Comedian Barry Humphries has died. He was 89.
Humphries injured himself in a fall earlier this year and was recently in hospital again in Sydney.
In a long, varied career Humphries was most famous for his creation Edna Everage. He was also known for his lecherous, grubby suited cultural attache Sir Les Patterson and elderly Sandy Stone.
Humphries was a literate intellectual. A few years ago he appeared at the Barbican in London presenting a show about the Weimar cabaret era. He was gigging in London as recently as last year as himself in a show The Man Behind The Mask.
He said of his most recent show: “This is a show in which I am the principal character; it’s not Les, it’s not Edna, it’s not Sandy Stone. It is really about this character called ‘me’. I’m not in disguise,” Humphries says. “It is the story of my generation, it is a story of a life spent in the theatre and a life spent in comedy, and it will show what it is like to be a clown. In a way, this is perhaps the bravest thing I’ve ever done, and I hope the most entertaining. I think people might be agreeably shocked and they certainly will learn much they didn’t know.”
He appeared in a number of stage plays and musicals, among them playing Fagin in a hit production of Oliver. He also voiced the shark Bruce in 2003 Pixar animated film Finding Nemo and appeared in films ranging from Bedazzled with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore to Spiceworld and the Absolutely Fabulous movie.
But he will be best remembered for the outrageous Dame Edna and the catchphrase "Hello possums"
In recent years he had been involved in controversy too. His name was taken off the prestigious Barry Award at the Mebourne International Comedy Festival after he made remarks about trangender that prompted accusations of transphobia.
Despite a hip replacement earlier this year he had been determined to perform again. He said: “It was the most ridiculous thing, like all domestic incidents are. I was reaching for a book, my foot got caught on a rug or something, and down I went. I have to get back on my feet ... I’m going back on tour later this year. The result of my broken hip means I now have a titanium hip ... you can call me Bionic Bazza.”
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: "A great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift."
