Raquel Welch dies at 82: Know about cause of death, career, net worth, movies, children, & last photos

American actress and model, Raquel Welch passed away at the age of 82 on Wednesday, February 15. Her manager confirmed her death and said that she passed away peacefully after a brief illness. Welch was considered an international sex symbol in the 1960s and was widely remembered for donning a deerskin bikini for the film, One Million Years B.C. in 1966. Raquel Welch only had a few lines in the movie, but what made her performance memorable was her wardrobe in the movie, which was simple yet appealing. Her wardrobe and her performance in the movie, One Million Years B.C was one of the reasons that she was crowned as the sex symbol of her era.

She becamepopular when she appeared in the movie, Fantastic Voyage. After this, she won a contract with 20th Century Fox that eventually helped her in getting a contract with Hammer Film Productions for the movie One Million Years B.C. Her deer-skin bikini from the movie became a bestselling poster that turned her into an international sex icon. Though after this, she portrayed various strong female characters that break the mould of her traditional sex symbol and Welch developed a unique film persona that made her an icon of the 1960s and 1970s. Her stardom was one of the reasons that ended Hollywood’s vigorous promotion of the blonde bombshell.

Raquel Welch: Early Life and Career

Welch was born Jo Raquel Tejada on September 5, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois. Her father was an aeronautical engineer from La Pas, Bolivia. Welch had a younger brother, James ‘Jim’ Tejada and a younger sister, Gayle Tejada. She won a number of teen beauty pageants and later became a local weather forecaster. During her brief stint in Dallas, Texas, she modelled for the Neiman Marcus clothing store and worked as a cocktail waitress. Her big break came in 1964 soon after she moved back to California when she scored cameos in A House Is Not A Home, and Roustabut, a musical starring Elvis Presley.

Welch went on to address her image in her memoir, Raquel: Beyond the Cleavage, in which she opened up about her childhood, her early career woes as a single mother in Hollywood and why she would never lie about her age. In her entire career of five decades, she appeared in more than 30 movies and 50 TV shows.

Raquel Welch: Movies

Some of the famous movies in which Raquel Welch acted were:

1. Fantastic Vogue (1966)

2. One Million Years B.C. (1966)

3. Bedazzled (1967)

4. Bandolero! (1968)

5. 100 Rifles (1969)

6. Myra Breckinridge (1970)

7. Hannie Clauder (1971)

Apart from films, she also made appearances in several television variety specials.

Raquel Welch: Awards and recognitions

In 1974, Welch won a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Actress in a Musical Comedy for The Three Musketeers. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her performance in the TV drama Right to Die (1987). In 1994, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 (Hollywood Boulevard). For her positive promotion of Americans of Latin heritage throughout her career, she was awarded the Imagen Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2012, the Film Society of Lincoln Centre presented a special retrospective of films of Welch at the Walter Reade Theatre.

In 1995, Playboy magazine ranked Welch No.3 on their “100 Sexiest Stars of the Twentieth Century” list.

Raquel Welch: Net Worth

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Welch had an estimated net worth of $40 million. She was also the face of Foster Grant eyeglasses, as well as MAC cosmetics, a HAIRuWEAR wig line, a jewellery brand and a skincare line.

Raquel Welch: Family and Children

Welch married her high school sweetheart, James Welch, on May 8, 1959. With James, she had two children, Damon Wlech and Latanne ‘Tahnee’ Welch. James and Raquel were separated and divorced in 1964, but she retained Welch’s last name until her death. She then married producer, Patrick Curtis in 1967 and divorced him in 1972. In 1980, she got married again to the producer, Andre Weinfiled, which she divorced in 1990.

Raquel Welch: Last photos

Here are some of the last pictures of Raquel Welch:

Welch was last seen at a salon in Beverly Hills when she went for a manicure.

Raquel Welch: Cause of death

The American actress and model died on Wednesday morning, 15 January. Her manager confirmed her death saying that she died because of a ‘brief illness’.

Welch's representative, Steve Sauer issued a statement and said, "Raquel Welch, the legendary bombshell actress of film, television and stage, passed away peacefully early this morning after a brief illness... The 82-year-old actress burst into Hollywood in her initial roles in One Million, B.C and Fantastic Voyage."

"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. Raquel leaves behind her two children, son Damon Welch and her daughter, Tahnee Welch," he added.