James Westley Welch is best known as the first husband of Raquel Welch. She became one of the biggest film stars of the 1960s and 1970s. James knew her long before fame came into her life. He knew her as Jo Raquel Tejada, a young girl in Southern California.
The couple married in 1959 and soon had two children. They later separated and divorced in 1964. Raquel then became a major Hollywood star. She kept the Welch surname for the rest of her career.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | James Westley Welch |
| Also Known As | Jim Welch |
| Best Known For | First husband of Raquel Welch |
| Former Wife | Raquel Welch, born Jo Raquel Tejada |
| Relationship | High school sweethearts |
| Marriage Date | May 8, 1959 |
| Separation | 1962 |
| Divorce | 1964 |
| Children | Damon Welch and Tahnee Welch |
| Daughter’s Profession | Actress and model |
| Later Career | Real estate development |
| Public Life | Mostly private after divorce |
| Famous Family Link | Father of Raquel Welch’s two children |
Early Life of James Westley Welch
James Westley Welch became part of Raquel’s life when both were young. They met in the San Diego area of California. They soon became high school sweethearts. Their bond started before either had an adult career.
Raquel went to La Jolla High School. She joined school events and beauty contests. She also had an early love for acting. At that time, she still used her birth name, Jo Raquel Tejada.
James was often called Jim Welch. He became Raquel’s first serious love. Their bond grew through their teen years. Raquel later wrote about how much that first love meant to her.
These years show a side of Raquel that came before fame. James knew her before movies made her a star. Their story began with normal school life in Southern California. It did not begin in Hollywood.
How James Westley Welch Met Raquel Welch?
James Westley Welch met Raquel Welch when they were teenagers. They became close while they were still in school. Their friendship soon became a serious romance. Raquel later called Jim her first true love.
They spent time at school events and around their local area. Both were still very young. They were also trying to learn what they wanted from life. Their bond grew during those simple years.
The romance lasted beyond high school. Raquel cared about school and acting. She also cared deeply about Jim. The young couple then chose to marry.
This part of Raquel’s life came before the world knew her name. She was still Jo Raquel Tejada. James knew her during those early years. That gave him a special place in her life story.
Marriage to Raquel Welch
James Westley Welch married Raquel Welch on May 8, 1959. They were both very young at the time. Their adult lives had only just begun. Marriage brought new duties very fast.
The first years were busy for the couple. Raquel became a mother soon after the wedding. She also looked for work and ways to use her skills. She later worked in local television in San Diego.
Raquel had not yet become a Hollywood star. Her big film roles were still years away. The couple spent these years around home and family. They were raising two young children.
Their marriage later gained more public interest for one clear reason. Raquel kept the Welch surname after the divorce. That name later became famous around the world. It stayed with her for life.
His Children: Damon and Tahnee
James and Raquel had two children together. Their son, Damon Welch, was born in 1959. Their daughter, Tahnee Welch, was born in 1961. Both children came during the early years of the marriage.
Damon Welch has lived a quiet public life. He appeared with his mother at some events. He did not seek the same level of fame. He stayed outside most celebrity news.
Tahnee Welch, whose full first name is Latanne, chose a public career. She became an actress and model. Her best known role came in the 1985 film Cocoon. She played the character Kitty.
The children remained a lasting link between James and Raquel. They were also Raquel’s only children. This made their family bond important long after the divorce. James stayed part of that family story.
Why Did Raquel Welch Keep the Welch Name?
Raquel was born Jo Raquel Tejada. She took the Welch name when she married James. She kept it after the marriage ended. The name later became famous across the world.
As her career grew, the name Raquel Welch became part of her public image. People knew her by that name on film and television. It soon became tied to her work. She chose to keep using it.
The surname appeared on movie posters and magazine covers. It also appeared on books and fitness projects. Raquel used it through every stage of her career. Later marriages did not change that name.
This gave James Westley Welch a lasting link to her public life. Their marriage ended in the 1960s. Still, the Welch name stayed with Raquel. It became one of Hollywood’s best known star names.
Separation and Divorce
James and Raquel separated in 1962. Their divorce became final in 1964. By then, they had two young children. The family had changed a great deal in a few years.
The couple had married at a young age. They also became parents very fast. Raquel still wanted to work in entertainment. Her goals began to lead her toward a new life.
The divorce came before her biggest success. In 1966, she appeared in Fantastic Voyage. That film brought her much more attention. One Million Years B.C. made her an international star that same year.
James did not follow her into that public world. He chose a quieter path. Their children kept the two families linked. His life stayed far from Hollywood fame.
Raquel Welch’s Rise After Their Marriage
After the split, Raquel Welch worked to support herself and her children. She also kept working toward an acting career. She spent time in Dallas, Texas. She later moved to Los Angeles for better chances in film.
Her early screen work was small. Bigger roles soon followed. Fantastic Voyage gave her a major break in 1966. It helped bring her to a much wider audience.
The same year, she appeared in One Million Years B.C. A famous image from the film became part of pop culture. Yet Raquel wanted more than attention for her looks. She kept taking new roles.
Raquel later worked in film, television, and stage shows. She also won a Golden Globe Award for The Three Musketeers. Her career lasted for many years. The Welch surname stayed with her through all of it.
James Westley Welch After the Divorce
James Westley Welch lived a much more private life after the divorce. He did not become a regular face in the press. He also did not build a public career from his link to Raquel. He mostly stayed away from celebrity news.
Raquel later wrote about Jim in her memoir, Raquel: Beyond the Cleavage. She said he became successful in real estate development. His work was very different from her film career. He followed a business path.
The two lived separate lives for many years. Their children remained the main family link between them. Raquel later spoke about her first husband with calm respect. She did not turn their marriage into a public fight.
James stayed known mainly because of his place in Raquel’s early life. He had known her before fame changed everything. He was also the father of Damon and Tahnee. That kept his name tied to the Welch family.
James and Raquel Welch in Later Life
Raquel later looked back on her first marriage in her memoir. She wrote about Jim and their early romance. Her words gave readers a view of her life before fame. They also showed how much those years meant to her.
She made clear that the marriage was part of her early adult life. James had been her first serious love. He was also the father of her children. His surname became part of her public name.
Raquel married three more times after James. Her husbands were Patrick Curtis, André Weinfeld, and Richard Palmer. Yet she kept the name Raquel Welch. That was the name the public already knew.
James remained linked to the years before fame. He knew Raquel before movie studios and global attention entered her life. Their marriage did not last. Still, it stayed an important part of her story.
The Welch Family
The Welch family stayed linked with entertainment through Raquel and Tahnee. Raquel became a major Hollywood star. Tahnee later worked as an actress and model. Each built a different career.
Tahnee became best known for Cocoon, directed by Ron Howard. The film came out in 1985. It became a major success. Her role brought her to a wide audience.
Damon chose a more private life. He appeared with his mother at some public events. He did not chase the same fame. He stayed outside most entertainment news.
For James, his children were the strongest family link to Hollywood. His marriage had ended many years earlier. His role as their father did not change. That connection remains part of his public story.
Legacy of James Westley Welch
The legacy of James Westley Welch comes from an early part of Raquel’s life. He was her high school sweetheart. He became her first husband. He was also the father of both her children.
His surname became part of one of Hollywood’s most famous names. Raquel Welch built a long career in film and television. She also worked on stage, in books, and in fitness. The Welch name stayed with her through it all.
James did not seek the same kind of fame. His later life remained much more private. Raquel stayed in the public eye for decades. Their adult lives moved in very different ways.
His story helps explain where the Welch name came from. It began with a young marriage in Southern California. Years later, that same name appeared on movie posters around the world. It became part of film history.
FAQs
Who was James Westley Welch?
James Westley Welch was the first husband of Raquel Welch. They were high school sweethearts. They married on May 8, 1959, and divorced in 1964. They had two children together.
How long were James and Raquel Welch married?
James and Raquel married in 1959. They separated in 1962. Their divorce became final in 1964. Their marriage ended before Raquel became a major Hollywood star.
Did James and Raquel Welch have children?
Yes. They had two children, Damon Welch and Tahnee Welch. Tahnee became an actress and model. Damon chose a quieter public life.
Why did Raquel Welch keep James Welch’s surname?
Raquel was born Jo Raquel Tejada. She took the Welch surname after marriage. She kept it as her professional name after the divorce. The name stayed with her for the rest of her career.
What did James Westley Welch do after his divorce from Raquel Welch?
He lived a much more private life after the divorce. Raquel later wrote that he worked in real estate development. He stayed away from most Hollywood attention. His public link to Raquel mainly came through their family.