- By Paul Glynn
- Entertainment reporter
Australian entertainer Barry Humphries, best known for his comic character Dame Edna Everage, has died aged 89.
The star is in hospital in Sydney after suffering complications following hip surgery in March. He fell in February.
Humphries’ most famous creation became a hit in the UK in the 1970s and landed her own TV chat show, the Dame Edna Everage Experience, in the late 1980s.
His other personas include the obnoxious drunk Sir Les Patterson.
Tributes for Humphries poured in as news of his death broke, including from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
“A great intellect, satirist, writer and a complete breed, he was gifted.” Mr. Albanese said.
In a statement, his family remembered him as “completely himself until the end, never losing his brilliant mind, his extraordinary wisdom and generosity of spirit”.
They said Humphries’ fans were “precious to him”, and said his characters, “which bring laughter to millions, will live on”.
Melbourne-born Humphries moved to London in 1959, appearing in West End shows such as Maggie May and Oliver!
Inspired by the absurdist, avant-garde art movement dada, he became a leading figure on the British comedy scene alongside contemporaries such as Alan Bennett, Dudley Moore and Spike Milligan.
Journalist and broadcaster Andrew Neil said he visited Humphries in hospital two weeks ago: “His spirit and intelligence are as strong as ever,” he said.
“I consider myself lucky and privileged to see him once more.”
‘Hello possums!’
Dame Edna first appeared in the 1950s when she lived in Australia, as a parody of suburban housewives – based on her own mother.
He became increasingly ugly over the years, and became famous for his lilac-washed hair, spectacles and catchphrase: “Hello possums!”
Humphries even wrote an autobiography, My Gorgeous Life, as the character.
His other famous characters on stage and screen include the older Sandy Stone.
He said of Stone in 2016 that he could “finally feel myself coming back to him”.
The comic actor, author, director and scriptwriter, who is also an avid landscape painter, announced a farewell tour for his satirical one-man stage show in 2012. But he returned last year with the next -following movies looking back at his career.
His other credits include voicing the shark Bruce in the 2003 Pixar animated film Finding Nemo, as well as appearances in the 1967 comedies Bedazzled, Spice World, The Hobbit and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie.
He was married four times, and is survived by his wife Lizzie Spender and four children.