Corry Brokken born 3 December 1932

Corry Brokken (born Comelia Brokken, 3 December 1932, Breda) is a Dutch former singer.

In 1952 she made her Dutch radio debut with the song I Apologize. Two years later Corry (sometimes written as Corrie) Brokken made her first record, De Autoscooter-Boogie. In 1956 she represented the Netherlands for the first time at the Eurovision Song Contest. Her song Voorgoed Voorbij/Over For Good did not win (that year the results of the jury were secret; only the winner was announced).

The following year she won the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Net als Toen/Like It Used To Be (composed by Willy van Hemert). And in 1958 she represented the Netherlands again with Heel de Wereld/The Whole World, but this time she came no further than a shared last - 9th - place with Luxembourg. As noted by author and historian John Kennedy O'Connor in his book The Eurovision Song Contest - The Official History, Corry is the only singer ever to have finished both first and last in the contest. In 1958 she also appeared as a singer in the film Jenny (1958, Willy van Hemert). It was the first Dutch feature in colour, and the only theatrical film by Van Hemert, who, besides as a song composer, would have a long and illustrious career as a TV director.

In 1960 Corry Brokken had a #1-hit in the Netherlands with the song Milord, which is internationally known in the Edith Piaf version. In 1961 she appeared on stage in the renowned Dutch variety show, Sleeswijkrevue. Between 1961 and 1972 Corry Brokken presented TV shows on Dutch television. During this period she regularly recorded her songs, including fine and successful Dutch interpretations of songs by Charles Aznavour, including the hits Mijn ideaal/My Ideal (1962) and La Mamma (1964).

The German versions of her hits were also popular in West-Germany. Between 1967 and 1970 she presented for the German TV station ARD shows like Varietézauber (Variety Magic) with such guests as Gilbert Bécaud, Caterina Valente and Hildegard Knef. Corry continued to make records into the 1970’s, and in 1976 she returned to the the Eurovision Song Contest when she hosted the show in The Hague. That same year she started to study Law. Later she would become a lawyer, and in 1988 she was installed as a judge in the city of  's-Hertogenbosch.

In 1996 Corry Brokken made a comeback as a singer. She made the new album Nooit gedacht (Never thought) and promoted it in a few TV shows. Since the album was not a big success, she started to write her memoirs, Wat mij betreft (As for me). The book was a success and was reprinted four times in a short period. In 2006 she was the guest star of the cabaret group Purper in their show Purper 100, and a DVD was presented with the highlights of her TV-shows: Een avondje uit met Corry Brokken/An Evening's Entertainment With Corry Brokken. In 2009 she also published her second memoirs, Toegift (Encore), and she had a guest appearance in the popular TV sitcom Kinderen geen bezwaar/Children, No Problem (2009).

From 1968 till 1976 Corrie Brokken was married to variety show producer René Sleeswijk. In 1978 she married lawyer Jan Meijerink. Corry Brokken was twice awarded the prestigious Edison award for her music, in 1963 and 1995. 
(Info Wikipedia & IMDB)