Welch wore a bikini made of fur and hide in the film, later described as the "definitive look of the 1960s." The iconic publicity photograph of Welch from the film became a best-selling pinup poster, and something of a cultural phenomenon. Indeed, the bikini pose raised Welch's stature as a leading sex symbol of the era.

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'Fathom' (1967) -

'Fathom' was Raquel Welch's first starring role. A spy comedy, the movie received mixed reviews. A Los Angeles Times critic insisted Welch couldn't act, and instead had been born to be photographed. The New York Times, however, gushed that "Miss Welch had learned to act."

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'The Biggest Bundle of Them All' (1968) -

The latter half of the 1960s saw Welch appear in a number of Italian films, appearing alongside the likes of Marcello Mastroianni and Claudia Cardinale. In 1968, she costarred with Robert Wagner and Edward G. Robinson in 'The Biggest Bundle of Them All,' a crime caper set in Naples. Robinson later quipped, "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."

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Keeping busy -

Welch's popular movies of the period included 'Bedazzled' (1967) with British comedy duo Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, and 'Bandolero!' (1968), which costarred her against James Stewart and Dean Martin (pictured on set).

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'Lady in Cement' (1968) -

'Lady in Cement' starred Frank Sinatra, with whom Welch was smitten. "I think I was just so enamored with Frank Sinatra, you know. He's hypnotic," Welch said later, recalling her time working with the legendary entertainer.

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'100 Rifles'... and controversy! -

An otherwise mediocre Western, '100 Rifles' (1969) courted controversy at the time because it included a love scene between Welch and Jim Brown (pictured) that breached the then Hollywood taboo of on-screen miscegenation. The movie is also infamous for another scene in which Welch distracts the soldiers on a train by taking a shower at a water tower along the tracks. The film's director, Tom Gries, tried hard to convince Welch to do the scene naked, but she refused—one of the many instances the actress resisted taking her clothes off on-screen.

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More controversy -

Raquel Welch welcomed the 1970s in the same way she bade farewell to the 1960s, mired in controversy and bucking the trend. In 1970, she starred in 'Myra Breckinridge'. The film follows the exploits of Myra Breckinridge (née Myron), a transgender woman who has undergone a sex change operation.

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'Myra Breckinridge' (1970) -

The picture, which costarred John Huston, Mae West, and Rex Reed, was controversial for its sexual explicitness (including acts like female-on-male sexual abuse), and the promotion of bisexuality. A commercial and critical failure, Welch admitted years later that, "The only good thing about [the film] was the clothes."

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"Most Desired Woman" -

Despite the mauling given to 'Myra Breckinridge,' her looks and fame led Playboy to dub Welch the "Most Desired Woman" of the 1970s, among other gushing tributes.

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'Hannie Caulder' (1971) -

In this film directed by Burt Kennedy, Welch became the first female lead in a Western. Years later, Quentin Tarantino revealed that 'Hannie Caulder' was one of his inspirations for 'Kill Bill.'

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'Kansas City Bomber' (1972) -

The sports drama 'Kansas City Bomber' took the actress into the competitive world of roller games, where she portrays a member of an ambitious roller derby team. Noted as one of the earliest film appearances of Jodie Foster, the movie was well received and Welch has cited it as the first of her films that she actually liked.

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Golden Globe win -

Raquel Welch won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for her performance in 'The Three Musketeers' (1973), based on the 1844 novel of the same name by Alexandre Dumas. She is pictured here with Michael York as d'Artagnan.

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'The Prince and the Pauper' (1977) -

The actress looking suitably regal as Lady Edith in the Richard Fleischer-directed movie 'The Prince and the Pauper.' The remainder of the 1970s saw Welch begin to wind down her film career, although she was seen on various television shows, including 'The Muppet Show,' 'Mork & Mindy,' and 'Saturday Night Live.'

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'Woman of the Year' (1981) -

Welch started the new decade well. In 1981, she starred on Broadway in 'Woman of the Year,' receiving praise for following Lauren Bacall in the title role.

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Breach of contract -

In 1982, Welch was due to star in the drama 'Cannery Row,' but was fired by the producers a few weeks into filming. The studio claimed she'd reneged on her contract by refusing early-morning rehearsals. Debra Winger replaced her. Welch subsequently sued MGM for breach of contract. Welch's evidence at trial proved there was a conspiracy to falsely blame her for the film's budget problems and delays. The jury sided with the actress and she won a US$10.8 million verdict against MGM in 1986.

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'Right to Die' (1987) -

'Right to Die,' in which Welch plays a psychologist diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease who comes to desire her own death as her disease progresses, is one of the films of which she is most proud. In fact, she was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance. She's pictured at a press launch in front of a photo of herself as she looks in the movie.

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Hollywood Walk of Fame -

In 1994, Welch received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.

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HairUWear -

As a businesswoman, Welch succeeded with her signature line of wigs, HairUWear. In 2005, the Raquel Welch Signature Collection donated US$1 million in wigs to the American Cancer Society in honor of the star's 65th birthday (pictured).

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Beauty icon -

In January 2007, at age 67, Welch was selected as the newest face of MAC Cosmetics Beauty Icon series.

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Raquel Welch... singer? -

Did you know that for many years Raquel Welch performed in a successful one-woman nightclub musical act in Las Vegas? In 1987 she flirted with a pop singing career, releasing the dance single 'This Girl's Back in Town,' which peaked at no. 29 on Billboard's dance club chart.

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'How to Be a Latin Lover' (2017) -

Now approaching 80, Raquel Welch is still acting in film and television. Her latest big screen outing is 2017's 'How to Be a Latin Lover.' She's pictured at the film's premiere with co-star and Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez.

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A "fortunate misunderstanding" -

Speaking about her image, the actress once famously remarked, "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." (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 2.0)

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Let's celebrate Raquel Welch at 80

One of the sexiest stars of the 20th century is celebrating a very special birthday

31/08/20 | StarsInsider

CELEBRITY Sex symbols

Raquel Welch was one of the great sex symbols of the 1960s and 1970s. But she was also applauded as a screen icon due to her portrayal of strong female characters. In fact, the actress, once dubbed by Playboy magazine as one of the "100 Sexiest Stars of the Twentieth Century," eventually helped break the mold of the archetypal blonde bombshell so vigorously promoted by Hollywood. A Golden Globe winner, Welch resisted attempts to typecast her despite her famous fur bikini appearance in 'One Million Years B.C.' Now turning 80, the actress is still working and remains highly regarded within the entertainment industry.

Click through the following gallery for an appreciation of one of the most celebrated women of her generation.