Classic 60s and 70’s movie star Raquel Welch, the original screen bombshell, passed away aged 82 in February, and her cause of death has finally been revealed.
According to her death certificate, obtained by TMZ, the actress suffered a cardiac arrest and one of the underlying causes was revealed to be Alzheimer’s.
While the star kept her battle with Alzheimer’s Disease completely private, her original family statement stated that she’d passed of a “brief illness” back in February.
The document further also stated that she’d died at 2AM on February 15 and had since been cremated.
“The legendary bombshell actress of film, television and stage, passed away peacefully early this morning after a brief illness,” her representative said in a statement on behalf of her family.
“Her career spanned over 50 years starring in over 30 films and 50 television series and appearances. The Golden Globe winner, in more recent years, was involved in a very successful line of wigs.”
“Raquel leaves behind her two children, son Damon Welch and her daughter, Tahnee Welch,” it concluded, with the actress having been married four times between 1967 and 2004.
Apart from her star-making turns in Fantastic Voyage and One Million Years B.C. in 1966 (which spawned an iconic movie poster featuring her in a fur bikini) Raquel appeared in The Three Musketeers (1974) which starred Faye Dunaway and Charlton Heston and garnered her a Golden Globe award for Best Motion Picture Actress in a Musical or Comedy.
Among many other credits, she also appeared in the 1967 version of Bedazzled, Myra Breckinridge (1970), and Hannie Caulder (1971). In 1994, she also received a star on the coveted Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In recent years she starred in Legally Blonde, Tortilla Soup (both 2001), and How to Be a Latin Lover (2017). The actress devoted the later years of her life to family, singing, and building her eponymous line of wigs.
