James Westley Welch was Raquel Welch’s first husband and high school sweetheart. They married in Las Vegas on May 8, 1959, and had two children, Damon and Tahnee, before divorcing in 1964. Raquel retained the surname Welch throughout her life and career despite three subsequent marriages.
James Westley Welch gained public recognition as the first husband of Hollywood icon Raquel Welch. Their relationship began as a teenage romance in San Diego and resulted in a five-year marriage that produced two children who would later follow their mother into entertainment. While Raquel became one of the most recognizable faces of 1960s cinema, James chose a quieter path away from Hollywood’s spotlight.
The High School Sweethearts at La Jolla
James and Raquel met at La Jolla High School in San Diego, California, when both were 15 years old. He played football while she cheered from the sidelines. In her 2010 memoir “Raquel: Beyond the Cleavage,” the actress described him as a handsome young man with green eyes who represented her ideal of a prince.
The relationship followed a typical pattern for 1950s teenage couples. They shared burgers and milkshakes after football games and attended school dances together. However, James showed an independent streak. In his senior year, he dropped out of high school and left San Diego to work on a tuna clipper bound for Peru.
Raquel waited for his return. When James came back to San Diego, she made a significant decision. She dropped out of San Diego State University to be with him, prioritizing their relationship over her education.
Marriage at 19: A Las Vegas Beginning
The couple married on May 8, 1959, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Raquel was 19 years old and had recently graduated from high school. Her father, Carlos Armando Tejada, strongly opposed the marriage. The actress later admitted the wedding was an act of defiance and personal satisfaction rather than following parental wishes.
The newlyweds faced immediate financial pressures. James searched for employment while Raquel called her mother frequently for cooking recipes and cleaning tips. They settled into a small apartment in Pacific Beach and tried to build a life together.
Between her modeling work and television job as a weather presenter, Raquel maintained their home while James struggled to adjust to her rising public profile. The traditional gender roles of the era collided with her emerging career ambitions.
Two Children in Three Years
The couple welcomed two children during their brief marriage. Both would eventually pursue careers in entertainment.
Damon Welch: The Firstborn Son
Damon Welch was born on November 6, 1959, just six months after his parents’ wedding. Raquel later described having her first child at 19 as a “painfully young age” that contributed to the marriage’s difficulties.
Damon’s acting career was limited to appearing in his mother’s 1971 film “The Beloved” as a toddler. He later worked behind the scenes, serving as a production assistant on several projects. In 1991, he married Rebecca Trueman, daughter of English cricket player Fred Trueman, but the marriage lasted only 15 months.
Tahnee Welch: Following Mom’s Footsteps
Latanne Rene “Tahnee” Welch was born on December 26, 1961. She spent much of her childhood in Spain, England, and Italy before attending an all-girls school in the United States. At 16, she dropped out of school and eventually moved to New York to study acting.
Tahnee’s breakthrough came in Italy with the 1984 film “Amarsi un po'” opposite Virna Lisi. She achieved international recognition starring in Ron Howard’s 1985 blockbuster “Cocoon” alongside veteran actors like Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn.
Beyond acting, Tahnee became a successful model, appearing in American and Italian Vogue, British GQ, and Marie Claire. She posed for Playboy magazine in 1995, appearing on the cover.
Why the Marriage Ended in 1964
The couple separated in 1962 and finalized their divorce in 1964. Multiple factors contributed to the split. The marriage began when both were teenagers with limited life experience. Raquel later attributed the failure to their young age and lack of “serious relationship tools”.
Career ambitions also created tension. Raquel wanted to move to Los Angeles to pursue acting, while James had different plans. She made a difficult choice. In her memoir, she wrote: “After three and a half years, I knew the only way to leave my husband was to get out of town. I had to vanish.”
She took their two children and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her Hollywood dreams. The separation became permanent, though James later admitted he was “difficult” to Raquel during their marriage, while also describing their union as “beautiful and idyllic at times”.
The Name She Never Changed
Despite divorcing in 1964, Raquel Welch retained her married surname for the remainder of her life. This decision had both personal and professional significance.
Her birth name was Jo Raquel Tejada, reflecting her Bolivian father and Irish-American mother. Her manager, Patrick Curtis (who would become her second husband), convinced her to use her ex-husband’s surname to avoid being typecast as Latina.
The strategy worked. The name “Raquel Welch” became synonymous with Hollywood glamour. She kept it through three subsequent marriages and divorces, creating one of the most recognizable names in entertainment history.
Career Path: Fishing Boats to Real Estate
James Westley Welch began his working life as a tuna fisherman. This demanding job required extended periods at sea and physical stamina. The experience taught him persistence and work ethic.
After his divorce from Raquel, James transitioned into different fields. He worked as a publicist and agent, using his communication skills to navigate the entertainment and marketing industries. These positions laid groundwork for future opportunities.
In the 1970s, James moved into real estate development in California. His strategic approach and ability to identify valuable properties allowed him to build considerable wealth, with his net worth eventually estimated at $40 million. However, this figure cannot be independently verified.
Life After Raquel Welch
Following the divorce, James remarried a woman named Jean. Reports indicate they had another son together, though specific details remain private. James maintained a low profile and avoided exploiting his connection to Raquel’s fame.
Despite years apart, James and Raquel briefly reunited in 1977 to cooperate on co-parenting their children. In her memoir, Raquel described James as her “first true love” and wrote that he would be “the unforgettable, always present love, against whom all others would be judged”.
Conflicting information exists regarding James’s death. Multiple sources claim he passed away on November 23, 2019, at age 82. However, obituary records show a James Wesley Welch died on that date in Bryan, Texas, but this was an electrician and musician, explicitly noted as NOT being Raquel Welch’s husband. No verified death record exists for James Westley Welch, Raquel’s ex-husband.
The Children’s Legacy Today
Both Damon and Tahnee Welch maintain private lives today. Damon has no public social media profiles and lives an extremely private existence. His brief involvement in entertainment gave way to a life outside the spotlight.
Tahnee Welch has also kept a low profile in recent years. She never married and has no children of her own, though she was reportedly in a long-term relationship with actor Jared Harris. Her acting career peaked in the 1980s and 1990s before she stepped back from public life.
When Raquel Welch died on February 15, 2023, at age 82 following a brief illness, she was survived by her two children, then in their sixties. Her net worth was estimated at $40 million, and reports suggest she maintained good relationships with both Damon and Tahnee in her final years.
Comparison Table: Raquel Welch’s Four Marriages
| Husband | Marriage Years | Duration | Children | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Westley Welch | 1959-1964 | 5 years | 2 (Damon, Tahnee) | Tuna fisherman, real estate developer |
| Patrick Curtis | 1967-1972 | 5 years | 0 | Producer, publicist |
| André Weinfeld | 1980-1990 | 10 years | 0 | Producer |
| Richard Palmer | 1999-2003 | 4 years | 0 | Businessman |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was James Westley Welch?
James Westley Welch was an American tuna fisherman and later a real estate developer, best known as Raquel Welch’s first husband and high school sweetheart.
How long were James and Raquel Welch married?
They married on May 8, 1959, separated in 1962, and finalized their divorce in 1964, making their marriage last approximately five years.
How many children did James Westley Welch have with Raquel?
They had two children: son Damon Welch born November 6, 1959, and daughter Tahnee Welch born December 26, 1961.
Why did Raquel Welch keep her married name?
Despite divorcing James in 1964, Raquel retained the surname Welch for her entire life and career, using it through three subsequent marriages.
Is James Westley Welch still alive?
While multiple sources claim he died in November 2019, verified obituary records show this was a different James Wesley Welch, explicitly noted as not being Raquel’s ex-husband.
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