January 6, 2025
James Westley Welch The First husband of Raquel Welch
Biography

James Westley Welch: The First husband of Raquel Welch

Oct 12, 2023

James Westley Welch

 

James Westley Welch was a fiction writer and publicist. He was best known as the first husband of Raquel Welch, an actress who famously appeared in “Fantastic Voyage.” His wife’s career was boosted when she appeared in “One Million Years B.C.”  Both James and Raquel, who had been married for 5 years, are now dead.

 

James Welch got recognized in public after getting married to the Bedazzled actress. He was the first love of Raquel. The two were blessed with two children. Did you know that James and Raquel were high school lovers? Keep scrolling to learn more exciting facts about Raquel Welch’s husband.

 

Early Life of James Westley Welch

 

James Westley Welch was born on January 29, 1937, in Eolia, Missouri, the United States, to mother Doris Latanne Hilburn and father Hiram Joseph Welch. James holds a nationality of American, and he is of white ethnicity. He graduated with a degree in business administration from the University of California. After graduation, he pursued a master’s degree program at the University of Southern California.

 

Raquel Welch’s Husband James Welch Was in the US Army

 

James Westley Welch started his career in the US Army force. He served in the Vietnam War as an army officer. He returned to the US after serving in the military to start a business career. The soldier was also incorporated with the other large corporations while promoting their brands. He has helped increase the presence of many brands throughout his business career.

 

James has also served as president of the Santa Clara Valley Historical Society. He was also honored by the Santa Clara Valley Chamber of Commerce for his charitable contributions to the community. In 1996, he received the highest recognition from the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association.

 

James Westley Welch was the financial director of the Newhall land and farming company in 1983. Later, the director was positioned as the CEO of the company. He has also worked as a writer, producer, and director for several movies, films, and television shows, such as The Last Dinosaur and The Fantastic Journey.

James Westley Welch Was Raquel Welch’s Husband

 

James Westley Welch was previously married to the Fantastic Voyage actress Jo Raquel Welch. The couple first met when they were young. James was in his college and Raquel was just in her high school – she was only 15 years old then.

 

James Westley Welch Was Raquel Welch’s Husband
James Westley Welch Was Raquel Welch’s Husband

 

The two dated for three years and eventually got married in a lavish wedding ceremony on May 8, 1959, in Las Vegas. Raquel was only 18 years old when she tied the knot with her then-husband, James. Although they were both in love and their fans celebrated them as high school sweethearts, their marriage wasn’t a happy one. The two later called off their relationship.

 

Why Did James Westley Welch and Raquel Welch Divorce?

 

Raquel Welch was very open about all of her relationships. She mentioned that her first husband James Westley Welch was very violent and controlling during their marriage relationship. She was not very happy while she was with him, though they already had their kids.

 

The former couple parted ways and finalized their divorce in 1964. The couple got separated as nothing was common between them and their ambitions and goals differed. The lack of affinities and differences in their aspirations and goals are cited as the major cause of their divorce. 

 

Following the separation, James admitted that Raquel was not treated well during their relationship, describing himself as “a b**tard” at times. However, he also clarified that they were young and deeply in love with many beautiful moments.

 

James Westley Welch Had Two Children

 

James Westley Welch and Raquel Welch welcomed two beautiful children: a boy and a girl daughter, throughout their marriage. Their son, Damon Welch, was born on November 6, 1959, and their daughter, Tahnee Welch, was born on December 26, 1961. Tahnee’s name was inspired by her paternal grandmother.

 

James Westley Welch Had Two Children
James Westley Welch Had Two Children

 

What Happened to Raquel Welch’s Children?

 

James and Raquel’s children followed their mother’s career path; they are both actors/models. Their son Damon Welch worked for J- men forever, intimate portrait but later changed his profession to a computer consultant. As an actor, has appeared in numerous films and television shows including The Day the Earth Got Stoned, Raquel: Total Beauty and Fitness (1984) and Intimate Portrait. He was previously married to Rebecca Trueman.

 

Meanwhile, James’ daughter Tahnee Welch is an actress who played the leading role in the movie “Amarsi Un Po.” She has also worked for Italian television. In an interview with Daily Mail, Raquel announced that she didn’t have a close relationship with her children and gave her priority to her career.

 

James Westley Welch’s Ex-Wife Raquel Welch Married 3 More Men

 

At first, the famous model Raquel Welch was truly and deeply in love with James Westley Welch; they called it high school love in those times. Then, the couple parted ways in 1964, since they had a lot of differences.

 

Following the split with James, Raquel married 3 more men; Patrick Curtis, Andre Weinfeld, and Richard Palmer. She stated that each time she used to be in public with any men, she was the show’s star and received all the attention, which bothered the other men.

 

Marriage with Patrick Curtis

 

Following the divorce from James Westley Welch, Raquel Welch started her relationship with an American film producer, Patrick Curtis. They both worked in a movie, A Swingin’ Summer, together in 1965. The duo got married at Paris’ City Hall in February 1967. Unfortunately, their relationship lasted only for 4 years – they got a divorce in 1972.

 

Marriage with Patrick Curtis
Marriage with Patrick Curtis

 

Married with Andre Weinfeld

 

After 5 years of divorce from Curtis, Raquel met Andre Weinfeld in 1977 in Paris and eventually started dating. Her then-boyfriend then decided to join Bollywood so that he could be with Raquel. Weinfeld is a director, writer, producer, cinematographer, and photographer.

 

Married with Andre Weinfeld
Married with Andre Weinfeld

 

Requel and Weinfeld got associated with several other projects together. Their first TV show together was From Raquel With Love in 1980. They decided to get married in 1980 and lived together for 10 years. However, in 1990, they called off their relationship and got a divorce.

 

Married with Richard Palmer

 

Raquel met Richard Palmer in 1996 at a party. The two then dated for a few months and and later walked down the aisle in a beautiful wedding ceremony. According to the New York Post, Richard Palmer is a businessperson who owns a restaurant in Beverly Hills.

 

Raquel-Married-with-Richard-Palmer
Raquel-Married-with-Richard-Palmer

 

Raquel decided to tie the knot with Richard Palmer in 1996. Raquel once called him “A Living Legend” and said Palmer is also very happy being her husband.

 

Did Raquel Welch Remarry?

 

During an interview with Daily Mail, the late model stated that she had only pure love intentions for her spouses and didn’t regret any of her marriages.

 

In 2015, during an interview on Piers Morgan Show, when asked if she had any plans to get into a relationship again, Raquel said she didn’t like to have a man because she was too set in her ways.

 

Dating History of James’s Ex-wife Raquel Welch

 

Raquel was in a relationship with several guys. In her early days, right after her divorce in 1964, she dated multiple boyfriends simultaneously, Jim Brown, Warren Beatty, and Adam West. She later called it quits with them.

 

In 1966, Raquel started seeing a new boyfriend, Sean Connery, but they split in just a few months. Later after 5 years, in 1971, she dated several more men, Joe Namath, and Steve McQueen, but their relationship also didn’t go well in her life.

 

Moreover, Raquel was in a relationship with Alice Cooper for a year, from 1974 to 1975. After parting ways with Cooper, she started seeing Robert Evans in 1976, but they also separated in 1977. Lastly, Raquel had a long-term relationship of 5 years with Nigel Lythgoe from 2010 to 2015. It’s unclear whether she has been in a relationship or not.

 

James Westley Welch Died at the Age of 82

 

Unfortunately, James Westley Welch is no more with us. He died at the age of 82, but the cause of the death is still unknown. His ex-wife Raquel Welch is also no more. She passed away on 15 February 2023, and the reason for her death was cardiac arrest. She was also 82. The iconic leading actress was also battling with Alzheimer’s disease.

 

Following Raquel’s death, many celebrities shared their heartfelt condolences on Twitter. Reese Witherspoon tweeted a photo with the caption,

So sad to hear about Raquel Welch’s passing. I loved working with her on Legally Blonde. She was elegant, professional, and glamorous beyond belief. Simply stunning. May all her angels carry her home. Sending love to her family and her many fans.

 

 

Raquel and Reese worked together for a film called “Legally Blonde,” which was very special to them and will be in their hearts forever.

Raquel Welch Kept Her First Love’s Last Name Till Last Breath

 

The Requel Welch’s birth name was Jo Raquel Tejada. She kept her first husband’s last name Welch, as her last name till her death. She famously kept his last name forever, even though she got married to several other 3 men later. In school days, she really didn’t like her name.

 

Raquel took on her first husband’s last name. She had already won a significant debate regarding her Hispanic heritage, which she had basically forgotten by then.

 

Net Worth of James Westley Welch

 

James Westley Welch is no more now but he was earning a good amount of money when alive. His net worth was estimated to be $8.66 million at the time of his death. Being an independent director at Sky West, James received $204,000. He also owned 2,928 units of Skywest Airlines’ stock worth $311,804.

 

Moreover, James’ former spouse, Raquel Welch, being a famous superstar, had accumulated a whooping net worth of $40 million before her death. She spent her final years in a luxurious mansion in Beverly Hills. She bought that house for $2.5 million in 2009, and the property is now estimated to be worth between $3.31 million and $4.42 million.

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Raquel was definitely living a lavish lifestyle – she used to drive a Ferrari 275 GTS. She owned expensive accessories like gemstone chandelier earrings, a bangle bracelet, a cocktail ring, and a layered gold necklace.

I am Jessica Johnson, a specialized content writer in the entertainment industry. My focus is on delivering comprehensive profiles of prominent celebrities, encompassing aspects such as their biographies, lifestyles, relationships, and financial status. My aim is to provide in-depth and informative content that enlightens the audience on the lives of these public figures.

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