Actress Raquel Welch died peacefully at 82 years old following a brief illness. The actress was a sex symbol in the 60’s and was best known for her role in films like One Million Years B.C where she played a bikini clad cavewoman.
She started her career as a local weather forcaster after wining several beauty pageants. She also modeled for Newman Marcus and worked as cocktail waitress. In 1964 she scored her first break in Roustabout, a musical which feature Elvis Presley. She shot to fame later with her role in sci-fi film Fantastic Voyage and later in One Million Years B.C
Her skimpy deerskin bikini made her a legend of that era. But she has always said that she never liked being a sex symbol. In a BBC report she was quoted as saying some time back that she “was not brought up to be a sex symbol, nor is it in my nature to be one.”
“The fact that I became one is probably the loveliest, most glamorous and fortunate misunderstanding,” she said.
In her book Raquel: Beyond the Cleavage she opens up about her challenges as single mother working in Hollywood in those days. To date she has acted in 30 movies and 50 television shows.
Some of her more notable roles were in Lady in Cement in 1968 with Frank Sinatra, Myra’s Breckenridge in 1970 and in the television drama Right To Die in 1987.
Raquel Welch also launched a line of signature wigs, jewellery and skincare care collection in the 80’s.
Tributes poured in for the Welch, with actress Reese Witherspoon saying that she had “loved” working with her in Legally Blonde.
“She was elegant, professional and glamorous beyond belief. Simply stunning.”
Actress Viola Davis posted a clip of her singing “I’m a Woman” with Cher in 1975 stating , “You were ageless to me… iconic”.
Disney also paid tribute to Raquel Welch as in 1978 she had sung the same song with the famous muppet character Miss Piggy. Disney tweeted, “We’ll never forget our remarkable friend Raquel Welch, one of our favourite guests on The Muppet Show.”