Jean Philippe Gargantiel (, 27 November 1930 – 7 January 2022) was a French singer who represented France at the Eurovision Song Contest 1959. He returned to the contest in

1962 The year saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is often considered the closest the world came to a Nuclear warfare, nuclear confrontation during the Cold War. Events January * January 1 – Samoa, Western Samoa becomes independent from Ne ...

representing Switzerland. He was the first artist to compete for two countries at Eurovision.

Early life

Jean Philippe started his professional life as a receptionist – his father was director at the Grand Hôtel in Paris. He subsequently worked as an accountant as well as a bartender in

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

and in the Carlton hotel in

Cannes Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...

. While working as a vendor in a shirt shop in Paris, his wife registered him in a singing competition organised by a radio station, which he won in January 1957.

Eurovision Song Contest

The Eurovision Song Contest 1959 was held at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in

, France, after the victory of André Claveau the previous year, in

Hilversum Hilversum () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands. Located in the heart of the Gooi, it is ...

, the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

. Jean Philippe sang " Oui, oui, oui, oui" (Yes, yes, yes, yes) and came third, receiving 15 points. Philippe returned to the contest in

at the Villa Louvigny in

Luxembourg Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...

and represented

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

with the appropriately titled " Le Retour" (The return). He was less successful second time around, garnering only two points and placing equal tenth.

Films

Jean Philippe appeared in the 1960 film '' Jazz Boat'' in which he sang "Oui, oui, oui, oui".

Personal life and death

Philippe was married to Rosanne Jennings. Together they had three children; twins Gilles and Angelique and Natacha. Philippe later lived in

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

, Canada, where he operated a cafe in Montebello. He died on 7 January 2022, at the age of 91.

References

External links

* 1930 births 2022 deaths 20th-century French male singers Eurovision Song Contest entrants {{France-singer-stub