[1] Starting his career in the mid-1970s, Hermann José has become one of Portugal's most recognized comedians and TV personalities, featuring in some of his shows, among others, Amália Rodrigues, Kylie Minogue, Ramalho Eanes, Tony Bennett, Roger Moore, Cher and Joan Collins.

[2] Herman started his acting career with the 1975 piece "Uma no Cravo, Outra na Ditadura" a film that also featured notable Portuguese actor and screenwriter Nicolau Breyner.

[2] Herman José's professional career started in 1973–4 doing studio choruses (mostly on protest songs spun by the Carnation Revolution of April 1974) and acting in revues.

With this show, Herman José was attempting to shape the sense of humour of the Portuguese in the wake of the revolution that had ended almost fifty years of totalitarianism under the Estado Novo regime.

[citation needed] Hermanias continued his huge success, but the state channel RTP cancelled Humor de Perdição, his next show, after a sketch based on Saint Elizabeth of Portugal caused public outrage.

[citation needed] In 2000, Herman José moved from RTP to the private channel SIC, for a reported 1.5 million euros a year, to host a late-night show called HermanSic.

[7][8] Herman José was a singer and had a popular one-man-show, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, which he performed both in Portugal and abroad, entertaining groups of Portuguese emigrants.

His discs "Saca o Saca-Rolhas" ("Screw the Corkscrew", 1977) and "Canção do Beijinho" ("The Kiss Song", 1980) both reached gold record status.

[citation needed] On 29 December 2003, Herman José was accused of various child sexual abuse offences connected with the Casa Pia scandal.