Actress, Model. An iconic sex symbol of American Cinema, she will be remembered for the films "Fantastic Voyage" (1966), "One Million Years B.C." (1966) and "Myra Breckinridge" (1970). Born Jo Raquel Tejada in Chicago, Illinois, her father was an engineer of Bolivian descent, her mother was of English origin, Raquel was raised in San Diego, California. She took ballet lessons during her early youth and had already won a number of beauty contests by her mid-teens. She married her high school sweetheart at age eighteen (they divorced in 1964) and their union produced two children. After her desire to pursue an acting career was discovered, she studied Drama at San Diego State University and acquired experience in a repertory group. After her divorce, she relocated to Dallas, Texas where she found work modeling and as a cocktail waitress. She began her film career in England with minor parts before moving to Hollywood, where she initially appeared on the TV programs "McHale's Navy" and "Bewitched." Signing a multi-film contract with 20th Century-Fox, she went on to appear in the films, "Bedazzled" (1967, co-starring with Dudley Moore), "Lady in Cement" (1968, co-starring with Frank Sinatra), "Bandolero!" (1968, co-starring with James Stewart and Dean Martin), 100 Rifles" (1969, co-starring with Burt Reynolds and Jim Brown) and "The Magic Christian"(1969). During the 1970s, she had starring roles in the pictures "Hannie Caulder"(1971), "Fuzz" (1972), "Kansas City Bomber" (1972), "The Three Musketeers" (1974, which earned her a Golden Globe Award) and "The Four Musketeers" (1975). She received a Golden Globe Award nomination for her performance in the TV-Movie drama "Right to Die" (1987) and during the 1990s, she appeared on several popular TV programs among them "Seinfeld." Welch also found success with her exercise videos in addition to her promoting of fitness equipment. She was the recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1996 for her work in motion pictures. Her daughter Tahnee Welch went on to become an actress.
