Iconic 1960s and 1970s screen siren Raquel Welch has died today after a brief illness. She was 82.
Welch began as a San Diego weathercaster before jumping into guest spots on shows like “Bewitched” and “McHale’s Navy”. She broke out in 1966’s famed sci-fi feature “Fantastic Voyage’ about a crew that’s miniaturized and injected into the body of a scientist.
She then played a cavewoman in “One Million Years B.C.” with a poster of her character in a fur bikini in the film becoming one of the most famous pin-ups in existence.
She also joined Dudley Moore and Peter Cook in “Bedazzled,” starred in the western “Bandolero,” and then landed the title role in the film adaptation of Gore Vidal’s satirical novel “Myra Breckinridge”.
She joined Burt Reynolds in “Fuzz,” Richard Burton in “Bluebeard,” James Coburn in “The Last of Sheila,” and co-starred in the 1970s “The Three Musketeers” film. She also starred in “The Beloved” and “Kansas City Bomber,” “Hannie Caulder” and “Lady in Cement”.
More recently her films included “Naked Gun 33+1⁄3: The Final Insult,” “Chairman of the Board,” “Legally Blonde,” and “Tortilla Soup”. She continued acting in TV over the decades as well with guest spots in “Seinfeld,” “Spin City,” “8 Simple Rules,” “CSI Miami” and a regular on both “Central Park West” and “Welcome to The Captain”.
In the 1980s she famously sued MGM over being dumped from starring with Nick Nolte in “Cannery Row,” with Debra Winger ultimately taking the role.
Our sincerest condolences go out to her family, friends and fans.
