Editing Raquel Welch (section)

=== 1964–1966: Early works and breakthrough ===

Welch initially intended to move to New York City from Dallas, but moved back to Los Angeles in 1963 and started applying for roles with film studios.<ref name="Otfinoski2007" /> During this period, she met a one-time child actor and Hollywood agent [[Patrick Curtis (producer)|Patrick Curtis]] who became her personal and business manager.<ref name=glamour /> They developed a plan to turn Welch into a [[sex symbol]].<ref name="Otfinoski2007" /> To avoid [[typecasting]] as a [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Latina]], he convinced her to use her ex-husband's surname.<ref name="Otfinoski2007" /> She was cast in small roles in two films, ''[[A House Is Not a Home (film)|A House Is Not a Home]]'' (1964) and the musical ''[[Roustabout (film)|Roustabout]]'' (1964), an [[Elvis Presley]] film. She also landed small roles on the television series ''[[Bewitched]]'', ''[[McHale's Navy]]'' and ''[[The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian]]'' and appeared on the weekly variety series ''[[The Hollywood Palace]]'' as a billboard girl and presenter. She was one of many actresses who auditioned for the role of [[Mary Ann Summers]] on the television series ''[[Gilligan's Island]]''.

Welch's first featured role was in the beach film ''[[A Swingin' Summer]]'' (1965). That same year, she won the Deb Star while her photo in a ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' magazine layout called "The End of the Great Girl Drought!" created a buzz around town.<ref>Amaya, Mario. (May 25, 2017). [http://www.eltiempo.com/bocas/raquel-welch-en-una-entrevista-con-la-revista-bocas-90030 "El arte de ser ícono: una entrevista con Raquel Welch"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117174418/http://www.eltiempo.com/bocas/raquel-welch-en-una-entrevista-con-la-revista-bocas-90030 |date=November 17, 2017 }} ''Bocas''. Retrieved May 28, 2017</ref> She was strongly considered for the role of Domino in ''[[Thunderball (film)|Thunderball]]''<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/films/1735459/raquel-welch-james-bond-girl-sean-connery-thunderball |title = Raquel Welch set her sights on 'snuggling' with James Bond star |date = February 16, 2023 |access-date = February 18, 2023 |archive-date = February 18, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230218085511/https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/films/1735459/raquel-welch-james-bond-girl-sean-connery-thunderball |url-status = live }}</ref> and was also noticed by the wife of producer [[Saul David (producer)|Saul David]], who recommended her to [[20th Century Fox]], where with the help of Curtis she landed a contract.<ref name="Otfinoski2007" /> She agreed to a seven-year nonexclusive contract, five pictures over the next five years, and two floaters.<ref name=glamour /> Studio executives talked about changing her name to "Debbie". They thought "Raquel" would be hard to pronounce. She refused their request. She wanted her real name, so she stuck with "Raquel Welch".<ref>Raquel Welch [Interview by Piers Morgan]. (October 20, 2015). In ''Piers Morgan's Life Stories''. London, England: ITV.</ref><ref>Associated Press. (June 28, 2015). Raquel Welch: [https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/raquel-welch-the-essence-of-who-i-am-is-a-latina 'The essence of who I am is a Latina'] . Retrieved October 4, 2015, from Fox News</ref> After screen testing for Saul David's ''[[Our Man Flint]]'',<ref>{{cite book |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=fMccAQAAMAAJ&q=raquel+welch+%2B+our+man+flint |title = Illustrated Weekly of Pakistan |year = 1968 |publisher = Pakistan Herald Publications |access-date = February 18, 2023 |archive-date = February 22, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230222132620/https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Illustrated_Weekly_of_Pakistan/fMccAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=raquel+welch+%2B+our+man+flint&dq=raquel+welch+%2B+our+man+flint&printsec=frontcover |url-status = live }}</ref> she was cast in a leading role in David's sci-fi film ''[[Fantastic Voyage]]'' (1966), in which she portrayed a member of a medical team that is [[Size change in fiction|miniaturized]] and injected into the body of an injured scientist with the mission to save his life. The film was a hit and made her a star.<ref name="Otfinoski2007" />

[[File:Raquel Welch in deer-skin bikini.jpg|thumb|alt=Welch in the deer-skin bikini from the film ''One Million Years B.C.''|This 1966 promotional still of Welch in the deerskin bikini became a bestselling poster and turned her into an instant pin-up girl.]]
Fox loaned Welch to [[Hammer Studios]] in Britain where she starred in the science fiction film ''[[One Million Years B.C.]]'' (1966), a remake of the [[Hal Roach]] film ''[[One Million B.C.]]'' (1940). Her only costume was [[Fur bikini of Raquel Welch|a two-piece deer skin bikini]]. She was described as "wearing mankind's first bikini" and the fur bikini was described as a "definitive look of the 1960s".<ref name="Filmfacts">{{cite book |title = Filmfacts 1967 |publisher = University of Southern California. Division of Cinema |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=zbkvAQAAIAAJ |access-date = May 24, 2011 |year = 1967 |archive-date = February 15, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230215211431/https://books.google.com/books?id=zbkvAQAAIAAJ |url-status = live }}</ref><ref name="Mansour2005">{{cite book |last = Mansour |first = David |title = From Abba to Zoom: a pop culture encyclopedia of the late 20th century |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=hK0rPUF85loC&pg=PA345 |year = 2005 |publisher = Andrews McMeel Publishing |isbn = 978-0-7407-5118-9 |page = 345 |access-date = September 25, 2016 |archive-date = February 15, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230215211446/https://books.google.com/books?id=hK0rPUF85loC&pg=PA345 |url-status = live }}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' hailed her in its review of the film (which was released in the UK in 1966 and in the U.S. in 1967), "a marvelous breathing monument to womankind".<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1967/02/22/archives/one-million-years-bc-presents-a-nice-live-raquel-welch.html {{"'}}One Million Years B.C.' Presents a Nice Live Raquel Welch"], (February 22, 1967). ''The New York Times''.</ref> One author said, "although she had only three lines in the film, her luscious figure in a fur bikini made her a star and the dream girl of millions of young moviegoers".<ref name="Otfinoski2007">{{cite book |last = Otfinoski |first = Steven |title = Latinos in the arts |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HBog8AUkXRoC&pg=PA243 |year = 2007 |publisher = Infobase Publishing |isbn = 978-0-8160-6394-9 |page = 243 }}</ref> A publicity still of her in the bikini became a bestselling poster and turned her into an instant [[pin-up girl]].<ref name="BBCW">{{cite news |first = Kathryn |last = Westcott |title = The Bikini: Not a brief affair |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/5130460.stm |work = BBC News |date = June 5, 2006 |access-date = September 17, 2008 |archive-date = July 21, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080721185042/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/5130460.stm |url-status = live }}</ref> The film raised Welch's stature as a leading [[sex symbol]] of the era.<ref name="Bale">{{cite news |last = Bale |first = Miriam |title = The GQ&A: Raquel Welch |url = https://www.gq.com/entertainment/celebrities/201202/raquel-welch-interview-sex-symbol-films-million-years-bc?currentPage=all |access-date = August 21, 2013 |newspaper = GQ |date = February 10, 2012 |archive-date = September 28, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130928030222/http://www.gq.com/entertainment/celebrities/201202/raquel-welch-interview-sex-symbol-films-million-years-bc?currentPage=all |url-status = live }}</ref> In 2011, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine listed Welch's ''B.C.'' bikini in the "Top Ten Bikinis in Pop Culture".<ref>{{cite magazine |title = Raquel Welch's Fur Bikini in ''One Million Years B.C.''&nbsp;– Top 10 Bikinis in Pop Culture |first = Chris |last = Gayomali |date = July 5, 2011 |magazine = Time |url = http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2081310_2080985_2081003,00.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110709010349/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2081310_2080985_2081003,00.html |url-status = dead |archive-date = July 9, 2011 |access-date = August 28, 2012 }}</ref>

In 1966, Welch starred with [[Marcello Mastroianni]] in the Italian crime film ''[[Shoot Loud, Louder... I Don't Understand]]'' for [[Joseph E. Levine]].<ref name="ok">"Raquel Welch: Living Up to Her Legend"
Weller, George. ''Los Angeles Times'' September 11, 1966: N10.</ref> The same year, she appeared in the film ''[[Sex Quartet]]'' as Elena in the segment "Fata Elena". She was the only American in the cast of the anthology comedy film ''[[The Oldest Profession]]'' (1967); her segment was directed by [[Michael Pfleghar]]. In Italy, she also appeared in a heist film for [[MGM]], ''[[The Biggest Bundle of Them All]]'' (1968). It co-starred [[Edward G. Robinson]], who said of Welch, "I must say she has quite a body. She has been the product of a good publicity campaign. I hope she lives up to it because a body will only take you so far."<ref>"Edward G. Robinson – Mr. Bad Guy Never Had It So Good: Edward Robinson" Thomas, Kevin. ''Los Angeles Times'' February 28, 1967: d1.</ref>