Legendary Actress Raquel Welch Passes Away at 82: A Look Back at Her Iconic Career

 Raquel Welch, a legendary actress who gained fame in the 1960s for her roles in “One Million Years B.C.” and “Fantastic Voyage,” has passed away at the age of 82, as confirmed by her manager, Steve Sauer. According to the statement, Welch died on Wednesday morning in Los Angeles after a brief illness. Over the course of her career, Welch accumulated more than 70 credits in film and television, starting out as a spokesmodel on the show “Hollywood Palace” before making her film debut with a minor role in Elvis Presley's "Roustabout" in 1964. However, it was her appearances in the science fiction hit “Fantastic Voyage” and the prehistoric drama “One Million Years B.C.” that launched her into stardom, with the latter featuring Welch in a fur bikini, which became a significant part of the movie’s marketing campaign, and cemented her status as an international sex symbol. Throughout the late 1960s, she starred in various westerns and other films, including “Bedazzled,” where she played the character Lilian Lust, and won a Golden Globe award for her performance in “The Three Musketeers” in 1973. In the 90s, Welch appeared in multiple sitcoms, such as “Seinfeld” and “Spin City,” and her final professional credit was in UPtv’s “Date My Dad” in 2017. Apart from her successful career in acting, Welch also ventured into entrepreneurship, launching her own jewelry, skincare, and wig lines. She is survived by her two children, Damon Welch and Tahnee Welch.

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