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Engelbert Humperdinck reflects on the dark side of his attempt to succeed in the music industry, saying he was repeatedly subjected to unwanted advances from talent agents early in his career.
During a recent episode of “The Engelbert Humperdinck Show,” the 90-year-old British singer opened up about the struggles he faced while pursuing a music career in his early 20s.
Humperdinck recalled that he began traveling from his hometown of Leicester, England, to London in the late 1950s in hopes of establishing himself as a singer. He said that at the time his older sister was able to give him just enough money to spend a night in a hotel while he visited talent agents.
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He revealed that seeking representation proved to be a “very difficult task” as many agents instead pursued him personally.
“At that time, you know, a lot of agencies were…men who loved men,” he said. “I had to go through a lot because I was chased by officers a lot.”
Engelbert Humperdinck has revealed he found himself facing the “casting couch” while trying to break into the London music industry in the 1950s. (Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
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“At the time, I was true to myself,” Humperdinck continued. “And I avoided all that, but I went through hell with that stuff.”
Humperdinck described this experience as refusing to participate in the industry’s “casting couch.”
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“The casting couch, it’s called the casting couch, right? he said. “Not the Hollywood way, but the agent way, you know.”
Humperdinck said talent agents repeatedly made unwanted advances toward him. (Bettmann Archives)
“Every agent I went to was the same,” Humperdinck added.
“Except I found a guy who helped me,” he said. “He was a married man.”
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Humperdinck identified this agent as Sydney Myers, who invited the aspiring singer to stay at her apartment in the Maida Vale area of London for six months while introducing him to the industry. He remembers that Myers helped cover some of his other living expenses and that the agent’s wife also welcomed him into their home.
“She treated me very well. I ate very well during those six months, you know,” Humperdinck recalled.
“And he was a meticulous man,” he added of Myers. “I loved him very much.”
The singer said talent agent Sydney Myers, who was married, was the exception. (Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
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Myers then helped Humperdinck land a 42-week stint on the British music variety series “Song Parade,” where he performed under his birth name Gerry Dorsey before adopting the stage name Engelbert Humperdinck. The singer said television exposure helped him become a household name and led to more work.
Humperdinck and his late wife Patricia were married for 56 years until her death in 2021. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Throughout his early difficulties, Humperdinck was supported by his long-term girlfriend, Patricia, who would later become his wife and whom he credits with encouraging him to pursue his musical career before achieving fame.
Humperdinck first met Patricia at a dance hall in Leicester in 1956, shortly after returning from military service. The couple dated for seven years before marrying in 1964, three years before his hit “Release Me” made him an international star.
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The couple, who shared four children, remained together for 56 years until their deaths in 2021.
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