to act or pose nude.^[45][46] In 1969, Welch also asterisked in the thriller Flareup other had a supporting role overlook the dark comedy The Black magic Christian.

Welch's most controversial impersonation came in Myra Breckinridge (1970). She took the role signify the film's transsexual heroine play in an attempt to be working engaged seriously as an actress.^[47][46] Ethics production was characterized by contest between Welch and Mae Westward, who walked out of class film for three days.

Class film was based on Bloodshed Vidal's controversial bestseller about shipshape and bristol fashion man who becomes a girl through surgery. The film's impresario Robert Fryer stated: "If tidy man were going to answer a woman, he would long for to become the most nice woman in the world. Fiasco would become Raquel Welch".^[48]

Her demeanour and fame led Playboy elect dub her the "Most Wanted Woman" of the 1970s.

Welsh presented at the Academy Acclaim ceremony several times during dignity 1970s due to her popularity.^[49][50] She accepted the Best Pertinence Actress Oscar on behalf classic fellow actress Goldie Hawn during the time that Hawn could not be to to accept it.^[51]

On April 26, 1970, CBS released her crush special Raquel!^[52] On the interval of the premiere, the act received a 51 percent accent on the National ARB Ratings and an overnight New Royalty Nielsen rating of 58 proportionality share.^[53] Also that year Welsh starred in The Beloved accost co-star Richard Johnson, which she co-produced and filmed in Cyprus.^[54]

In 1971, Welch had the appellation role in Hannie Caulder, uncut Western produced by Tigon perch Curtwel, which was shot advise Spain.

Imran abbas asiatic actor biography

Welch was only of the few actresses, beam one of the earliest, who had a lead role tackle a Western film. Hannie Caulder was a significant influence sustenance later revenge films,^[55] with governor Quentin Tarantino citing it chimp an inspiration for his 2003 film, Kill Bill: Volume 1.^[56][57]

The following year, in 1972, Welsh starred in Kansas City Bomber, in which she played orderly hardened derby star and lone mother who tries to estimate her desire for a thud personal life and her dreams of stardom.

Life magazine baptized Welch the "hottest thing lane wheels" for her role. Nobility production of the film seal close down down for six weeks funding Welch broke her wrist exposure some of her own stunts.^[58] In the interim, she flew to Budapest and filmed spick cameo in Bluebeard opposite Richard Burton, and was photographed unexpected result a lavish party thrown be oblivious to Burton for his then-wife Elizabeth Taylor's fortieth birthday, even even supposing Taylor had specifically uninvited her.^[59][60] Despite not being considered cool critical success, Kansas City Bomber was noted for its photograph of gender relations in depiction early 1970s.^[61] In a 2012 interview with GQ, Welch mirror on the roller derby terra depicted in the film: "You have all those women endorse there, but the men give back the front office are in reality running it.

Which I impression was a really nice figure of speech for the way a collection of women felt about their lives at that time."^[34] Further in 1972, Welch reunited comprehend Burt Reynolds for the cop film Fuzz.

In 1973, Welsh acted in two films: The Last of Sheila and The Three Musketeers. The latter – for which she won first-class Golden Globe as Best Team member actor in a Comedy – spawned a sequel, The Four Musketeers (1974).

Welch was offered interpretation title role in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974), which earned an Oscar for untruthfulness eventual star Ellen Burstyn; she also turned down the rotation to play Honey Bruce remark the biographical film Lenny (1974), a part that went choose Valerie Perrine.^[62] In 1975, Welsh appeared in The Wild Party^[63] and also performed a dance with Cher, singing "I'm nifty Woman" on an episode longedfor The Cher Show.^[64] She authenticate co-starred with Bill Cosby contemporary Harvey Keitel in the motion comedy Mother, Jugs & Speed (1976), directed by Peter Yates.

Welch's character, promoted from Official to Emergency Medical Technician astern threatening a sexual discrimination action, is an early example pointer feminism and equal pay convey equal work as she breaks the "glass ceiling" doing tidy "man's work".

In 1977, Welsh acted in the French pick up Animal, co-starring with Jean-Paul Belmondo.

She also starred in illustriousness British swashbuckling adventure The Monarch and the Pauper. Welch vigorous a guest appearance on The Muppet Show in 1978,^[65] she sang "I'm a Woman" with Miss Piggy.^[64] The pursuing year, Welch guest-starred as Flier Nirvana, an alien bounty huntsman, in an episode of Mork & Mindy titled "Mork vs.

the Necrotons".^[66][67]

1980–2017: Subsequent projects bracket later years

Television

In 1982, Welch asterisked in the Western The Narrative of Walks Far Woman come up with NBC.^[68] Billed as her "first TV movie dramatic debut", Welsh played a 19th-century Native Dweller woman in Montana.^[68] In honesty summer of 1982, Welch was among the candidates considered pointless the role of Alexis Carrington on the ABC primetime play Dynasty, along with Elizabeth Composer and Sophia Loren, before representation producers settled on Joan Collins.^[69]

In 1987, Welch starred in distinction television drama Right to Die, an "unglamorous" role in which she portrayed a college don and mother of two persecuted with Lou Gehrig's disease, splendid asks to die with dignity.^[70] She received a Golden Earth nomination as Best Actress stand for her performance.^{[citation needed]}

Welch starred lid the made-for-television films Scandal bland a Small Town (1988), Trouble in Paradise (1989), and Torch Song (1993).^[71] In 1995, she was a guest star clasp Lois and Clark: The Original Adventures of Superman.^[72] In honourableness Season 2 episode "Top Copy", Welch played a television journo and assassin who threatens be expose Clark's identity as Superman.^[72][73]

In 1996, Welch joined the impression of the night-time soap theater Central Park West, after CBS had already slated it fit in cancellation, as creator Darren Taking made a final attempt achieve save the show by boost its ratings late in dismay first season.^[74] She was ingenious guest star on the Land comedy series Sabrina, the Young Witch (1997), playing Sabrina's embellished Aunt Vesta from the monarchy called the Pleasuredome.^[75]

Welch acted upgrade the Season 8 finale annotation the comedy series Seinfeld, gentle "The Summer of George" (1997), playing an exaggerated and greatly temperamental version of herself.^[76][77] Think it over the episode, ranked by Zap2it as one of the summit 10 episodes of Seinfeld, focus character Kramer is forced submit fire Welch from the remove role in a fictional Genteel Award-winning musical called "Scarsdale Surprise", while the character Elaine gets into a "catfight" with relation after a chance encounter swish the street.^[76]Entertainment Weekly wrote, "By delivering a pitch-perfect performance chimpanzee a fire-breathing prima donna, Welsh also poked fun at cause reputation (fairly earned or not) for being difficult to drudgery with."^[76]

In 2002, Welch co-starred breach the PBS series American Family, a story about a Mexican American family in East Los Angeles, with Edward James Olmos.^[78] Her role as Aunt Dora, the "drama queen of rank family", marked the first period in her 40-year career range Welch had acknowledged her legacy as a Latina.^[78]

In 2008, Welsh appeared in Welcome to Significance Captain on CBS, playing capital "sultry actress"; according to hold up critic, she was "spoofing herself".^[79] She guest starred on CSI: Miami in 2012 and afflicted Aunt Lucia in the 2013 Lifetime original movie House sum Versace.

In 2015, she depicted Miss Sally May Anderson flat the television drama The Last Legacy.^[80]

Welch played the mother-in-law make merry Barry Watson's character in precise Canadian sitcom titled Date Overcast Dad (2017) where she reunited with Robert Wagner on announce, five decades after starring convene in The Biggest Bundle blame Them All.^[81]

Film

Welch was due picture star in a 1982 change of John Steinbeck's Cannery Row, but was abruptly fired by way of the producers a few weeks into production.

The studio described she was not living verify to her contract, by opposing early-morning rehearsals, and was replaced with Debra Winger. Welch sued MGM for breach of contract.^[82] Studio executives claimed in confirmation the reason Welch was masses through with the trial was that she was an team member actor over 40 and generally name in that age range cannot get roles any more.

Welch's evidence at trial proved was a conspiracy to ostensibly blame her for the film's budget problems and delays. Representation jury sided with Welch lecture she won a $10.8 million alternative against MGM in 1986.^[83][84]

Despite goodness win, Welch wished the generally episode never had happened.

"I just wanted to clear tongue-tied reputation and get back amount my work, my work well-off movies", she said.^[85] But she was blackballed by the commerce and the incident affected say no to film career on the expansive screen from that moment on.^[86]

In 1994, Welch made a etching appearance in Naked Gun 33+1⁄3: The Final Insult, in rectitude scene where Leslie Nielsen's monogram crashes the Academy Awards.^[87] Feigned 2001, she had a etching in the comedy film Legally Blonde with Reese Witherspoon, activity a wealthy ex-wife in court.^[88] Also that year, Welch attended in Tortilla Soup, a kinship comedy-drama inspired by Ang Lee's Eat Drink Man Woman, acting Hortensia, a domineering mother map to marry the master au pair girl who thinks he is drain his sense of smell champion taste.^[89]

Welch starred in Forget Providence It (2006), a mobster drollery in which Burt Reynolds, Parliamentarian Loggia, and Charles Durning competed for her affection.^[90] She moved a single billionaire grandmother surround the romantic comedy How quick Be a Latin Lover (2017).^[91]

Stage

In December 1972, Welch made throw away nightclub debut at the Las Vegas Hilton;^[92] her act preceded Elvis Presley's.^[93] Over the close decade, she took her club act to other venues, sit starred in television specials featuring her singing and dancing.^[68] She released the dance single "This Girl's Back In Town", which peaked at No.

29 pain Billboard's dance club chart speedy 1988,^[94] along with a song video.^[70]

In December 1981, Welch asterisked on Broadway in Woman commemorate the Year for two weeks, filling in for Lauren Bacall in the title role behaviour Bacall was on vacation.^[68] Critics were so enthusiastic about Welch's performance, she was invited revisit to perform the role restore for six months in 1982.^[68]

In 1997, Welch starred on Thespianism in Victor/Victoria, following Julie Naturalist and Liza Minnelli in justness title role.

Theatre critic Jamie Portman wrote that her glamour made Welch "scarcely believable chimpanzee the vulnerable Victoria and unqualifiedly unbelievable as the swaggering tuxedoed Victor", but that she slate least "earns high marks let somebody see valor" for attempting to expel life into "the misbegotten lilting version of Victor/Victoria".^[95]

Achievements and awards

In 1975, Welch won a Yellowish Globe Award for Best Fuss Picture Actress in a Euphonic or Comedy for The Musketeers.

She was also nominative for a Golden Globe Present for her performance in probity television drama Right to Die (1987).^[96] In 1996, Welch common a star on the Spirit Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.^[97] In 2001, she was awarded the Imagen Set off Lifetime Achievement Award for assemblage positive promotion of Americans hold Latin heritage throughout her career.^[98][99] In 2012, the Film Company of Lincoln Center presented far-out special retrospective of the flicks of Welch at the Director Reade Theater.^[100]

Beauty and business career

The Raquel Welch Total Beauty dominant Fitness Program book and videos were first released in 1984.

The book, written by Welsh with photographs by André Weinfeld, includes a hatha yoga aptness program, her views on confused living and nutrition, as nicely as beauty and personal society. The Multi-Platinum collection of Suitableness and Yoga videos were fingers on and directed by André Weinfeld. As a businesswoman, Welch succeeded with her signature line tactic wigs.

She also began well-ordered jewelry and skincare line, though neither of those ventures compared to the success of accumulate wig collection HAIRuWEAR.^[101]

In January 2007, Welch was selected as probity newest face of MAC Face-paint Beauty Icon series. Her borderline features several limited-edition makeup obscurity in glossy black and tiger-print packaging.

The tiger print topic of the collection celebrates Welch's feline and sensuous image: "strong and wild, yet sultry captain exotic".^[102][103]

Her personal beauty regime objective abstinence from alcohol and tobacco; daily yoga; and moisturising appreciate Bag Balm.^[104]

Personal life

Marriages and relationships

Welch married her high school girlfriend, James Welch, in Las Vegas on May 8, 1959.

They had two children, Damon (born November 6, 1959) and Tahnee (born December 26, 1961). Honourableness couple separated in 1962 reprove divorced in 1964; she maintained Welch's surname until her carnage in 2023.^[20][105]

She married publicist Apostle Curtis in Paris on Feb 14, 1967, and they divorced on January 6, 1972.^[106] Phytologist later claimed to the tabloids that Welch got an close during their marriage.^[107] Spanish communication reported that during the discerning of 100 Rifles in Espana in 1968, Welch, while hitched to Curtis, had a rapport with Spanish actor Sancho Gracia, who had a small duty in the film, and cruise Welch's husband, upon finding drag about the affair, chased Gracia at gunpoint through the pension where they were staying encumber Aguadulce.^{[106][108][109]} Subsequent boyfriends included field player Joe Namath, producer Parliamentarian Evans and comedian Freddie Prinze.^[110]

On July 5, 1980, she connubial producer André Weinfeld in Cabo San Lucas.^[111] In early Feb 1983, while vacationing in Mustique, Welch suffered a miscarriage threesome months into her pregnancy.^[112] Amass marriage to Weinfeld ended restore August 1990.^[105]

In 1996, after possession a low romantic profile sustenance several years, she dated badger British boxing champion Gary Unroll distend, who was younger than both of Welch's children.^[113]

Welch wed Richie Palmer, co-owner of Mulberry Compatible Pizzeria, on July 17, 1999, at her home in Beverly Hills.

Palmer, who had sole son from a previous accessory, broke off his engagement deal with business partner and actress Cathy Moriarty to pursue Welch tab October 1997.^[114] The pair divided in August 2003 and divorced a year later.^[115][116]

In 2011, Welsh told Elle magazine she would not remarry.^[117] Her last bond of record, during the early-to-mid-2010s, was with American Idol director Nigel Lythgoe.^[118][119]

Religion

Welch was Presbyterian, honourableness religion of her childhood, presentday had said, "I remembered magnanimity wonderful sense of peace I'd felt when sitting under righteousness protection and grace of discomfited mother's faith." She was far-out faithful member of Calvary Protestant Church in Glendale, which she described as a "beautiful tiny church" where the people "weren't Hollywood types.

They were retiring, unassuming, cheerful and friendly. They welcomed me." Welch's faith helped her after the death funding her mother, a devout Protestant, and her sister's recovery detach from cancer.^[120][121]

Public image

While her image beginning the 1960s was that have a phobia about a torrid sex temptress, Welch's private life was quite different.^{[122][123][124]} Welch once famously said, "What I do on the shelter is not to be equated with what I do on the run my private life.

Privately, Beside oneself am understated and dislike commoner hoopla."^[125] She also admitted, "I was not brought up drawback be a sex symbol, unseen is it in my style to be one. The event that I became one shambles probably the loveliest, most captivating, and fortunate misunderstanding."^[126]

Welch posed get on to Playboy in 1979, but she never did a fully bare shoot.

Hugh Hefner later wrote, "Raquel Welch, one of honourableness last of the classic mating symbols, came from the epoch when you could be accounted the sexiest woman in rectitude world without taking your costume off. She declined to come loose complete nudity, and I forfeit gracefully. The pictures prove afflict point."^[127] Welch refused to standpoint all her clothes off muddle screen or pose naked during the whole of her career spanning five decades, saying this was the eat she was brought up.^[128]

Political views

In 2014, during an appearance pay The O'Reilly Factor, Welch averred herself as being on picture conservative side, attributing it see to her upbringing and mother's Midwestern values.^[130] In 2015 Welch charged a gathering for the Politician Jewish Coalition in Beverly Hills.^[131] Welch supported the Vietnam Conflict, appearing at United Service Organizations (USO) shows, often with Oscillate Hope.^[130]

Death

Welch died from cardiac ensnare on February 15, 2023, delay her home in Los Angeles.

She was 82. At illustriousness time of her death, Welsh was also suffering from Alzheimers disease.^{[132][133][134]}

Legacy

Welch helped transform America's matronly ideal into its current repair. Her beautiful looks and amativeness made her the definitive Decennary and 1970s sex icon, somewhat than the blonde bombshell imitation the late 1950s as in human form by Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Author, and others.^{[135][136][137]} Welch became systematic star in the mid-1960s be first was exotic, brunette, and smoulderingly sexual.^{[138][139][140]} Her countless publicity likenesss helped to popularize her image,^[141] dress style, and 1960s instruction 1970s fashion trends.^[142] Welch gain other actresses also made rough hair popular.^[143][144]

In popular culture

Welch not bad mentioned in the 1970 melody "Raquel Welch" by Shel Silverstein^[145] and in the 1971 vent, "One's on the Way" extremely written by Silverstein but through popular by Loretta Lynn.

Welsh is also mentioned in "Unknown Stuntman", the theme song stick at The Fall Guy, starring Enchantment Majors, who also recorded justness song. She is also work out in the Al Jarreau tag "Love Is Real" from goodness Grammy-winning 1980 album This Time, where Jarreau sings "Raquel enjoin Redford are the tops".

In the 1994 film The Shawshank Redemption, the poster that Scheming Dufresne had on his jail cell wall at the former of his escape was honesty famous pinup image of Welsh in One Million Years B.C..^[146]

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage

Selected discography

Album appearances

Singles

Books

• Raquel Welch: Raquel: Dignity Raquel Welch Total Beauty concentrate on Fitness Program, Publisher: Henry Holt and Company (October 1, 1984), ISBN 978-0-03069-549-0
• Raquel Welch: Raquel: Beyond influence Cleavage, Publisher: Weinstein Books (March 29, 2010), ISBN 978-1-60286-097-1

See also

References