The great illustrator Ted Scapa
He celebrates his 92nd birthday in a wheelchair
He inspired generations as the presenter of the children’s program “Spielhaus” on Swiss television. As a contemporary artist, he has made a name for himself far beyond the country’s borders. Ted Scapa celebrates his birthday on January 17th.
Published: 6 minutes ago
1/16
Illustrator Ted Scapa celebrates his 92nd birthday on January 17th.
Flavia SchlittlerDeputy Head of Department People
He has combed his thick, snow-white hair neatly back and put the silk foulard elegantly around his neck. The rogue flashes from Ted Scapa’s eyes on this gray Tuesday. Style is important to the “Spielhaus” legend of the 1960s and 1970s on Swiss television, even at the age of 92, very important, as he says. Today the Swiss man with Dutch roots is celebrating his birthday, which is sweetened with a Zug cherry cake.
His artistic trademark is still cheerful, colorful pictures. Today Scapa is in a wheelchair. “Last summer he fell ill with Corona, which took a lot out of him physically and weakened him accordingly,” says his daughter Tessa Scapa (56). Speaking is difficult for him these days, his language is the pictures, she takes over the words. She adds: “My father never lost his sense of humor and his love of colors and funny shapes, not with all the tragic strokes of fate.”
Lilo Pulver was one of the first to wish well
The artist was often marked by life with black, hard strokes. In 2005 he lost his daughter Ghita (1963-2005) at the age of 42, who died after giving birth to twins as a result of a torn aorta. Six years ago he lost his great love Meret (1930-2016), the mother of his two daughters.
He celebrates his birthday at the Burgerspittel retirement home in Bern. His room is full of memories of his friends, great Swiss artists. Like Jean Tinguely (1925–1991), with whom Scapa ate croissants every Sunday for years and talked about cars, Tinguely’s favorite topic. Or Bernhard Luginbühl (1929-2011), by whom Scapa owns several sculptures. He has been living in his new kingdom for two years now and has found a good friend in his roommate, acting legend Lilo Pulver (93), with whom he also celebrated Christmas. “Whenever Lilo sees my father, she hugs him very lovingly, these are beautiful, happy moments,” says Tessa Scapa happily. Pulver was one of the first to wish well today.
Even though the great illustrator will probably never be able to put his wheelchair down again, he is brimming with ideas and is already planning a major exhibition for next November. «He doesn’t let that stop him, his imagination has never been limited. It keeps him in the most beautiful movement », says his daughter. In this spirit: Happy Birthday, Ted Scapa.