Raquel Welch, who rose to fame as a sex symbol in the 1960s, has died. She was 82.
She died Wednesday at her home in Los Angeles after a brief illness. Welch’s son, Damon, confirmed about her death.
“She passed away with no pain,” he said. “I’m very proud about what she contributed to society and her career and everything. I’m most proud of her doing the U.S.O tours with Bob Hope during the late 60s and early 70s. We missed Christmas with her for three years while she was doing that. She said that was the hardest thing.”
Raquel Welch career
Welch started her career in the 1960s with appearances on TV shows such as The Virginian, McHale’s Navy and Bewitched. That paved the way for back-to-back roles in Fantastic Voyage, and One Million Years B.C. That latter role catapulted her to sex symbol status. Welch would go on to star in several films, including 1970’s Myra Breckinridge, where she played a trans actress, and The Three Musketeers, which earned her a Golden Globe in 1974 for best actress in a motion picture comedy or musical.
Raquel Welch Children
She leaves behind her two children, her son Damon Welch and her daughter, Tahnee Welch.
Raquel Welch Born
Welch was born Jo-Raquel Tejada in Chicago, Illinois to a Bolivian father and an American mother.
“Latinos are here to stay,” she said at a National Press Club Luncheon in 2002. “As citizen Raquel, I’m proud to be Latina.”
“We don’t have that many stars,” Alcaraz said. “Raquel Welch is viewed as one of our stars, and I’m happy and proud about that.”
