Celebrating the 60’s Sex Kitten Raquel Welch!

Yep, let’s go back to an era when one of the world’s most beautiful women became one of the world’s biggest stars – all based on a very wise wardrobe decision.

Raquel Welch

Raquel Welch burst onto the movie scene in the mid-60’s with a popular movie that resulted in the most iconic pin-up poster of the 60’s…first, where is all began: she was born Jo Raquel Tejada on September 5, 1940 in Chicago, Illinois, the first of three children born to a Bolivian aerospace engineer and his Irish-American wife.

 One Million Years BC

This image, of Raquel in the animal skin bikini, was the best-selling pin-up poster of the 60’s, and turned her into an international sex kitten – a picture that was taken originally from the set of her first movie, the smash hit One Million Years B.C.

Narrator: “This is a story of long, long ago; when the world was just beginning.”

 Check out the trailer:

The film catapulted Raquel to stardom, and she followed up with a wide variety of roles that showcased her action chops as well as her knack for comedy:

fuzz-us-poster-raquel-welch-top-yul-everett

She teamed up with one of the biggest male action stars of the 70’s, Burt Reynolds, for this action comedy set in Boston…but things weren’t “warm and fuzzy” behind the scenes…

According to IMDB, Raquel Welch did not like Burt Reynolds because of unsavory comments he made while they were filming “100 Rifles” together. So, in this movie Welch insisted that she not have any direct scenes with Reynolds. The closest they get is during the interrogation. Even when in the same room they never have direct eye contact.

Check out the trailer:

 

By the way, Welch also showed her action skills in the violent 1971 western Hannie Caulder.  Once again, the wardrobe budget for the film was minimal…

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 Finally, she starred in one of the most blatantly titled films of the seventies:

Mother Jugs and Speed

Yes, you read the name of the movie correctly.  Raquel starred with Bill Cosby and Harvey Keitel..with dialogue like this:

Tony Malatesta: “They don’t call me Speed for nuthin’.”

Jugs: “Well, let’s hope they don’t call you Speed for everything!”

 Mother, Jugs & Speed

This sex symbol slowed down her film work after a big run of hits in the 70’s, and I will always have a “women crush Wednesday” on her!

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