Arnold “Gerry” Dorsey’s name might not ring a bell to most, but his alter ego, Engelbert Humperdinck, should. The multiple platinum-selling performer has been at it for over 70 years, singing his heart out to crowds around the world. Just don’t call him a crooner. “I don't like the word. When I started singing, I had a three-and-a-half octave range, crooners don't have that,” Humperdinck proudly explains.
He refers to himself as a “thespian of song,” explaining that performing is so much more than just singing.
“Being an artist, you have to portray it in a way that actors do when they're in front of a camera,” Humperdinck explains of his approach to song. “You have to use your eyes, your nose, your mouth, your face, your actions, your body language. It's all acting, it's a performance.”
A new film about his life — Engelbert Humperdinck, The Legend Continues — premieres tonight at the Montalban Theater.