Biography
John Barry Humphries, AO, CBE (17 February 1934 - 22 April 2023) was an Australian comedian, satirist, dadaist, artist, author and character actor, perhaps best known for his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage, a Melbourne housewife and "gigastar", and Sir Les Patterson, Australia's foul-mouthed cultural attaché to the Court of St. James's.
He was a film producer and script writer, a star of London's West End musical theatre, an award-winning writer and an accomplished landscape painter. For his delivery of dadaist and absurdist humour to millions, biographer Anne Pender described Humphries in 2010 as not only the most significant theatrical figure of our time … [but] the most significant comedian to emerge since Charlie Chaplin. Humphries' characters, especially Dame Edna Everage, have brought him international renown, and he had appeared in numerous films, stage productions and television shows. Originally conceived as a dowdy Moonee Ponds housewife who caricatured Australian suburban complacency and insularity, Edna had evolved over four decades to become a satire of stardom, the gaudily dressed, acid-tongued, egomaniacal, internationally feted Housewife Gigastar, Dame Edna Everage. Humphries' other major satirical character creation was the archetypal Australian bloke Barry McKenzie, who originated as the hero of a comic strip about Australians in London (with drawings by Nicholas Garland) which was first published in Private Eye magazine.
The stories about "Bazza" (Humphries' nickname, as well as an Australian term of endearment for the name Barry) gave wide circulation to Australian slang, particularly jokes about drinking and its consequences (much of which was invented by Humphries), and the character went on to feature in two Australian films, in which he was portrayed by Barry Crocker. Humphries' other satirical characters include the "priapic and inebriated cultural attaché" Sir Les Patterson, who has "continued to bring worldwide discredit upon Australian arts and culture, while contributing as much to the Australian vernacular as he has borrowed from it", gentle, grandfatherly "returned gentleman" Sandy Stone, iconoclastic 1960s underground film-maker Martin Agrippa, Paddington socialist academic Neil Singleton, sleazy trade union official Lance Boyle, high-pressure art salesman Morrie O'Connor and failed tycoon Owen Steele.
Humphries died following complications from hip surgery at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney on 22 April 2023.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Barry Humphries, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Filmography
all 103
Movies 62
TV Shows 41
self 32
Voice 2
Narrator 1
Writer 1
![Barry Humphries at the BBC](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/924692-barry-humphries-at-the-bbc.jpg)
Barry Humphries at the BBC (2023)
![Parkinson at 50](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/959628-parkinson-at-50.jpg)
Parkinson at 50 (2021)
![Dame Edna Rules The Waves](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/605965-dame-edna-rules-the-waves.jpg)
Dame Edna Rules The Waves (2019)
![Magical Land of Oz](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/233041-magical-land-of-oz.jpg)
Magical Land of Oz (2019)
![A Granny's Guide to the Modern World](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/225127-a-granny-s-guide-to-the-modern-world.jpg)
A Granny's Guide to the Modern World (2016)
![Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/19110-absolutely-fabulous-the-movie.jpg)
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016)
![Dragged](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/303380-dragged.jpg)
Dragged (2016)
![Jack Irish: Dead Point](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/4493-jack-irish-dead-point.jpg)
Jack Irish: Dead Point (2014)
![The Great Comic Relief Bake Off](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/566868-the-great-comic-relief-bake-off.jpg)
The Great Comic Relief Bake Off (2013)
![The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/224-the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey.jpg)
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
![Kath & Kimderella](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/220090-kath-kimderella.jpg)
Kath & Kimderella (2012)
![Billy T Te Movie](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/818319-billy-t-te-movie.jpg)
Billy T Te Movie (2011)
![Salvation](https://images.moviefit.me/default-images/t/o.jpg)
Salvation (2009)
![Mary and Max](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/9623-mary-and-max.jpg)
Mary and Max (2009)
![Q&A](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/167745-q-a.jpg)
Q&A (2008)
![I'd Do Anything](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/1031403-i-d-do-anything.jpg)
I'd Do Anything (2008)
![Little Britain Down Under](https://images.moviefit.me/default-images/t/o.jpg)
Little Britain Down Under (2007)
![The Dame Edna Treatment](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/105856-the-dame-edna-treatment.jpg)
The Dame Edna Treatment (2007)
![The One Show](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/124938-the-one-show.jpg)
The One Show (2006)
![Da Kath & Kim Code](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/105845-da-kath-and-kim-code.jpg)
Da Kath & Kim Code (2005)
![Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/43061-remember-the-secret-policeman-s-ball.jpg)
Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball? (2004)
![The Tony Danza Show](https://images.moviefit.me/default-images/t/o.jpg)
The Tony Danza Show (2004)
![Barry Humphries Presents Back to My Roots and Other Suckers](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/720500-barry-humphries-presents-back-to-my-roots-and-other-suckers.jpg)
Barry Humphries Presents Back to My Roots and Other Suckers (2003)
![QI](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/94298-qi.jpg)
QI (2003)
![Finding Nemo](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/5559-finding-nemo.jpg)
Finding Nemo (2003)
![Nicholas Nickleby](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/23391-nicholas-nickleby.jpg)
Nicholas Nickleby (2002)
![Welcome to Woop Woop](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/64819-welcome-to-woop-woop.jpg)
Welcome to Woop Woop (1998)
![Spice World](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/19010-spice-world.jpg)
Spice World (1997)
![Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/69878-pterodactyl-woman-from-beverly-hills.jpg)
Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills (1997)
![Ally McBeal](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/30953-ally-mcbeal.jpg)
Ally McBeal (1997)
![The Leading Man](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/29756-the-leading-man.jpg)
The Leading Man (1996)
![Napoleon](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/150980-napoleon.jpg)
Napoleon (1995)
![Drag-Attack](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/507059-drag-attack.jpg)
Drag-Attack (1995)
![Immortal Beloved](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/13543-immortal-beloved.jpg)
Immortal Beloved (1994)
![The Team: A Season With McLaren](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/343297-the-team-a-season-with-mclaren.jpg)
The Team: A Season With McLaren (1993)
![Joan Rivers: Abroad in London](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/348489-joan-rivers-abroad-in-london.jpg)
Joan Rivers: Abroad in London (1992)
![The Tonight Show with Jay Leno](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/93992-the-tonight-show-with-jay-leno.jpg)
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992)
![Dame Edna's Hollywood](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/614334-dame-edna-s-hollywood.jpg)
Dame Edna's Hollywood (1991)
![Selling Hitler](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/76172-selling-hitler.jpg)
Selling Hitler (1991)
![An Audience with Jackie Mason](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/849651-an-audience-with-jackie-mason.jpg)
An Audience with Jackie Mason (1990)
![One More Audience with Dame Edna Everage](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/768704-one-more-audience-with-dame-edna-everage.jpg)
One More Audience with Dame Edna Everage (1988)
![The Dame Edna Experience](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/105861-the-dame-edna-experience.jpg)
The Dame Edna Experience (1987)
![Howling III: The Marsupials](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/1397-howling-iii.jpg)
Howling III: The Marsupials (1987)
![Les Patterson Saves the World](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/105854-les-patterson-saves-the-world.jpg)
Les Patterson Saves the World (1987)
![Another Audience with Dame Edna Everage](https://images.moviefit.me/default-images/t/o.jpg)
Another Audience with Dame Edna Everage (1984)
![Dr. Fischer of Geneva](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/414175-dr-fischer-of-geneva.jpg)
Dr. Fischer of Geneva (1984)
![A (BBC Arena) Birthday Tribute to Dame Edna Everage](https://images.moviefit.me/default-images/t/o.jpg)
A (BBC Arena) Birthday Tribute to Dame Edna Everage (1984)
![Wogan](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/146119-wogan.jpg)
Wogan (1982)
![The Secret Policeman's Other Ball](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/43072-the-secret-policeman-s-other-ball.jpg)
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball (1982)
![Shock Treatment](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/70057-shock-treatment.jpg)
Shock Treatment (1981)
![An Audience with Dame Edna Everage](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/760000-an-audience-with-dame-edna.jpg)
An Audience with Dame Edna Everage (1980)
![Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/47307-sgt-pepper-s-lonely-hearts-club-band.jpg)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)
![An Audience with...](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/458200-an-audience-with.jpg)
An Audience with... (1978)
![The Getting of Wisdom](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/105833-the-getting-of-wisdom.jpg)
The Getting of Wisdom (1977)
![Pleasure at Her Majesty's](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/48325-pleasure-at-her-majesty-s.jpg)
Pleasure at Her Majesty's (1976)
![Saturday Night Live](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/15718-saturday-night-live.jpg)
Saturday Night Live (1975)
![The Great MacArthy](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/99390-the-great-macarthy.jpg)
The Great MacArthy (1975)
![Side by Side](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/105850-side-by-side.jpg)
Side by Side (1975)
![Barry McKenzie Holds His Own](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/60754-barry-mckenzie-holds-his-own.jpg)
Barry McKenzie Holds His Own (1974)
![Percy's Progress](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/78133-percy-s-progress.jpg)
Percy's Progress (1974)
![The Adventures of Barry McKenzie](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/105843-the-adventures-of-barry-mckenzie.jpg)
The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972)
![Parkinson](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/660138-parkinson.jpg)
Parkinson (1971)
![The Naked Bunyip](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/105847-the-naked-bunyip.jpg)
The Naked Bunyip (1970)
![The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/38866-the-bliss-of-mrs-blossom.jpg)
The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom (1968)
![Not Only... But Also](https://images.moviefit.me/default-images/t/o.jpg)
Not Only... But Also (1964)
![The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/140215-the-tonight-show-starring-johnny-carson.jpg)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
![Dame Edna's Neighbourhood Watch](https://images.moviefit.me/t/o/105859-dame-edna-s-neighbourhood-watch.jpg)
Dame Edna's Neighbourhood Watch
![Dame Edna Rules The Waves](https://images.moviefit.me/default-images/t/o.jpg)
Dame Edna Rules The Waves
![I'd Do Anything](https://images.moviefit.me/default-images/t/o.jpg)
I'd Do Anything
![Dame Edna's Neighbourhood Watch](https://images.moviefit.me/default-images/t/o.jpg)
Dame Edna's Neighbourhood Watch
Ratings
Information
Known ForActing
GenderMale
Birthday1934-02-17
Deathday2023-04-22 (89 years old)
Birth PlaceMelbourne, Australia
RelationshipsDiane Millstead (1979-01-01 - 1989-01-01), Brenda Wright (1955-01-01 - 1957-01-01), Rosalind Tong (1959-01-01 - 1970-01-01)
SpouseElizabeth Spender
ChildrenOscar Humphries
CitizenshipsAustralia
Also Known AsDame Edna Everage, John Barry Humphries, Edna Everage, Les Patterson, Barry McKenzie, Sandy Stone, Bazza McKenzie
AwardsCommander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Officer of the Order of Australia, Companion of the Order of Australia, PEN/Ackerley Prize, Australian National Living Treasure, James Joyce Award, James Joyce Awards, Centenary Medal, Theatre World Special Award
This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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