Raquel Welch Photo, Age, Height, Weight, Boyfriend, Net Worth 2026

Raquel Welch (born Jo Raquel Tejada) was an American actress, model, singer, and businesswoman who rose to international fame in the 1960s as one of Hollywood’s leading symbols. She became an enduring cultural icon through films such as Fantastic Voyage and especially One Million Years B.C., whose promotional image in a fur bikini became one of the most recognizable of the era.

Jo Raquel Tejada was born on September 5, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois. She was the oldest of three children of Armando Carlos Tejada, a Bolivian-born aeronautical engineer, and Josephine Sarah (Hall) Tejada, an American of English descent. The family moved to San Diego, California, when she was about two years old.

Personal Details

Full Name	Jo Raquel Tejada (professionally Raquel Welch)
Profession	Actress, model, singer, businesswoman
Date of Birth	5 September 1940
Date of Death	15 February 2023 (age 82)
Birthplace	Chicago, Illinois, USA
Nationality	American
Friends	Kim Hyun-joong
Height	5’6″ (168 cm)
Parents	Armando Carlos Tejada and Josephine Sarah Hall
Spouses	James Welch (m. 1959; div. 1964); Patrick Curtis (m. 1967; div. 1972); André Weinfeld (m. 1980; div. 1990); Richard Palmer (m. 1999; div. ~2004)
Children	Damon Welch and Tahnee Welch
Years Active	1960s–2010s
Known For	One Million Years B.C., Fantastic Voyage, The Three Musketeers

Career

Welch began her entertainment career with local pageants, modeling, and a stint as a weather presenter on a San Diego television station. After moving to Los Angeles, she secured early film and television roles. Her breakthrough came in 1966 with Fantastic Voyage and, more famously, One Million Years B.C., in which her fur-bikini image made her an international sex symbol almost overnight.

She starred in a wide range of films throughout the 1960s and 1970s, including 100 Rifles, Myra Breckinridge, Fathom, and The Three Musketeers (1973), for which she won a Golden Globe Award. She also worked in television, stage (including Broadway in Woman of the Year), and later appeared in projects such as Legally Blonde (2001) and How to Be a Latin Lover (2017).

Beyond acting, she developed a successful line of wigs and hair products, published a memoir (Raquel: Beyond the Cleavage), and released fitness-related materials. She was known for advocating for better roles and treatment for actresses in Hollywood and won a notable legal judgment against MGM in the 1980s.

Raquel Welch Daughter and Husband

Raquel Welch married her high school sweetheart, James Welch, in 1959. They had two children—son Damon and daughter Tahnee—before divorcing in 1964. She was subsequently married to producer Patrick Curtis (1967–1972), French director André Weinfeld (1980–1990), and restaurateur Richard Palmer (1999–approximately 2004). All four marriages ended in divorce.

She was survived by her two children, Damon and Tahnee Welch. Tahnee also pursued acting and modeling. Welch was known for maintaining a strong public image focused on fitness and style well into later life.

Physical Appearance

Height	5’6″ (168 cm)
Hair Color	Dark brown (often highlighted or styled)
Eye Color	Brown
Notable	Iconic hourglass figure; defining sex-symbol image of the 1960s

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