by Dave ThompsonThe winner of the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest in 1956, Swiss-born vocalist Lys Assia was born March 3, 1926, in Rupperswil, Switzerland. She originally worked as a dancer but, at a show in 1940, she was asked to stand in for a missing singer. She agreed and performed so well that she promptly abandoned her first love for a career in front of the microphone. Establishing herself as a star throughout Central Europe, she also moved into movies, starring in such efforts as Palace Hotel in 1952 and Ein Mann Vergißt die Liebe in 1955. Hit singles during this period included "Moulin Rouge (Ein Lied aus Paris)" in 1953, "O Mein Papa" and "Schwedenmädel" in 1954, and "Jolie Jacqueline" in 1955. In 1956, Assia was invited to represent two different nations at the first Eurovision event, Germany and Switzerland. Her German entry, "Ein Kleiner Goldner Ring," unfortunately never made it past the country's own qualifying competition. ...