Jo Raquel Tejada (that was her real name) was born in Chicago in 1940, and at just two years old she moved with her family to San Diego. At 15 she won the first beauty contest and at 18 she married James Welch. She adopted her husband’s last name for the rest of her life even after divorcing him. The mother of two children, to earn money she worked as a model and waitress while studying theater in Dallas, until she ended up in Hollywood, where she got some supporting roles in films such as The Globetrotter (1964), by Elvis Presley.
Her first leading role was in the science fiction film Fantastic Voyage (1966), but it was not until her appearance in A Million Years Ago, with just three sentences, that she began to be known. The animal skin bikini she wore in that film made her a sexual icon of the time.
She had an explosive beauty, long black hair, an elegant smile, she dressed in low-cut evening gowns by well-known designers, such as Bob Mackie, Norma Kamali and Givenchy, and Playboy described her as the “most desirable woman” of the 1970s.
He worked with great actors, Frank Sinatra, James Stewart and Dean Martin, Belmondo… he won a Golden Globe for The Three Musketeers, but after that, his career did not prosper as he expected, and he spent part of the eighties with small roles for television and the theater.
She wrote the book Total Beauty and Fitness about beauty and sports, and made videos with advice on nutrition, beauty and personal style. She continued to be a diva. In 2018, Vogue ranked her as one of “the most sensational hourglass-shaped bodies of all time.”
He made his last appearance on the big screen in the American comedy How to Be a Latin Lover directed by Ken Marino. He died in 2023 at 82 years old.
Now, a year after her death, some of the artist’s items are going up for auction on April 12, in Los Angeles (California).
Julien’s Auction presents Bombshell: The Raquel Welch Collection with more than 465 items: costumes, jewelry, awards, photographs and memorabilia of Welch and her iconic films and television specials, including a replica of her iconic fur bikini. Or the Ron Talsky slip dress that she wore in the film Wild Party (1975). Also a diamond and amethyst choker necklace worn in 1983 by Raquel Welch at the 55th Annual Academy Awards, which she presented with actor Tom Selleck.
But fans will be able to bid on items such as the Golden Globe for best actress, which she won in 1974, her plaque on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the original script she commented on for the classic 1970 film Myra Breckinridge, her Mercedes Benz SL. convertible from 2018, or the wedding ring of her wedding with Richard Palmer made of diamonds and 14 carat gold, in addition to the furniture from her homes, and many other personal objects that can be purchased through the auction house.
