In the 1960s, actress Raquel Welch was viewed as a sex symbol; she has since passed away. She was 82 years old. According to Welch’s family, she passed away on Wednesday. After a brief illness, she died quietly, according to her spokesman.
She originally came to public recognition in 1966 for her roles in Fantastic Voyage and One Million Years B.C. Welch only got a few lines in “B.C.,” but it was her outfit—a modest, little deerskin bikini—that helped her become a sex symbol. From there, Welch’s fame grew even more, and in the 1960s and 1970s, she was one of the most in-demand female entertainers.
For her performance in The Three Musketeers in 1974, she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture Actress in a Musical or Comedy. Welch’s agent, Steve Sauer, released a statement that read, “After a brief illness, Raquel Welch, the iconic bombshell actress of cinema, television, and stage, died away quietly this morning. The 82-year-old actress made her Hollywood debut in the films Fantastic Voyage and One Million, B.C.”
“Over the course of her more than 50-year career, she appeared in more than 30 films and 50 television shows. In more recent years, the Golden Globe winner was associated with a hugely popular wig brand. Tahnee Welch and Damon Welch, the two children Raquel has left behind, ” he added.
Welch has appeared in films alongside some of Hollywood’s top actors throughout the years, including Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Robert Wagner, James Stewart, and Burt Reynolds. In a 1995 issue of Empire magazine, Welch was named one of the “100 Sexiest Stars in Film History” and came in third place on Playboy’s list of the “100 Sexiest Stars of the 20th Century.” She also played I’m a Woman with Cher on The Cher Show in 1975.