Jo Raquel Tejada Welch
- Born:
- September 5, 1940, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Died:
- February 15, 2023, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Actress, Model, Singer
Early Life and Education
- Born to Armando Carlos Tejada Urquizo, an aeronautical engineer from Bolivia, and Josephine Sarah Hall.
- Family moved to La Jolla, California, when she was two years old.
- Received ballet training from age seven.
- Won beauty contests in her teens, including "Miss Photogenic" and "Miss Contour."
- Attended San Diego State College on a theater arts scholarship.
Career and Major Achievements
- Early career included work as a weather presenter and in local theater productions.
- Gained international recognition for her roles in films like Fantastic Voyage (1966) and One Million Years B.C. (1966).
- Challenged Hollywood stereotypes and expectations for women in film during the late 1960s and 1970s.
- Starred in a variety of film genres, including Westerns, comedies, and dramas.
- Made appearances on television and on stage, including a successful run on Broadway in Woman of the Year (1981).
- Received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for her role in The Three Musketeers (1973).
Notable Works
Filmography (Selected)
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Fantastic Voyage | Cora Peterson |
| 1966 | One Million Years B.C. | Loana |
| 1967 | Bedazzled | Lilian Lust |
| 1968 | Bandolero! | Maria Stoner |
| 1973 | The Three Musketeers | Constance Bonacieux |
Television (Selected)
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Central Park West | Dianne Brock | Main role (13 episodes) |
| 1997 | Spin City | Abby Lassiter | 3 episodes |
| 1997 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Rina/Vixen | Episode: "Vixen" |
Legacy and Impact
The biography of raquel welch reveals an actress who transcended her initial image as a sex symbol to become a respected and versatile performer. She challenged Hollywood norms and became an enduring icon in popular culture.