\n Raquel Welch<\/span> Invision\/AP\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Farewell to an icon. Raquel Welch<\/a>, known for her roles in Fantastic Voyage<\/em> and Bedazzled<\/em>, has died at age 82.<\/p>\n \u201cThe legendary bombshell actress of film, television and stage, passed away peacefully early this morning after a brief illness,\u201d a representative for the actress told Us Weekly<\/em> in a statement on Wednesday, February 15. \u201cHer career spanned over 50 years starring in over 30 films and 50 television series and appearances. The Golden Globe winner<\/a>, in more recent years, was involved in a very successful line of wigs. Raquel leaves behind her two children, son Damon Welch<\/strong> and her daughter, Tahnee Welch<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n Born in Chicago in 1940, Raquel moved to Los Angeles in 1963 to pursue her dream of movie stardom. The following year, she appeared in the films A House Is Not a Home<\/em> and Roustabout<\/em>, the latter of which starred Elvis Presley<\/a>. She also racked up credits on TV shows including McHale\u2019s Navy<\/em>, Bewitched<\/em> and The Hollywood Palace<\/em>.<\/p>\n Raquel\u2019s breakout role came in 1966 when she starred in Fantastic Voyage<\/em>, a classic sci-fi film directed by Harry Kleiner. That same year, she appeared in One Million Years B.C.<\/em>, which made her a sex symbol<\/a> thanks to the deerskin bikini she wore in a promotional still for the movie.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m asked if I still have that bikini, but there were about six of them, and they\u2019re probably in an archive somewhere. One day one of them will turn up in a museum or auction,\u201d the Hannie Caulder<\/em> actress told The Sunday Post<\/em><\/a> in August 2018. \u201cI\u2019m not sure if I will ever wear it again but you never know \u2014 perhaps one day the script will drop through the door for Two Million Years B.C.<\/em> If it does, I hope it has more dialogue than the first one. I had three lines in that, the rest was silent.\u201d<\/p>\n Raquel went on to star in dozens of films over the years, including Myra Breckinridge<\/em>, The Last of Sheila<\/em> and The Wild Party<\/em>. In 1975, she earned a Golden Globe Award for her performance as Constance Bonacieux in The Three Musketeers<\/em>, which also starred Michael York<\/strong>, Oliver Reed, Frank Finlay and Richard Chamberlain<\/strong>. Rom-com fans may also remember her as Mrs. Windham-Vandermark from 2001\u2019s Legally Blonde<\/em>.<\/p>\n The Forget About It<\/em> star posed for Playboy<\/em> in 1979<\/a>, but she refused to appear nude<\/a>, instead wearing a red swimsuit. \u201cRaquel Welch, one of the last of the classic sex symbols, came from the era when you could be considered the sexiest woman in the world without taking your clothes off,\u201d Hugh Hefner<\/a> later wrote of the Spin City<\/em> veteran. \u201cShe declined to do complete nudity, and I yielded gracefully. The pictures prove her point.\u201d<\/p>\n The 8 Simple Rules<\/em> alum\u2019s last film and TV credits came in 2017 when she appeared in the film How to Be a Latin Lover<\/em> and on the series Date My Dad.<\/p>\n Raquel was married four times: to James Welch from 1959 to 1964, to Patrick Curtis from 1967 to 1972, to Andr\u00e9 Weinfeld<\/strong> from 1980 to 1990 and to Richard Palmer from 1999 to 2004. The 100 Rifles<\/em> and her first husband shared son Damon and daughter Tahnee, born in 1959 and 1961, respectively.<\/p>\n Though Raquel was born to a Bolivian father whose last name was Tejada, Curtis \u2014 who was her agent before they wed \u2014 advised her to keep her ex-husband\u2019s last name to avoid being typecast as a Latina actress. The Lady in Cement<\/em> star embraced her heritage in her later years, revealing that she\u2019d also been advised to change her first name to Debbie.<\/p>\n![\"Raquel](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Raquel-Welch-Dead-1960s-Screen-Icon-and-Fantastic-Voyage-Star-Dies-at-82-After-Brief-Illness-Inline.jpg?w=700&quality=86&strip=all\"){kind=icon}
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\n Raquel Welch in \u2018Fantastic Voyage.\u2019<\/span> 20th Century Fox\/Kobal\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n