Alluring Facts About Raquel Welch, The Temptress With A Temper
When Raquel Welsh stepped into her fur bikini to battle dinosaurs for One Million Years BC, she likely had no idea that she’d be suffering for it for years to come.
1. She Wanted A Different Life
Jo Raquel Tejada was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 5, 1940. Her mother was English and was the daughter of a famous architect. Her father, from La Paz, Bolivia, was an engineer in aeronautics.
Welch had a cousin back in Bolivia who later became the South American country’s first female president. Welch, however, didn’t have much interest in politics: She wanted to dance.
2. She Wasn’t Right
The Tejada family—mom, dad, and three kids—moved from Chicago to San Diego, California when Welch was just two years old. By the time she was seven, Welch was already studying ballet.
After giving ballet ten years of her young life, she got some devastating news: Her teacher told her she didn’t have the right body for it. But Welch wasn't easily discouraged and quickly turned to something she did have the body for.
3. She Was A Winner
Welch began entering beauty pageants. As a teenager, she won numerous titles. She was Miss Photogenic, Miss Contour, and while still in high school, she was Miss La Jolla.
When the San Diego Fair was in session, Welch became Miss San Diego—the Fairest of the Fair.
As Welch blossomed into a stunning young woman, she began exploring new ways of wielding the power of her beauty.
4. She Fell In Love At First Sight
Raquel Welch met her "first true love" when she was only 15, James Welch. In her memoir, she confessed that it was love at first sight: "From the first minute I saw him, I secretly knew that I was destined to have his babies". But sadly, these high school sweethearts weren't destined for a happy ending.
