Vale Barry Humphries

[Lawnchair Larry]

Actor and satirist Barry Humphries dies aged 89

The Melbourne-born comic who found international acclaim is best known for his alter egos Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson, but also appeared in more than 20 films and authored numerous books and plays.

www.abc.net.au

 

[snozulu]

A great entertainer and legend. RIP

 

[raptalia]

Barry Humphries was an Aussie icon. His alter ego Dame Edna Everage was a 'housewife superstar' and his other signature character Sir Norm Patterson was the recipient of the only knighthood granted during the Whitlam era.

A truly great entertainer has left us and the world must be a sadder place for that.

Remembering the iconic characters of Barry Humphries

In a career spanning seven decades, Barry Humphries created one of the most iconic casts of characters in Australian entertainment history.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Ford Fairlane]

A sad loss for Australian entertainment. Barry was truly an Australian legend and comedy genius.

 

[1954]

Barry Humphries was a sensational talent, I remember the first time I saw him do his Les Patterson skit on tv back in the early 1980's, and he was an absolute hoot.

RIP
Barry Humphries

 

[Lawnchair Larry]

I don't know whether true or folklore, but the story of his morning train commute in Melbourne - being served a different breakfast course at each stop by an appropriately togged up waiter who boarded the carriage - always reminds me of his genius.

 

[Grave Danger]

SBS have been plugging their new series of Aussie Who Do You Think You Are for a while and Barry is one of the subjects. I hope they go ahead with that episode because it will no doubt b the pick of them - a fascinating man, far more than just Bazza McKenzie's aunty.

Another victim of 'complications from hip replacement surgery' too

 

[1954]

SBS have been plugging their new series of Aussie Who Do You Think You Are for a while and Barry is one of the subjects. I hope they go ahead with that episode because it will no doubt b the pick of them - a fascinating man, far more than just Bazza McKenzie's aunty.

Another victim of 'complications from hip replacement surgery' too

I knew two blokes whose mothers were in their mid 70's and didn't survive hip replacement surgery, and as you suggest not surviving that particular operation is a too common occurrence.

They were both told the cause of the demise was a secondary infection.

 

[Kwality]

As one of the fans of Barry's work, I wasnt at all interested in his off stage life but his death caused me to read some of the coverage of his private life. Try this for size (sic): 'There have been rumours that Barry Humphries … suffers from walkabout willy syndrome.
& 'But his greatest love affair is with himself.'

Barry Humphries' third wife: The most bitter split in showbiz

The fall out between comedy superstar Barry Humphries and his third wife, Diane Millstead, when he ran of with his future fourth wife, Lizzie Spender, was bitter and shocking.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Grave Danger]

I think Barry must have said this wherever he appeared - Channel Nine ran the exact same line about Perth on last night's news:

 

[Sir Watchalot]

I don't know whether true or folklore, but the story of his morning train commute in Melbourne - being served a different breakfast course at each stop by an appropriately togged up waiter who boarded the carriage - always reminds me of his genius.

True, but but varies slightly. He was a uni student and organised other uni students to wait at stations along his route from home to the city. They weren't dressed as waiters and didn't get onto the train. See this Daily Mail story or simply see the social media post that was referred to on it.

 

[Sir Watchalot]

Of course today's Advertiser gets the tone completely wrong and rather than a picture of Humphries or any reference to his rich career has a front page of Edna Everage. Gladiolas, pink banner and all.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

even in death he is taling the piss.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Saw the first you tube video on the right hand side of something I was watching a couple of weeks ago, watched that and then clicked on the second one that popped up on the right hand side.


Dame Edna interviewed by Terry Wogan in 1988 and Donald and Ivana Trump were also the guests, and it was their segment, but Edna joins in and presciently picks that he will be president one day and Ivana would make a great first lady. Donald - like a lot of yanks - didn't understand the irony.







This 1987 Clive James interview with both Barry and Peter Cook - first 12 minutes is Cook and then Barry Humphries, is quiet informative. Peter Cook gave Humphries so much help in the 60's and 70's, first booking him at his club in Soho to do Aussie monologues including Edna. I didn't know at all that it was Cook who basically caused Barry Mckenzie the movie. I knew the Mckenzie character started as a comic strip, but didn't know it was Cook who pushed for Humphries to develop it for Private Eye magazine. Watching Cook laugh along with Humphries - and smoking a dart, it was 1987, you can tell how much of a fan he was of Humphries' comedic genius. He explains why Mckenzie - chundered a lot.