Who was James Westley Welch? James Westley Welch is well known for being the first husband of actress Raquel Welch. Their relationship started as a high school romance and ended with their marriage in 1959. This partnership, which lasted until their divorce in 1964, gave birth to their two children.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- James Westley Welch was an American tuna fisherman. He became famous for being the high school sweetheart and first husband of Raquel Welch.
- His first wife, Raquel Welch, was an American actress. She died on 15 February 2023.
- James Westley Welch is the father of Raquel Welch’s two children: Damon and Tahnee.
- He and Raquel married in Las Vegas in 1959, separated in 1962, and divorced in 1964.
James Westley Welch’s profile summary
|
Full name |
James “Jim” Wesley Welch |
|
Gender |
Male |
|
Year of birth |
1940 |
|
Age |
85 years old (as of 2025) |
|
Place of birth |
San Diego, California, United States |
|
Nationality |
American |
|
Ethnicity |
White |
|
Religion |
Christianity |
|
Sexuality |
Straight |
|
Hair colour |
Dark brown |
|
Eye colour |
Light brown |
|
Marital status |
Divorced |
|
Ex-wife |
Raquel Welch |
|
Children |
Damon, Latanne Rene “Tahnee” Welch |
|
Mother |
Tahnee Land |
|
Siblings |
Jan, Jerry, Judy |
|
Education |
La Jolla High School |
|
Profession |
Tuna fisherman |
Who was James Westley Welch?
Westley Welch is an American tuna fisherman. He was born in 1940 in San Diego, California, United States, to Tahnee Land. James is of White ethnicity and American nationality. He grew up alongside his sisters Jan, Jerry, and Judy. James attended La Jolla High School and was reportedly a dropout.
A look into James Westley Welch and Raquel Welch’s relationship
James Westley Welch and Raquel Welch started dating in high school. Raquel was a cheerleader, while James played on the football team. According to the People, she stated in her 2010 memoir, Raquel: Beyond the Cleavage, that she first spotted him when she was 15.
Raquel regarded him as a gorgeous man with a calm demeanour. She thought it was love at first sight, focusing on him as her one and only.
From the first moment I saw him, I knew I was destined to have his babies. In my emotionally charged, romantic young mind, I fixated on Jim as ‘my one and only.’
Westley and Raquel married in Las Vegas on 8 May 1959, shortly after she graduated from high school. According to AS USA, James Westley Welch’s ex-wife told Piers Morgan on Life Stories that marrying Westley was something she did for her own personal fulfilment and against her father’s desires. She said,
By marrying Jim, I was doing something for my own satisfaction and in defiance of my father’s wishes.
Source: Getty Images
She continued,
What I didn’t anticipate was how a series of events would dovetail together and forever complicate my life. Jim and I were settling into an apartment together and tackling the realities of married life: he was looking for a job, and I was calling my mother ten times a day for recipes and tips on cleaning products.
Raquel and Westley Welch divorced in 1964 after separating in 1962. The American actress was 19 when she had her first kid, which she regarded as a “painfully young age” that contributed to her divorce. Despite their divorce, Raquel retained Westley’s surname, Welch, for the rest of her life.
Raquel and James Westley Welch’s children
The American couple has two children: a son, Damon Welch (born on 6 November 1959), and a daughter, Latanne Rene “Tahnee” Welch (born on 26 December 1961). Damon is an American actor and producer, known for his roles in Raquel: Total Beauty and Fitness (1984) and The Day the Earth Got Stoned (1979).
Source: Getty Images
Latanne Rene is a former American model and actress. She is known for her roles in Cocoon (1985), Sleeping Beauty (1987), and I Shot Andy Warhol (1996).
FAQs
- Who is Raquel Welch’s first husband? Her first husband was James Westley Welch. They married in 1959 and divorced in 1964.
- How old is James Westley Welch? Raquel Welch’s first husband is 85 years old as of 2025. He was born in 1940.
- Is James Westley Welch still alive? There are no publicly available records that show whether James Westley Welch is still alive or not.
- What ethnicity is Raquel Welch? The American actress was of mixed Bolivian and English descent.
- Who was Raquel Welch’s greatest love? According to her 2010 memoir, Raquel: Beyond the Cleavage, the actress’s first true love was her first husband, James Westley Welch.
- How many husbands did Rachel Welch have? She was married four times: to James Welch (1959–1964), Patrick Curtis (1967–1972), André Weinfeld (1980–1990), and Richard Palmer (1999–2004).
- Is Rachel Welch still alive? Raquel Welch is not still alive. She passed away on 15 February 2023, at the age of 82.
James Westley Welch, actress Raquel Welch’s high school lover and first husband, was a tuna fisherman. His fame is closely linked to his brief marriage to the American actress, which lasted from 1959 to 1964 and produced their two kids, Damon and Tahnee. Raquel retained her first husband’s surname, Welch, until her death on 15 February 2023.
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Seung Yong Chung is Diane Farr’s ex-husband. Diane is a well-known American screenwriter, producer, and actress. Chung, the CEO of Cashmere Agency, lives a secluded life away from the spotlight. Read the article to learn more about him.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Source: Yen.com.gh
