Rudi Carrell, born Rudolf Wijbrand Kesselaar on December 19, 1934, in Alkmaar, Netherlands, is a Dutch entertainer known for his career as a singer and television host. He began his music career with the song "Wat een geluk" ("What luck"), representing the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest 1960, where he finished 12 out of 13, scoring just two points. Carrell's television career took off with The Rudi Carrell Show, which initially aired in the Netherlands and later became a staple in Germany from the 1960s to the 1990s. The show featured talent competitions and brought many well-known German pop stars and actors to prominence. As a singer, Carrell had several hits, including a Dutch version of "A Windmill in Old Amsterdam" and recorded multiple songs in German. He also acted in several movies. In 1987, Rudi Carrell caused a diplomatic rift between Germany and Iran with a controversial sketch involving veiled women throwing their undergarments at someone dressed like Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini. Rudi Carrell passed away on July 7, 2006, in Bremen, Germany, aged 71, after confirming his battle with lung cancer in November 2005. Notable posthumous releases include the albums Kein Sommer Ohne Rudi (2003) and Das Beste (2008).
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