Last Thursday, April 8, 2010, former Eurovision Song Contest winner Teddy Scholten died at the age of 83, after a brief illness. She is the fifth winner of the contest that passed away, after Andre Claveau, Jean-Claude Pascal, Grethe Ingmann and Frida Boccara.

Teddy van Swieteren was born on May 11, 1926 in Rijswijk. From her early childhood she stood on stage as an actress. In the1940's she met Henk Scholten(singer in the duo Scholten & van ’t Zelfde) and she fell in love with him. They eventually get married in 1947.

In 1959 Teddy was asked by the NTS to participate in the Nationaal Songfestival. At this pre selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, she sang two songs: De regen (The rain, finishing second) and Een beetje (A little). The latter song won the contest and Teddy went on to Cannes to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. The cheerful song Een beetje, written by Willy van Hemert en Dick Schallies, won the contest and Teddy became a star overnight.

In the fifties and sixties, Teddy Scholten can be seen frequently on Dutch television in shows like De Snip & Snap revue, Zaterdagavondakkoorden, Kiekeboe and the New Year's Eve show of 1962. In both 1965 and 1966 Teddy Scholten hosts the Nationaal Songfestival, and she is the commentator for the NTS at the Eurovision Song Contest in both years as well. In later years we see Teddy Scholten also emerge as a member of the jury at the Nationaal Songfestival.

In the mid seventies, Scholten ends her singing career, to become public relations officer for the Dutch Red Cross. She can quite regularly be seen on Dutch television after that, especially when there is yet another retrospect of her Eurovision victory in 1959.

Teddy's performance in Cannes can be seen below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxdHYVYtkbM