Eurovision Song Contest 1962

The Eurovision Song Contest 1962 was the 7th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, held on 18 March 1962 in the of the Villa Louvigny in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg and presented by Mireille Delannoy. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster (CLT), and originally known as the (), the contest was held in following the country's victory at the with the song " Nous les amoureux" by Jean-Claude Pascal. Sixteen countries participated in the event, with the same line-up of nations as at the previous year's contest.

For the third time in five years the winner was with the song "", composed by , written by Roland Valade and performed by Isabelle Aubret. placed second for the first time, while the host nation came third, resulting in French language-songs occupying all of the top three positions. For the first time in the contest's history an entry received '' nul points'' from all juries, with , , the and all receiving zero points overall.

Location

The 1962 contest took place in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, following the country's victory at the with the song " performed by Jean-Claude Pascal. It was the first time that Luxembourg had hosted the event. The chosen venue was the Villa Louvigny, situated within the city's Municipal Park in the Ville Haute quarter of the city centre, which served as the headquarters of the (CLT), the Luxembourgish public broadcaster. The contest itself was held in the building's .

Participants

There was no change in the participants line-up for the first time, with no new countries joining the event and the same sixteen countries which had competed in 1961 returning for 1962.

Four artists in this year's event had previously participated in past contests: 's Camillo Felgen and 's François Deguelt competed for their respective countries for the second time after both appearing in the ; Jean Philippe, representing at this event, also participated for the second time, after previously competing for in ; and Fud Leclerc made his fourth contest appearance for , following past entries in , and 1960. Philippe became the first artist to represent two different countries in separate Eurovision Song Contests, while Leclerc became the first of only four acts to compete in four separate contests, alongside Switzerland's Peter, Sue and Marc (, , and ), 's Elisabeth Andreassen (, , and ) and 's Valentina Monetta (, , and ). Four other artists competing in this event would go on to compete in the contest on another occasion: the 's Ronnie Carroll (); 's Claudio Villa (); France's Isabelle Aubret (); and 's Marion Rung (). As a result, half of the competing artists in this year's event had competed, or would eventually compete, in multiple Eurovision Song Contests.

Production and format

The contest was organised and broadcast by CLT. Jos Pauly and René Steichen served as producers and directors, Jean-Paul Conzemius served as designer, and Jean Roderès served as musical director, leading around forty musicians of the . Each country was allowed to nominate their own musical director to lead the orchestra during the performance of their country's entry, with the host musical director also conducting for those countries which did not nominate their own conductor. The contest was presented by Mireille Delannoy, one of Télé-Luxembourg's regular continuity announcers.

Each country, participating through a single EBU member broadcaster, was represented by one song performed by up to two people on stage. The results of the event were determined through jury voting; in a change from previous events, each country awarded three points to the jury's collective favourite entry, with two points awarded to the jury's second favourite, and one point given the jury's third favourite. Each jury comprised ten individuals representing the average television viewer and radio listener; as such no individuals in the music industry, including composers, music publishers, and people employed by record companies, were able to sit on the jury.

The draw to determine the running order took place on 16 March 1962 in the Villa Louvigny, conducted by Delannoy and assisted by her 4-year-old son Olivier. Rehearsals were held in the contest venue on 17 and 18 March, with two full dress rehearsals scheduled before the live broadcast on the evening of 18 March.

Contest overview

The contest was held at 18 March 1962 at 21:30 ( CET) and lasted 1 hour and 27 minutes. Held on a Sunday, this is the last time that the contest's grand final was not held on a Saturday. The interval act was a performance by the French clown Achille Zavatta, in a skit as the contest's seventeenth participant representing "Zavattaland". The prize for the winning artist and songwriters, a medallion engraved with the figure of a winged lion, the heraldic animal of CLT, and designed by , was presented by the previous year's winning artist Jean-Claude Pascal.

The contest suffered from two power failures which impacted the broadcast of the event: the first occurred during the Dutch entry, which affected the picture quality and plunged the performance into total darkness for around 30 seconds for some broadcasters; the second occurred immediately following the French entry as the auditorium went completely dark for around 1 minutes and 30 seconds, leading to broadcasters showing "breakdown" captions on-screen as the issue was resolved and a delay in the performance of the Norwegian entry.

The winner was represented by the song "", composed by , written by Roland Valade and performed by Isabelle Aubret. This was France's third contest victory in five years, also setting a new record as the first country to win the contest three times. secured its first second-place finish, while the finished in third place; the top three positions were therefore all performed in the French language. Monaco's François Deguelt, who had previously come third in , became the first of only five artists who have placed second and third in the contest without having won, alongside the UK's Cliff Richard, 's Katja Ebstein, 's Chiara Siracusa and 's Željko Joksimović. For the first time in the contest's history an entry scored '' nul points'' from all juries; four countries ultimately scored zero points, namely , , and the .

Spokespersons

Each participating broadcaster appointed a spokesperson, connected to the contest venue via telephone lines and responsible for announcing, in English or French, the votes for its respective country. Known spokespersons at the 1962 contest are listed below.

* Poppe Berg
* Tage Danielsson
* Alex Macintosh

Detailed voting results

Jury voting was used to determine the points awarded by all countries. The announcement of the results from each country was conducted in reverse order to that which each country performed, with the spokespersons announcing their country's points in English or French in descending order. The detailed breakdown of the points awarded by each country is listed in the tables below, with voting countries listed in the order in which they presented their votes.

The new voting system produced what some consider to be one of the least exciting voting sequences in the contest's history, with France quickly taking the lead and ultimately finishing with double the number of points compared to the runner-up Monegasque entry. With each country only able to award points to three of the potential fifteen countries available, leaving twelve countries without points, the new system also most likely contributed to countries being awarded zero points overall for the first time.

3 points

The below table summarises how the maximum 3 points were awarded from one country to another. The winning country is shown in bold. France received the maximum score of 3 points from five of the voting countries, Luxembourg and Monaco each received three sets of 3 points, Yugoslavia received two sets of maximum scores, and Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom received one maximum score each.

Broadcasts

Broadcasters competing in the event were required to relay the contest via its networks; non-participating EBU member broadcasters were also able to relay the contest. Broadcasters were able to send commentators to provide coverage of the contest in their own native language and to relay information about the artists and songs to their television viewers. These commentators were typically sent to the venue to report on the event, and were able to provide commentary from small booths constructed at the back of the venue. At least 15 commentators were present at the contest, with an estimated global viewership and listenership of 60 to 100 million reported in the media. Known details on the broadcasts in each country, including the specific broadcasting stations and commentators are shown in the table below.

{, class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
, -
, + Broadcasters and commentators
, -
! scope="col" , Country
! scope="col" , Broadcaster
! scope="col" , Channel(s)
! scope="col" , Commentator(s)
! scope="col" ,
, -
! scope="row" ,
, ORF
, ORF
, {{{N/A}
, style="text-align:center" ,
, -
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" , {{Flagu, Belgium
, RTB
, RTB
, {{N/A}
, style="text-align:center" , {{cite news , title=Télévision , trans-title=Television , url=https://uurl.kbr.be/1609966 , url-access=registration , date=17 March 1962 , work=Le Soir , location=Brussels, Belgium , access-date=31 January 2025 , page=6 , language=fr , via={{ill, BelgicaPress, nl
, -
, BRT
, BRT
, Willem Duys
, style="text-align:center" ,
, -
! scope="row" , {{Flagu, Denmark
, DR
, {{lang, da, Danmarks Radio TV, i=unset, Program 2
, {{ill, Ole Mortensen (broadcaster), da, Ole Mortensen, lt=Ole Mortensen
, style="text-align:center" ,
, -
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="3" , {{Flagu, Finland
, rowspan="3" , YLE
, {{lang, fi, Suomen Televisio, i=unset
, {{ill, Aarno Walli, fi
, style="text-align:center" rowspan="3" ,
, -
, {{lang, fi, {{ill, Yleisohjelma, fi, Yleisohjelma (Suomen Yleisradio), i=unset
, {{ill, Erkki Melakoski, fi
, -
, {{lang, fi, Ruotsinkielinen yleisohjelma, i=unset
, {{ill, Jan Sederholm, sv, Jan Sederholm (författare)
, -
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" , {{Flagu, France
, rowspan="2" , RTF
, RTF
, Pierre Tchernia
, style="text-align:center" , {{cite AV media , title=Remise du Grand Prix Eurovision 1962 à la France , trans-title=Presentation of the 1962 Eurovision Grand Prix to France , url=https://www.ina.fr/ina-eclaire-actu/video/i00005174/remise-du-grand-prix-eurovision-1962-a-la-france , publisher={{lang, fr, Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion, i=unset (CLT) and {{lang, fr, Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française, i=unset (RTF) , place=Luxembourg City, Luxembourg , access-date=15 December 2022 , language=fr , via={{lang, fr, Institut national de l'audiovisuel, i=unset (INA)
, -
, France I
, {{N/A}
, style="text-align:center" ,
, -
! scope="row" , {{Flagu, Germany
, ARD
, {{lang, de, Deutsches Fernsehen, i=unset
, {{ill, Ruth Kappelsberger, de
, style="text-align:center" ,
, -
! scope="row" , {{Flagu, Italy
, RAI
, {{lang, it, Programma Nazionale TV, i=unset{{efn, Deferred broadcast at 22:15 ( CET)
, {{ill, Renato Tagliani, it
, style="text-align:center" , {{cite magazine , title=TV {{! domenica 18 marzo , trans-title=TV {{! Sunday 18 March , url=http://www.radiocorriere.teche.rai.it/Download.aspx?data=1962{{!12{{!000{{!P , magazine=Radiocorriere TV , location=Turin, Italy , date=15–24 March 1962 , volume=39 , issue=12 , pages=20–21 , access-date=1 June 2024 , language=it , via=Rai Teche
, -
! scope="row" , {{Flagu, Luxembourg
, CLT
, {{lang, fr, Télé-Luxembourg, i=unset, {{ill, RTL Radio Lëtzebuerg, lb, lt=Radio Luxembourg
, {{N/A}
, style="text-align:center" , {{cite news , title=Radio-Télévision , url=https://viewer.eluxemburgensia.lu/ark:70795/10dsp9w8c/pages/21 , access-date=14 December 2022 , work= Luxemburger Wort , location=Luxembourg City, Luxembourg , date=17 March 1962 , language=de, fr , page=21 , via=National Library of Luxembourg
, -
! scope="rowgroup" , {{Flagu, Monaco
, colspan="2" , Radio Monte Carlo{{efn, Delayed broadcast in a shortened format on 23 March at 17:02 ( CET)
, {{N/A}
, style="text-align:center" , {{cite magazine , title=Programmes radiophoniques , trans-title=Radiophonic programmes , url=https://www.scriptorium.ch/zoom/322517/view?page=29&p=verso&tool=info , access-date=14 December 2022 , work= Radio TV – Je vois tout , date=15 March 1962 , volume=40 , issue=11 , location=Lausanne, Switzerland , pages=57–59 , language=fr , via=Scriptorium
, -
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" , {{Flagu, Netherlands
, NTS
, NTS
, rowspan="2" , Willem Duys
, style="text-align:center" rowspan="2" , {{cite news , title=Wegwijs in etherland , trans-title=Find your way around aetherland , url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011028023:mpeg21:p009 , access-date=14 December 2022 , work= Limburgs Dagblad , location=Heerlen, Netherlands , date=17 March 1962 , language=nl , page=9 , via=Delpher
, -
, NRU
, Hilversum 2{{efn, Deferred broadcast in a shortened format at 23:00 ( CET)
, -
! scope="row" , {{Flagu, Norway
, NRK
, {{lang, no, NRK Fjernsynet, i=unset, NRK
, Odd Grythe
, style="text-align:center" ,
, -
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" , {{Flagu, Spain, 1945
, TVE
, TVE
, {{ill, Federico Gallo, es
, style="text-align:center" , {{cite news , title=Radio y TV , trans-title=Radio and TV , url=https://hemeroteca.lavanguardia.com/preview/1962/03/18/pagina-31/32709184/pdf.html , access-date=14 December 2022 , work=La Vanguardia , location=Barcelona, Spain , date=18 March 1962 , page=31 , language=es , url-access=subscription
, -
, RNE
, RNE
, {{N/A}
, style="text-align:center" ,
, -
! scope="row" , {{Flagu, Sweden
, SR
, {{lang, sv, Sveriges TV, i=unset, SR P1
, {{ill, Jan Gabrielsson, sv
, style="text-align:center" ,
, -
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="5" , {{Flagu, Switzerland
, rowspan="5" , SRG SSR
, TV DRS
, {{N/A}
, style="text-align:center" ,
, -
, TSR
, Pierre Tchernia
, style="text-align:center" ,
, -
, TSI
, {{N/A}
, style="text-align:center" , {{cite news , title=Radio – Televisione , trans-title=Radio – Television , url=https://www.sbt.ti.ch/quotidiani-public-pdf/main_part.php?fullscreen=true&paper=gdp&day=17&month=3&year=1962&page=9&papername=Giornale%20del%20Popolo&allpages=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18 , access-date=19 December 2022 , work= Giornale del Popolo , date=17 March 1962 , location=Lugano, Switzerland , page=9 , language=it , via={{ill, Sistema bibliotecario ticinese, it
, -
, {{lang, fr, Radio Genève, i=unset{{efn, Deferred broadcast at 22:30 ( CET)
, {{N/A}
, style="text-align:center" , {{cite magazine , title=Programmes radiophoniques , trans-title=Radio programmes , url=https://www.scriptorium.ch/zoom/322517/view?page=21&p=verso&tool=info , access-date=14 December 2022 , work= Radio TV – Je vois tout , date=15 March 1962 , volume=40 , issue=11 , location=Lausanne, Switzerland , pages=40–42 , language=fr , via=Scriptorium
, -
, Radio Monte Ceneri
, {{N/A}
, style="text-align:center" ,
, -
! scope="row" , {{Flagu, United Kingdom
, BBC
, BBC TV
, David Jacobs
, style="text-align:center" , {{cite magazine , title=Eurovision Song Contest Grand Prix 1962 , url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/0fdd4c65022145f3b9c5ffd7b7ee5461 , access-date=14 December 2022 , magazine=Radio Times , location=London, United Kingdom , date=17 March 1962 , via= BBC Genome Project
, -
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="3" , {{Flagu, Yugoslavia
, rowspan="3" , JRT
, {{lang, sh, Televizija Beograd, i=unset
, {{N/A}
, style="text-align:center" ,
, -
, {{lang, sl, Televizija Ljubljana, i=unset
, {{N/A}
, style="text-align:center" ,
, -
, {{lang, sh, Televizija Zagreb, i=unset
, {{N/A}
, style="text-align:center" , {{cite news , title=Televizija , trans-title=Television , url=https://arhiv.slobodnadalmacija.hr/pvpages/pvpages/viewPage/?pv_page_id=28607&pv_issue_no=620317_A , access-date=15 December 2022 , work=Slobodna Dalmacija , date=17 March 1962 , page=8 , language=sh , location=Split, Yugoslavia , url-access=subscription

Notes and references

Notes

{{notelist

References

{{Reflist

Bibliography

* {{cite book , last=Murtomäki , first=Asko , title=Finland 12 points! Suomen Euroviisut , date=2007 , publisher=Teos , location=Helsinki, Finland , isbn=951-851-106-3 , language=fi
* {{Cite book , last=O'Connor , first=John Kennedy , title=The Eurovision Song Contest: The Official History , date=2010 , publisher= Carlton Books , isbn=978-1-84732-521-1 , edition=2nd , location=London , author-link=John Kennedy O'Connor
* {{cite book , last=Roxburgh , first=Gordon , title=Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest , date=2012 , publisher=Telos Publishing , location=Prestatyn, United Kingdom , isbn=978-1-84583-065-6 , volume=One: The 1950s and 1960s
* {{cite book , last1=Thorsson , first1=Leif , last2=Verhage , first2=Martin , title=Melodifestivalen genom tiderna : de svenska uttagningarna och internationella finalerna , trans-title=Melodifestivalen through the ages: the Swedish selections and international finals , date=2006 , publisher=Premium Publishing , location=Stockholm, Sweden , isbn=91-89136-29-2 , language=sv

External links

{{commons category, Eurovision Song Contest 1962
*{{Official website, http://www.eurovision.tv/

{{Eurovision Song Contest 1962
{{Eurovision Song Contest
{{Portal bar, Music
{{coord, 49, 36, 41, N, 06, 07, 21, E, display=title

1962
Music festivals in Luxembourg
1962 in music
Music in Luxembourg City
1962 in Luxembourg
1960s in Luxembourg City
Events in Luxembourg City