Goodbye Possums! Barry Humphries, who created the legendary Dame Edna Everage, dies at 89
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Comedy icon Barry Humphries died on Saturday, April 22 at the age of 89 at Sydney's St Vincent Hospital with his family by his side.
He has been hailed as a giant of the entertainment business in Australia and across the world. The character of Dame Edna Everage is Humphries' most recognizable creation, yet for many admirers, the figure who began as a Melbourne housewife in the 1950s, was not even his best work.
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Barry’s many lives
While Edna's violet permed hair, extravagant cat-eye specs, and gaudy costumes became instantly recognized, Humphries had far more than one act in his repertory. Sir Les Patterson, the uncouth, drunken 'cultural attache' with his mottled complexion, food-splattered clothing, and discolored tombstone teeth, was even more unforgettable for some.
Others found him most appealing as the grandfatherly serviceman Sandy Stone, who dressed in his dressing gown and moved audiences to tears with his soft speeches. Humphries, though, was more than the sum of his outstanding characters. He was a successful musical theater performer, as well as a skilled landscape painter, film producer, playwright, and screenplay writer.
While he disliked the moniker, the occasional social critic and notable raconteur was a public intellectual. In his spare time, he was a passionate reader and rare book collector. At the time of his death, he was married to fourth wife Lizzie Spender, and was the father of four children.
A true theatrical icon
Humphries recently complimented a gossip journalist for not referring to him as a "icon", although his accomplishments make that impossible. He was an entertainment institution for seven decades before becoming a true worldwide celebrity. He also knew many of his generation's finest comedians, artists, singers, and authors, as well as most of the British royal family, from the Queen Mother through King Charles III and Princess Diana.
In 2010, biographer Anne Pender described Humphries as "the most significant comedian to emerge since Charlie Chaplin", and "the most significant theatrical figure of our time." As Dame Edna, he was a famous regular guest on Michael Parkinson's show, and the gladioli-clutching matron even appeared in the US comedy drama 'Ally McBeal'.
Humphries stumbled on a rug while reaching for a book in February and had surgery at St Vincent's, where he was readmitted this week.
He just reconnected with an old friend after returning to Sydney in December 2022 - famous artist John Olsen, who died on April 11 at the age of 95.
Humphries was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to entertainment in 2007.
Bid you farewell
Humphries portrayed Bruce the shark in 'Finding Nemo' and starred in the Beethoven film biography 'Immortal Beloved, Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie', and 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'. He not only appeared in 'The British Bakeoff' in 2015 but also wrote many publications, including 'Barry Humphries' Treasury of Australian Kitsch', the novel 'Women in the Background', and an autobiography called 'My Life'.
As Edna, he wrote 'Dame Edna's Coffee Table Book: A Guide to Gracious Living' and the 'Finer Things in Life by One of World Theatre's First Ladies'. In 2012, Humphries declared a farewell tour, but she returned to the stage in 2019 with 'Dame Edna: My Gorgeous Life'. He played alongside 'Man Behind The Mask' in London last year.