Elvis Presley and Raquel Welch

Raquel Welch was born Raquel Tejada, on September 5, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois. She entered beauty contests as a teenager, and worked as a model, waitress, and television weather-girl before making her film debut in 1964 with a bit part in the Elvis Presley movie, Roustabout.

Raquel Welch: 'When Elvis came around, I suddenly understood what sex is all about'. Roustabout in 1964 was my very first film in Hollywood. I was a bit player in the opening moments. Like many adolescents of the '50s, I had been completely gaga over Elvis. I saw him live in San Diego in one of his early shows. It was my first rock 'n' roll music concert ever. That was the first time that I ever conjured up what a sexy guy could be.

But when I saw him on the set of Roustabout, I was a little bit taken aback because something had changed about him. It seemed like he was more packaged. His clothes were not the same, his hair was obviously dyed now, and it was all sprayed into place. It was a little shocking to me because it was a whitewashed, cleaned-up Elvis. They took all the sex out of him!

He had these buddies, this group of guys that hung out with him, and you had to go through them to get to him. There was no such thing as walking up to Elvis on a set. At one point, one of his guys came over and said, 'Elvis is having a little party at the house, and if you'd like to come up...'. And I thought, What? I wasn't sure if the invitation was from Elvis or from them, using Elvis. I had had a very strict upbringing, and I didn't like the setup, so I didn't go. I had a feeling that Elvis related so much more to men than women. I think he certainly liked women, but I just don't think he knew how to have a real relationship with one. He was a guy's guy.

Years later, about 1972, I had a contract to perform at the Las Vegas Hilton, and lo and behold, Elvis came in right after me. At his show he was dressed all in white, with bellbottoms with a little gold slit on the side, and a lot of jewelry and brocade coming down on his jacket and a high-neck collar. He looked almost like Liberace. I went to his dressing room, and he was very sweet, very nice, and he showed me all his jewelry. But he didn't seem to be really happy in his eyes. Launched as a sex symbol after her scantily clad appearance in One Million Years BC (1966), Welch was rarely challenged by later roles, which included The Biggest Bundle of Them All (1968) and 100 Rifles (1969). In an effort to shed her sex kitten image, Welch starred in the disastrous film adaptation Myra Breckenridge (1970), based on the intellectual and risque novel by Gore Vidal. Although for her part in The Three Musketeers (1973) she received a Best Actress Golden Globe Award, Welch failed to find success in her subsequent projects, garnering little attention in Hollywood after the failure of the 1976 black comedy Mother, Jugs and Speed. Despite mediocre film work, Welch continued to be regarded as a great beauty, and her career went on to include nightclub entertaining, the Broadway musical Woman of the Year (1982), and the publication of a 'Total Beauty and Fitness Program' (1984). She starred in the TV movies Right to Die (1987) and Scandal in a Small Town (1988), before returning to film with cameo appearances in the comedies Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) and Legally Blond (2001).

'When Elvis came around, I suddenly understood what sex is all about'. Raquel Welch

Roustabout publicity picture. Raquel is the second from the right, in the blue.

Raquel Welch talks Elvis, Sex, and Heartbreak Hotel

January

Elvis Presley Arriving at RCA Studio B, Nashville, Tennesee | January 12, 1964

February

February 14, 1964 | Elvis' check which he used to pay for the yacht that he donated to St Jude's

December

Elvis Presley December 17, 1963 | Elvis Presley hand out Christmas checks totaling $55,000

The Movies of 1964

1964, Kissin' Cousins, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
1964, Viva Las Vegas, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
1964, Roustabout, Paramount
1964, Girl Happy, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

The Movies in Photos

Fun In Acapulco
Viva Las Vegas
Roustabout
Girl Happy

Pictures | Ann-Margret and Elvis Presley (Viva Las Vegas)
Elvis Presley and Raquel Welch (Roustabout)

CDs | DVDs | Books

Buy Elvis Presley CD, DVDs and Books at ...

Elvis Presley 1964

Elvis Presley Arriving at RCA Studio B, Nashville, Tennesee | January 12, 1964

January 12 1964 RCA Studio B | Nashville, Tennessee

Memphis Tennessee RPA4 1004-06
Ask Me RPA4 1005-11
It Hurts Me RPA4 1006-05

After this session Elvis recorded nothing but movie soundtracks, mostly in Hollywood until may 1966. Unsatisfied with his life for complex professional and personal reasons, he did not venture into the Nashville studios to cut any album material. When he did finally decide to record new material, he returned to the studio with new musicians and a new producer, Felton Jarvis.

February 4, 1964 | Elvis' check which he used to pay for the yacht that he donated to St Jude's

March 2, 1964 Radio Recorders - Hollywood, California

Little Egypt RPA3 5270-15
Poison Ivy League RPA3 5272-07
Hard Knocks RPA3 5267-04
It's A Wonderful World RPA3 5268-13

March 3, 1964 Radio Recorders - Hollywood, California

Big Love Big Heartache RPA3 5265-17
One Track Heart RPA3 5271-05
I'm A Roustabout (Roustabout No. 2) -----NA
It's Carnival Time (Track) -----02
It's Carnival Time (Movie Version) -----NA
It's Carnival Time (Vocal Overdub) RPA3 5269-09
Carny Town RPA3 5266-09
There's A Brand New Day On The Horizon RPA3 5274-05
Wheels On My Heels RPA3 5275-07
Little Egypt (Remake) WPA5 2553-21
Little Egypt (Movie Version - Composite) -----SP

April 29, 1964 Radio Recorders - Hollywood, California

Roustabout (Track) -----11

May 14, 1964 Radio Recorders - Hollywood, California

Roustabout (Vocal Overdub) RPA3 5273-17

March 6, Kissin' Cousins opens nationally. One of the poorest quality films of his career, it still quickly hits number eleven at the box office, then quickly falls, and the album goes top ten.

May 17, Viva Las Vegas opens nationally and goes to number eight at the box office

It's one of the better Elvis movies of this period, and the songs are better as well.

June 10, 1964 Radio Recorders - Hollywood, California

Puppet On A String SPA3 2010-11
The Meanest Girl In Town SPA3 2008-13
Girl Happy -----13
Girl Happy (Insert #1 - Ending) -----04
Girl Happy (Original Composite) -----SP

June 11, 1964 Radio Recorders - Hollywood, California

Cross My Heart & Hope To Die SPA3 2007-SP
Spring Fever SPA3 2002-24
Do Not Disturb SPA3 2006-36
I've Got To Find My Baby (Track) -----02
Fort Lauderdale Chamber Of Commerce (Track) -----07

June 12, 1964 Radio Recorders - Hollywood, California

Startin' Tonight (Track) -----03
Do The Clam (Track) -----05
Wolf Call (Track) -----08
Girl Happy (End Title) -----NA
Girl Happy (Composite - Speeded Up) SPA3 2001-SP
Spring Fever (Movie Version) -----SP

June 15, 1964 Radio Recorders - Hollywood, California

Wolf Call (Vocal Overdub - Edit) SPA3 2005-05
Do The Clam (Vocal Overdub) SPA3 2009-02
Fort Lauderdale Chamber Of Commerce (V.O. - Edit) SPA3 2003-02
Startin' Tonight (Vocal Overdub - Edit) SPA3 2004-04
I've Got To Find My Baby (Vocal Overdub - Edit) SPA3 2011-01

November 11, Roustabout opens nationally and hits number eight at the box office. The soundtrack goes to number one on the Billboard pop album chart as it represents some of the best Elvis movie music in a while.

December 25, Elvis and Priscilla spend Christmas at Graceland.