Australian Comedian, Barry Humphries Dies At 89

Australian comedian and actor, Barry Humphries is dead.

The actor best known for his creations Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson died on Saturday at the age of 89.

His death was disclosed by his family in a statement on Saturday.

Barry Humphries Cause Of Death

The statement read: ​“​He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit. ​

“With over ​70 years on the stage, he was an entertainer to his core, touring up until the last year of his life and planning more shows that will sadly never be. ​His audiences were precious to him, and he never took them for granted. Although he may be best remembered for his work in theatre, he was a painter, author, poet, and a collector and lover of ​a​​​​rt in all its forms.

“He was also a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and a friend and confidant to many. His passing leaves a void in so many lives. The characters he created, which brought laughter to millions, will live on.”

Reports say he was first hospitalised in February after tripping over a rug while reaching for a book at his home and needed hip surgery.

But after being released, he was taken back to hospital this week with post-surgery complications.

Barry Humphries seven-decade career spanned theatre, books, television, and film.

Humphries was famed for his absurdist, discomfiting, and transgressive humour, poking fun at Australian culture with his cast of personas, some of which would rank among the best-loved comedic creations of all time: Dame Edna Everage, the gaudy, waspish housewife from Moonee Ponds; Sir Les Patterson, the vulgar and boozy Australian cultural attaché; the fundamentally decent and senile Sandy Stone; and archetypal Aussie bloke Barry McKenzie.

Everage, in particular, took on a life of her own, landing several talk shows, an appearance on Saturday Night Live, and a recurring role on the 1990s drama Ally McBeal.

The deceased was said to have once described Everage and Patterson in particular as “wonderful outlets. I’m very careful myself about what I might say. Edna and Sir Les, on the other hand, can point to the nudity of the emperor.”

Barry Humphries Biography

He was Born John Barry Humphries in Kew, Melbourne, in 1934. As a child, he loved dress-ups and acting. He once said his “boring” childhood in the leafy suburb of Camberwell was spent “disguising myself as different characters”.

“I also found that entertaining people gave me a great feeling of release,” he wrote, “making people laugh was a very good way of befriending them. People couldn’t hit you if they were laughing.”

Humphries was married four times and had four children. His last marriage, to the actor Lizzie Spender in 1990, lasted until his death. “Why has this last marriage endured? Oh, because I’m a bit smarter now,” he once said. “The truth is I’m not a very easy person to be married to.”

He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1982, and a CBE for services to entertainment in 2007. “I’m deeply honoured,” he said of the latter. “At last I can address Sir Les Patterson and Dame Edna Everage on an improved footing.”

He announced his retirement from live entertainment in 2012, as he was “beginning to feel a bit senior”. However 10 years later, at the age of 88, he embarked on another tour around the UK.

In other news, Kanyi Daily reported that a viral video has shown the moment some police officers were captured assaulting two unidentified men with machete at an open undisclosed location.

The Imo State Police Command has therefore condemned the assault on the two men.