Dick Cavett’s 1972 Interview with Raquel Welch: The Secrets She Never Wanted You to Know

Raquel Welch is truly one of the most beautiful women to ever grace this planet. However, with all the attention on her looks and acting career, many people haven’t heard her speak from the heart.

That’s why, when I found her appearance on *The Dick Cavett Show*, I noticed something surprising…

First, let’s appreciate just how stunning and elegant Raquel Welch was in the early 1970s. She had no hair extensions, no Botox, and her natural hair color, without a tattoo in sight. She had a full figure, an intriguing personality, and a sharp mind. In my opinion, Welch is one of the most beautiful women to ever appear on screen.

### Underrated Genius

In a captivating 1972 interview on *The Dick Cavett Show*, Welch’s timeless beauty and elegance were clear. At about 32 years old, she radiated charm as she settled into the chair across from Dick Cavett.

The American television host, who ran *The Dick Cavett Show* from 1968 to 1988, was a skilled interviewer. He interviewed many famous film directors like Welles, Hitchcock, De Palma, and Scorsese, making each interview feel like a lesson in film.

Cavett had a talent for making his guests feel comfortable, drawing out engaging and thoughtful conversations. This interview showed Raquel in a way many had never seen — beyond her famous looks, revealing things I didn’t know about her.

### Broke Her Wrist

Welch’s appearance on *The Dick Cavett Show* was partly to promote her latest film, *Kansas City Bomber*.

In the movie, she played roller derby skater K.C. Carr — a woman trying to balance her desire for a happy personal life with her dreams of success.

The film featured many intense scenes from the matches, and according to Raquel, she performed most of her own stunts, which took a toll on her.

Raquel explained that she had to learn how to skate from the ground up for the role. The professional skaters in the film used a track with banked turns at a 45-degree angle, which made it even more difficult.

One day while practicing, she broke her wrist, causing the production to delay filming for about eight weeks.

“I had a lot of aches and pains for a long time,” Welch admitted.

### Recognize the Dress?

Those with sharp eyes might remember Welch’s stunning blue dress from her interview with Cavett. It was the same iconic gown she wore to the Oscars just a few months earlier. Talk about a fashion statement!

Raquel was ahead of her time in recycling outfits, and her Oscars gown wasn’t the only piece she repurposed. The beautiful dress she wore to the premiere of *The Godfather* was also the same one she wore at Elizabeth Taylor’s 40th birthday celebration in Budapest back in 1972.

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Who knew Raquel was such a trendsetter long before it became a popular term?

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By the way, did you know that Welch’s wardrobe for public events was very different from her personal style? People always expected her to maintain her glamorous image, and she did so perfectly. However, when she wasn’t on the red carpet, Welch preferred simple pantsuits and comfortable clothing.

### Humorous Anecdote

For decades, Welch has been known as a sex symbol, with a lot of focus on her beautiful body. Yet, few people have had the chance to hear her talk openly, especially on serious topics that show her depth beyond her famous image.

During her time on *The Dick Cavett Show*, the *One Million Years B.C.* star discussed the difference between her glamorous on-screen persona and her real-life experiences. The conversation included her public image and the expectations placed on her as a female actress in a male-dominated sport.

Raquel shared a funny story from her experience promoting *Kansas City Bomber*, recalling an interesting press conference with sports writers.

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“I had a really interesting press conference when I first came into town to promote the film with all the sports writers. They said, ‘You know, you’re a nice-sized lady and all that, but you’re not exactly what I expected.’ I replied, ‘I know I always seem to disappoint people if I walk in the door and the door hinges don’t splinter off, like I should come in with a machete or something.’”

Some people who saw her in person were surprised by her size—she is only 5 feet 5½ inches tall with a small-boned frame, elegantly complemented by broad shoulders and beautiful olive skin.

Dick Cavett then adds, “I know people walked in and looked at you, and their reaction was, ‘There’s an attractive woman.’ But many didn’t realize it was you, even though they had seen you on screen.”

### “Downright Intoxicating”

Many viewers who watched the interview later (available on YouTube) have commented on Raquel Welch’s lovely voice. It seems some have forgotten about it because of the strong focus on her stunning images and posters over the years.

One YouTube user commented, “She becomes even more attractive when she speaks, downright intoxicating!”

Another commenter added, “I love the way she speaks; there is something unique and also time-stamped about it.”

Another viewer noted, “Raquel was not only stunning to look at; she had a wonderful voice and a captivating way of speaking.”

This detail shows that Raquel’s appeal went beyond just her looks; her voice added a special charm that still resonates with audiences today.

She was very articulate and well-spoken!

### Why Was Raquel Welch So Down-to-Earth?

Raquel Welch, who got her first name from a grandmother in Bolivia and her last name from a teenage marriage, described herself as a product of middle-class America.

She never forgot her roots and always stayed connected to the part of society that wasn’t filled with the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.

“I’m practical, but I also have dreams of how things ideally should be,” she once said.

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In her private life, Welch was often seen in comfortable, loose-fitting sweaters and classic blue jeans, with just a touch of eye makeup. Even with her great fame, she had a sweetness and gentleness that made her feel easy to approach.

During her interview with Dick Cavett, Welch seemed very sweet, gentle, and down-to-earth.

### Suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease

Welch was truly one of the most beautiful women to ever appear on screen. Not even Kim Kardashian, with all her surgeries, could compare to her beauty.

Raquel was something special, and we should be thankful to have experienced her brilliance. Sadly, she passed away from cardiac arrest on February 15, 2023, at her home in Los Angeles, at the age of 82. At the time of her death, she was also battling Alzheimer’s disease.

Let’s remember this amazing woman through her wonderful interview with Dick Cavett — a moment when Raquel Welch was at the peak of her career. Share this story if you also admired Raquel Welch!

Woman Demands Husband to Get His Stuff Out after Supporting Him for 23 Years — Story of the Day

A woman goes through a rude awakening in a cafe and decides to do something about it — the first thing to go was her husband, but did he deserve it?

Debra Skye was a 52-year-old woman who was very much young at heart. Although she was in her 50s, she did not recognize herself as an old woman — not that she had a lot of time to dwell on the subject, since she had to work three jobs to support her family.

Her husband, Austin Skye, had slowly become a financial burden after he lost his job more than two decades ago.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

At first, he spent all his time looking for a new job without luck, but after some time, he stopped searching. Austin slowly grew accustomed to life as a dependent without any responsibilities, and gradually, his hobby became lying on the couch in front of the TV, drinking beer, and eating chips.

His body was the first thing to change, followed by everything else. He was well-fed and clothed even though he was no longer working.

It was a dream come true for a man who was always lazy at heart. Everything was enough for him, thanks to Debra working different jobs, but he did not seem to notice how hard she was trying.

They had married when they were barely adults; Debra was 19 while he was 20, and they had been completely in love with one another.

That love was what Debra thought about as she continued to hope that Austin would once again start putting himself out there for work. She even remained his staunch supporter at times when their relatives ganged up to ridicule him.

They got married so early in their lives because she had gotten pregnant with their daughter, Kayla. Of course, there would have been consequences if they had not wed, but their love had made it a simple, even natural, decision.

Their daughter, like them, also got married early and gave birth to a child who would grow up without his father because the man divorced Kayla.

Left to fend for her child while not being able to go to work because of the minor child in her care, Kayla needed help, and Debra was who she asked for it.

A dependable mother, Debra chose to pitch in financially, giving Kayla a steady allowance to care for herself and her child.

Never once did the steady supply of money waver, and it made Kayla complacent with finding her own source of income. She stopped trying to search for a suitable workplace and started depending solely on the allowance she was receiving.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

It continued that way for a long time until one day, Debra was jolted to a painful realization. That day had been just like any other; the woman left her home early and stopped at Starbucks for her coffee.

Once in the cafe, she joined a line three people long and patiently stood waiting for her turn while keeping an eye on her watch.

“Gordon will eat me alive if I arrive late today,” she thought to herself.

Her boss knew how many jobs she worked and usually cut her some slack, but Debra knew she had been pushing her luck in recent days. As she impatiently tapped her feet, several teenagers brazenly walked into the cafe and cut in line just when it was her turn.

The cashier, a young man with a bored look on his face, said nothing and simply started serving them. Debra couldn’t believe her eyes.

“Excuse me?” she said through gritted teeth. “Don’t you see me standing here? It was my turn!”

“I’m sorry ma’am, kids will be kids right?” the man behind the counter said, offering an awkward smile.

“What’s your deal anyway?” one of the teenagers said.

“Yeah, got somewhere you have to be?” another said in a mocking voice.

“I don’t think pensioners have anywhere they need to hurry to,” the third teenager said.

“You can stand in the queue all day if you want,” they chorused as they moved to the other end to collect their orders. Debra had never encountered such unruly children before, and it shocked her but not as much as what they said.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

When she returned to her car, she took a long time staring at herself in the mirror. The woman she saw looked very tired. Many wrinkles had become evident on her face, and her dark hair was slowly giving way to grey. Debra couldn’t remember when the gray strands first appeared, and it reminded her of how much she had been neglecting herself.

“I can’t even recall the last time I was in a hair salon,” she thought in despair.

The thought made her wonder what she had been doing all that time, and an answer immediately emerged — slaving away.

It made her very upset and realize that all her life, all she had been doing was trying to please her family, at the expense of her own well-being. “This has to end,” she told herself.

The first thing Debra did was call her daughter to inform her of her decision.

“Hello Mama, I was just going to call you,” Kayla said as soon as she picked up the call. “I was hoping you could send me my allowance earlier than Friday?”

“No Kayla, I will not do that,” Debra said, annoyed that her daughter had not even let her speak.

“What? Mama, why?” Kayla complained.

“Because you’ve grown too complacent with your lot in life. It’s time for you to wake up.”

“What are you saying, Mama?”

“I’m saying effective immediately your allowance is terminated and you’ll no longer be receiving it. If you want money, get out there and work for it.”

With that, Debra hung up and went in search of a beauty salon, where she had her hair dyed before getting a beautiful haircut, manicure, and many other procedures.

She turned her phone off to enjoy what had become a novel experience, and after that, she headed to a mall and got herself several beautiful dresses, one of which she decided to go home in. Her old clothes did not leave the mall with her.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Upon arriving home, her husband, who had picked up a call from her boss redirected to their landline, asked where she had been.

“Two of your bosses said you didn’t turn up for your shifts,” Austin said from his position on the couch. When he turned around to look at Debra, he coughed up the bite of chips he had just swallowed.

“Debs, is that you?” he asked wide-eyed.

“Yes, it is,” she replied stiffly.

“You went clothes shopping and all when you were supposed to be working?” he asked her angrily.

She gave him a vague answer but he started scolding her about how much money she wasted treating herself to all those nice things.

They were in the middle of that heated conversation when Kayla walked into the house with all the confidence of a righteous person done wrong. “Why would you cut my allowance off?” she asked without pausing to read the room.

After a moment, she took in her mom’s new look and pointed out how comfortable she was spending so much on herself while refusing to help her.

Debra had to take a moment to calm herself down before responding by explaining what had happened to her daughter. The girl was still trying to contain her shock when her mother turned to her father and revealed her desire to get divorced.

“I’m done cleaning up after you Austin,” she said. The man was shocked. He could not understand why she suddenly turned upon them, but Debra did not back down.

“For the past two decades, I have shouldered this family’s financial burdens. But now I’m tired and would like to focus that energy on myself,” Debra said tearfully. It was like admitting defeat, but what choice did she have? Those she was fighting for had given up a long time ago.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“I want you to leave,” she said.

“What? You can’t mean that,” Austin said.

“I do,” she said, then went past him to get to their room. After that night, Austin’s bruised pride caused him to move out of their home without trying to beg for forgiveness, and Kayla stopped asking Debra for money.

A month later, Debra quit her hard and disliked jobs and settled with one that really brought her passion. She lived her life, traveled the world, and when she could, helped her daughter to look after her grandson.

Debra never regretted her decision to divorce her husband even though he begged her to return after he found a job. “I will keep your offer in mind,” she’d told him, and he had not stopped trying to deserve her ever since.

What can we gain from this story?

  • Self-love is non-negotiable. Debra sacrificed for her family without thinking about herself until the rude kids pointed out just how much it was affecting her. Her awakening brought about change, and she was able to start living for herself once more.
  • Never stop trying. Kayla and Austin gave up so easily because they were getting all they needed through Debra, who never complained. They forgot that the only way to move forward was by trying, but luckily Debra was there to remind them.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who kicks his daughter out of the house only to meet her years later as a helpless, homeless beggar.

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