Australian comic Barry Humphries, whose “Dame Edna Everage” alter ego left audiences in stitches, died on Saturday in a Sydney hospital.
Humphries, finest recognized for his impersonation of a suburban housewife within the guise of Everage, “passed away peacefully” surrounded by household, mentioned a press release by his publicist to Australian media.
“He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit,” it mentioned.
“With over seventy 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.”
He leaves his spouse Lizzie, 4 kids and 10 grandchildren, it mentioned.
“The characters he created, which brought laughter to millions, will live on.”
The 89-year-old died in Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital after being handled for varied illnesses, Australian media mentioned. The hospital declined to remark.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid homage to the actor, whose unforgettable characters included Everage, the lecherous and boorish Sir Les Patterson, and the boring, aged man of the suburbs Sandy Stone.
“Barry Humphries entertained us through a galaxy of personas, from Dame Edna to Sandy Stone,” the prime minister mentioned on social media.
“But the brightest star in that galaxy was always Barry. A great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift. May he rest in peace.”
Humphries was taken to hospital in February after falling and hurting his hip at house, requiring a hip substitute, the Sydney Morning Herald mentioned.
“I have to get back on my feet… I am going back on tour later this year,” he was quoted as telling the paper final month.
His turns as Everage and Patterson noticed him obtain worldwide renown, significantly in Britain the place he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2007 for providers to leisure.
Everage was first conceived when Humphries toured southern Australia as a younger actor within the Fifties and she or he developed from drab housewife to a self-proclaimed “gigastar” parody of celeb finest recognized for her catchphrase “Hello Possums”.
She went on to host her personal Nineteen Eighties speak present, “The Dame Edna Experience”, which attracted an array of luminaries together with Mel Gibson, the late Sean Connery, Charlton Heston, and Chubby Checker.
Her Nineteen Nineties speak exhibits, “Dr Dame Edna Kisses It Better” and “The Dame Edna Treatment”, had been simply as star-studded, with company starting from actors Susan Sarandon, Alec Baldwin and Martin Sheen to the late Shane Warne.
Everage additionally starred within the closing ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games, held in her house city of Melbourne.
The coarse and vulgar Patterson got here later, first showing in a Humphries stage present in 1974 and evolving right into a caricature of Australian diplomats overseas at a efficiency in Hong Kong.
Best recognized for his offensive behaviour, which included belching, flatulence and nose-picking, the buck-toothed, grubby “late cultural attache to the Court of St James” additionally gained a faithful following.
Source: www.anews.com.tr
