Raquel Welch | Born 1940

Raquel Welch first gained attention after portraying her role in the 1966 film Fantastic Voyage that earned her a contract with 20th Century Fox. The latter then lent her contract to Hammer Film Productions, a British Studio, with whom the actress made One Million Years B.C. that same year. Welch was catapulted to prominence after her images in the film, wearing a doe-skin bikini, became best-selling posters, even though she had only a three-line dialogue—not bad for career investments.

The actress developed a unique film persona through her portrayals of strong female characters, which helped her career steer away from the stereotyped sexy image, making her an icon in the 1960s and 1970s. Welch earned a Golden Award for her performance in The Three Musketeers in 1974.