Dorothea Margaretha "Teddy" Scholten (née van Zwieteren; 11 May 1926 – 8 April 2010) was a Dutch singer from Rijswijk, close to The Hague, Netherlands. She was a familiar face in the early days of Dutch television. Not only did she represent the
Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest, she also performed in 
variety shows and hosted various programmes.
variety shows and hosted various programmes.
Teddy Zwieteren was the daughter of an amateur actor and director who inspired her to also start acting. Her first steps in that direction after World War II found her at the Residence Theatre in The Hague. It was during that period she also participated in one of the first cabaret programs Toon Hermans. She married Henk Scholten in 1947In 1959, Teddy Scholten won the Eurovision Song Contest 1959 for the Netherlands singing "'n Beetje" (A little bit), with music composed by Dick Schallies and lyrics by Willy van Hemert.
After the contest Teddy and Henk Scholten got their own TV show at KRO, Zaterdagavondaccoorden. The Netherlands was one of the .jpg)
first major music shows on television with a large orchestra and a ballet. Numerous established and upcoming artists made their appearance. Other shows included the comedy Wim Kan and the Schleswig Revue, as well as Peekaboo, the first television program with a hidden camera. The duo also recorded several albums, many of them containing songs for children.
first major music shows on television with a large orchestra and a ballet. Numerous established and upcoming artists made their appearance. Other shows included the comedy Wim Kan and the Schleswig Revue, as well as Peekaboo, the first television program with a hidden camera. The duo also recorded several albums, many of them containing songs for children. 
Teddy played the Baroness Schröder in the Dutch version of The Sound of Music during 1963 and 1964, but ended her singing career in 1965, when her husband became director of the Socutera Foundation. In 1965 and 1966, she presented the National Song 
Festival as well as being commentator for the Netherlands in the 1966 Eurovision Song Contest.
Festival as well as being commentator for the Netherlands in the 1966 Eurovision Song Contest.
During the mid-seventies Teddy became public relations officer of the Red Cross. In the many interviews she gave, she admitted to have mixed feelings about her Eurovision Song Contest victory. "I have a love-hate relationship with that song. Of course I have a lot to thank for. But I have done a lot more than winning the contest. I've done so much more in my life."
During her later years Teddy took up watercolour painting having exhibitions in Rijswijk and in Bussum.
Henk Scholten died in 1983. Teddy died after a long illness on April 8, 2010 in Rijswijk at the age of 83. (Info mainly edited from various translated Dutch sources plus Wikipedia)
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