From unforgettable fame to who they are today — the full story, with rare photos.
The Face Everyone Knew
Jo Raquel Welch was an American actress. Welch first gained attention for her role in Fantastic Voyage , after which she signed a long-term contract with 20th Century Fox. They lent her contract to the British studio Hammer Film Productions, for whom she made One Million Years B.C. . Although Welch had only three lines of dialogue in the film, images of her in a doe-skin bikini became bestselling posters that turned her into an international sex symbol. She later starred in Bedazzled , Bandolero! , 100 Rifles , Myra Breckinridge , Hannie Caulder , Kansas City Bomber , The Last of Sheila , The Three Musketeers , The Wild Party , and Mother, Jugs & Speed . She made several television variety specials.
Rise to Stardom
Through her portrayal of strong female characters, helping her break the mold of the traditional sex symbol, Welch developed a unique film persona that made her an icon of the 1960s and 1970s. Her rise to stardom in the mid-1960s was partly credited with ending Hollywood’s vigorous promotion of the blonde bombshell. She won a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Actress in a Musical or Comedy in 1974 for her performance as Constance Bonacieux in The Three Musketeers and reprised the role in its sequel the following year. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in Television Film for her performance in Right to Die . Her final film was How to Be a Latin Lover . In 1995, Welch was chosen by Empire magazine as one of the “100 Sexiest Stars in Film History”. Playboy ranked Welch No. 3 on their “100 Sexiest Stars of the Twentieth Century” list.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons (public domain / Creative Commons).