A Look Into Raquel Welch’s Life Through Rare Vintage Photos

The beautiful Raquel Welch is an iconic American actress and singer. Welch first entered the industry back in 1956 and has been turning heads ever since. Keep scrolling to take a look at Raquel Welch’s life through these rare vintage photos.

Born Jo Raquel Tejada, Raquel Welch was welcomed to the world on September 5th, 1940. The family moved from Illinois to San Diego when Welch was just two years old. Welch attended church with her mother as a child and took an interest in performing from an early age.

Welch studied ballet for ten years until she gave it up when she turned 17. Sadly, her dance teacher told her she didn't have the correct body shape for ballet. Regardless, Welch was a beautiful child and had already scooped up a handful of beauty titles. When she was just 14, Welch won Miss Photogenic, and Miss Contour. While attending high school she won both Miss La Jolla and Miss San Diego. After winning multiple titles, Welch went on to become Maid of California.

Welch went on to graduate high-school in 1958, during which time her parents separated. However, Welch went looking for an acting career and enrolled in San Diego State College to study theater arts. Just one year later, in 1959, she married her high school sweetheart, James Welch. Welch acted in several local theater productions but eventually gave up her drama classes. She got a job as a weather forecaster on a local San Diego TV station and separated from her husband.

At this point - with two children - Raquel Welch moved to Dallas, where she worked as a cocktail waitress and a model. She then picked herself up again and moved back to Los Angeles in 1963. Welch started auditioning for film roles when she met Hollywood agent Patrick Curtis. Curtis became Welch's manager, and the pair planned to turn her into a Hollywood symbol. They decided to keep Welch's married name in order to avoid her getting cast solely in Latina roles.