Raquel Welch's life in pictures

Born Jo-Raquel Tejada, Raquel Welch changed her name when she moved to Los Angeles in 1963. She and her first manager jumpstarted her career, getting her small roles in films and TV before getting her first featured role in the 1965 film "A Swingin' Summer." (Earl Leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Prior to making it big in Hollywood, Welch married her high school sweetheart, James Welch in 1959. The couple welcomed two children, Damon Welch and  Latanne Welch, before divorcing in 1964. (Photo by Fairchild Archive/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images)

Her first leading role came in the 1966 movie "Fantastic Voyage," which came a year after she signed a contract with 20th Century Fox.  (20th Century-Fox/Getty Images)

She then starred in "One Million Years B.C." in which she spent the whole movie wearing a bikini quickly raising her status as a sex symbol. In 2011, Time Magazine named this the "Top Ten Bikinis in Pop Culture." (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

Welch found international fame when she starred in the British movie "Fathom." After watching the film, a critic said Welch was born to be photographed.  (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

Welch went on to appear in other parts including the titular role in the film "Myra Breckinridge," in which she played a trans actress.  (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

In 1970, CBS released her television special, "Raquel!," which featured her alongside, Tom Jones, Bob Hope and John Wayne.   (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

On her status as a sex symbol, Welch once said, "I 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." (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

Welch married her second husband, Patrick Curtis in 1967, and was with him for five years before divorcing him in 1972. (KEYSTONE-FRANCE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

In 1973, Welch starred in the movies "The Last of Sheila" and "The Three Musketeers," and the following year starred in the sequel "The Four Musketeers."   (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

Her role in "The Three Musketeers" earned her her first Golden Globe for best motion picture actress in a musical or comedy, in 1974. (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

Welch continued to act, starring in "Wild Party," "Animal" and "The Prince and the Pauper." (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

Welch was known to have a solid voice, and even had a successful one-woman nightclub musical act in Las Vegas. (Richard Blanshard/Getty Images)

Welch posed for Playboy in 1979 and was named "Most Desired Woman" of the 1970s by the magazine. (Harry Langdon/Getty Images)

While Welch was considered a sex symbol, she refused to ever pose naked or appear naked in any of her films, something Hugh Hefner admired, calling her "one of the last of the classic sex symbols." (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

Welch made her Broadway debut in 1981 in the show "Woman of the Year," replacing Lauren Bacall in the role. (Tony Kent/Sygma via Getty Images)

In 1980, Welch married producer Andre Weinfeld. The couple were married for 10 years and divorced in 1990. (PIERRE GUILLAUD/AFP via Getty Images)

In 1982, Welch sued MGM Studios for breach of contract after she was fired from the movie "Cannery Row." She won the trial in 1986, and was awarded $10.6 million.  (Harry Langdon/Getty Images)

In 1987, Welch played a woman suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease in the TV drama, "Right to Die." (Erik Hein /American Broadcasting Companies via Getty Images)

Raquel Welch was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in "Right to Die." That same year, she released her single, "This Girl's Back In Town," which peaked at No. 29 on Billboard's dance club chart. (Thomas Iannaccone/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images)

Welch continued to act throughout the 80s and 90s, starring in "Scandal In a Small Town," "Trouble In Paradise," "Naked Gun 33+1⁄3: The Final Insult" and "Sabrina the Teenage Witch." (Craig Sjodin/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)

Welch received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994. (Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

Welch returned to Broadway in the 1997 play "Victor/Victoria" as the titualr character. (Steve Azzara/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

Welch wed Richard Palmer, owner of Mulberry Street Pizzeria, in 1999 but then separated from him in 2003 and later divorced. After her divorce from Palmer, Welch said she would not remarry. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

In the 2000s, Welch appeared in "Legally Blonde," "American Family," "Forget About It" and "Welcome to the Family." (L. Cohen/WireImage)

Most recently, Welch starred in the sitcom "Date My Dad," in which she reunited with Robert Wagner, 40 years after first starring with him. (Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

Raquel Welch during "Sunset Blvd" Los Angeles Premiere in Los Angeles, California, United States.  (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)

Welch was the face of MAC Cosmetics in 2007, and prior to that she promoted fitness with "The Raquel Welch Total Beauty and Fitness Program" which featured a book and a collection of videos. (Alex J. Berliner/ABImages )

Welch died on February 15, 2023 following a brief illness. (Getty Images)