What was Raquel Welch’s net worth and how did she earn her wealth?

In order to create wealth, one has to have many pots on the fire. It’s not enough to put all your eggs in one basket and wish for the best. You have to diversify for growth and security, making your money work for its keep. Legendary actor Raquel Welch understood this business principle and created her own empire consisting of her own products, books, and line of wigs. She died on Feb. 15, 2023 at the age of 82, leaving many to wonder what her net worth was and how exactly she went about creating it. Before we dive into that, let’s take a brief look at her biography, career highlights, and death to get a full picture of this iconic powerhouse of a woman who redefined femininity in the 1960s and ’70s.

Raquel’s beginnings

A native of Chicago, Welch was actually born Jo Raquel Tejada on September 5, 1940. Her father, Armando Carlos Tejada Urquizo, was Bolivian while her mother, Josephine Hall, was English. This combination helped give Welch her signature exotic appearance. Welch studied theater at San Diego State College. 

She married her high school sweetheart, James Welch in 1959 and as a result changed her name. The couple had two children, Damon Welch and Latanne “Tahnee” Welch. It was not easy for Welch to balance career and family life which caused her to give up a weather reporting job at a local San Diego station KFMB. When she and James divorced in 1964 she kept his name, but no longer put her career on the back burner.

Career highlights

Welch would refuse however to change her first name when signing a contract with 20th Century Fox. She kept her ex-husband’s name to not get pigeonholed into only ethnic roles, but she wanted to maintain something of herself in her brand. Welch’s big break came in the form of the 1966 science fiction film Fantastic Voyage. That same year she also starred in the British film One Million Years B.C. Welch’s portrayal of the cavewoman Loana would solidify her status as a sex symbol. Her character may have only had three lines of dialogue in the film but the image of her in that fur bikini was powerful. Other notable film credits include Bedazzled, Bandolero!, and 100 Rifles.

Welch won a Golden Globe for her work in the 1974 film The Three Musketeers, and appeared in many television variety specials. She also performed in a one woman musical nightclub act in Las Vegas.

Death

As confirmed by her manager Steve Sauer, Welch “passed away peacefully after a brief illness,” in Los Angeles. “Her career spanned over 50 years starring in over 30 films and 50 television series and appearances. The Golden Globe winner, in more recent years, was involved in a very successful line of wigs. Raquel leaves behind her two children, son Damon Welch and her daughter Tahnee Welch,” he went on to say. Welch’s impact will live on beyond her years.

Business person

Welch loved acting in films but that became tainted in 1982 during production of the film Cannery Row, based on the John Steinbeck novel of the same name. A few weeks into filming, Welch was fired and replaced by Debra Winger. MGM claimed Welch was acting unprofessionally on set, but Welch disputed this. She sued, proved that MGM was using her as a scapegoat for their budgetary problems, and won $10.8 million. Welch might have won the money, but the industry treated her differently after this case. It became harder for her to get work in films. This is partially why she decided to go into business for herself.

Welch would go on to create The Raquel Welch Total Beauty and Fitness Program and release her first book and videos promoting women’s health and wellness in 1984. For this venture, Welch would collaborate with filmmaker and photographer André Weinfeld. Welch was an influencer before social media was a thing, and she created an empire out of her brand without hashtags.

Another successful business of Welch’s was her line of wigs and hair pieces called HAIRuWEAR. This company works hard “to inspire women and men throughout the world to see all the possibilities of alternative hair.” 

Welch’s diverse portfolio worked. According to Celebrity Net Worth, at the time of her death Welch was worth around $40 million.  

Welch was more than a sex symbol, she was also one smart cookie and maybe that’s her greatest legacy.

After all, she did famously state: “I was not brought up to be a sex symbol, nor is it in my nature to be one. The fact that I became one is probably the loveliest, most glamorous and fortunate misunderstanding.”