Barry Humphries

Barry Humphries

Acting • Born 1934-02-17 – Died 2023-04-22

Acting1Camberwell, Melbourne, Australia

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.

Filmography

113 credits
Finding Nemo

Finding Nemo

Movie • 2003

Bruce (voice)

The Adventures of Barry McKenzie

The Adventures of Barry McKenzie

Movie • 1972

Aunt Edna Everage / Hoot / Dr. DeLamphrey

Barry McKenzie Holds His Own

Barry McKenzie Holds His Own

Movie • 1974

Aunt Edna Everage / Dr. Meyer Delamphrey / Offensive Buck-toothed Englishman / Senator Douglas Manton

Welcome to Woop Woop

Welcome to Woop Woop

Movie • 1998

Blind Wally

Mary and Max

Mary and Max

Movie • 2009

Narrator (voice)

Shock Treatment

Shock Treatment

Movie • 1981

Bert Schnick

Immortal Beloved

Immortal Beloved

Movie • 1994

Clemens Metternich

Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?

Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?

Movie • 2004

Self - Edna Everage

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Movie • 1978

Our Guests at Heartland

The Leading Man

The Leading Man

Movie • 1996

Humphrey Beal

Da Kath & Kim Code

Da Kath & Kim Code

Movie • 2005

John Monk

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Movie • 2012

The Great Goblin

Another Audience with Dame Edna Everage

Another Audience with Dame Edna Everage

Movie • 1984

Dame Edna/Les Patterson

Bedazzled

Bedazzled

Movie • 1967

Envy

Barry Humphries at the BBC

Barry Humphries at the BBC

Movie • 2023

Self (archive material) / Dame Edna Everage / Sir Les Patterson

The Naked Bunyip

The Naked Bunyip

Movie • 1970

Edna Everage

Pleasure at Her Majesty's

Pleasure at Her Majesty's

Movie • 1976

Edna Everage

The Secret Policeman's Other Ball

The Secret Policeman's Other Ball

Movie • 1982

Self - Various Roles

Percy's Progress

Percy's Progress

Movie • 1974

Dr. Anderson / Australian TV Lady

Some Interesting Facts About Peter Cook

Some Interesting Facts About Peter Cook

Movie • 1995

Self

Justin and the Knights of Valour

Justin and the Knights of Valour

Movie • 2013

Braulio (voice)

Barry Humphries Presents Back to My Roots and Other Suckers

Barry Humphries Presents Back to My Roots and Other Suckers

Movie • 2003

Sir Les Patterson/Owen Steele/Sandy Stone/Dame Edna Everage

Parkinson at 50

Parkinson at 50

Movie • 2021

Dame Edna Everage (archive footage)

Side by Side

Side by Side

Movie • 1975

Rodney

The Great MacArthy

The Great MacArthy

Movie • 1975

Col Ball-Miller

Salvation

Salvation

Movie • 2009

Client

Jack Irish: Dead Point

Jack Irish: Dead Point

Movie • 2014

Justice Logan

An Audience with Dame Edna Everage

An Audience with Dame Edna Everage

Movie • 1980

Dame Edna

Selling Hitler

Selling Hitler

Movie • 1993

Rupert Murdoch

One More Audience with Dame Edna Everage

One More Audience with Dame Edna Everage

Movie • 1988

Dame Edna Everage

Les Patterson Saves the World

Les Patterson Saves the World

Movie • 1987

Sir Les Patterson / Dame Edna Everage

Barry Humphries: The Last Laugh

Barry Humphries: The Last Laugh

Movie • 2023

Self

Dame Edna Rules The Waves

Dame Edna Rules The Waves

Movie • 2019

Dame Edna Everidge

Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills

Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills

Movie • 1997

Bert / Lady Shopper / Manager

We Are Most Amused

We Are Most Amused

Movie • 2008

Self

An Audience with Jackie Mason

An Audience with Jackie Mason

Movie • 1990

Telling Schoolgirl Tales: The Making of 'The Getting of Wisdom’

Telling Schoolgirl Tales: The Making of 'The Getting of Wisdom’

Movie • 2006

Self

Blinky Bill the Movie

Blinky Bill the Movie

Movie • 2015

Wombo (voice)

The Getting of Wisdom

The Getting of Wisdom

Movie • 1977

Rev. Strachey

An Aussie Audience with Dame Edna

An Aussie Audience with Dame Edna

Movie • 1986

Dame Edna Everage / Sir Les Patterson / Self

Nicholas Nickleby

Nicholas Nickleby

Movie • 2002

Mrs. Crummles/Mr. Leadville

Peter Cook and Dudley Moore: The Missing Sketches

Peter Cook and Dudley Moore: The Missing Sketches

Movie • 2016

Self

Spice World

Spice World

Movie • 1997

Kevin McMaxford

Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie

Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie

Movie • 2016

Charlie / Dame Edna

A Toast to Melbourne

A Toast to Melbourne

Movie • 1981

Michael McIntyre's Big Christmas Show

Michael McIntyre's Big Christmas Show

Movie • 2015

Self

Joan Rivers: Abroad in London

Joan Rivers: Abroad in London

Movie • 1992

Dame Edna Everage

Standing Up for Sunny

Standing Up for Sunny

Movie • 2019

Barry Humphries

A Birthday Tribute to Dame Edna Everage

A Birthday Tribute to Dame Edna Everage

Movie • 1984

Dame Edna/Sir Les Patterson

Not Quite Hollywood

Not Quite Hollywood

Movie • 2008

Self

The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom

The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom

Movie • 1968

Mr. Wainwright

Dr. Fischer of Geneva

Dr. Fischer of Geneva

Movie • 1984

Richard Deane

Kath & Kimderella

Kath & Kimderella

Movie • 2012

Dame Edna Everage

Napoleon

Napoleon

Movie • 1995

Kangaroo (voice)

Howling III: The Marsupials

Howling III: The Marsupials

Movie • 1987

Academy Award Presenter

Making Mary and Max

Making Mary and Max

Movie • 2009

Self

It Started with Swap Shop

It Started with Swap Shop

Movie • 2006

Self

The Rocky Horror Treatment

The Rocky Horror Treatment

Movie • 1981

(archive footage)

Show of Titles

Show of Titles

Movie • 2021

"Anyone Can Whistle" Performer

Little Britain Down Under

Little Britain Down Under

Movie • 2007

Dame Edna Everage

Les Patterson 'Has A Stand Up' - Live & Rampant

Les Patterson 'Has A Stand Up' - Live & Rampant

Movie • 1996

Les Patterson

The Man Inside Dame Edna

The Man Inside Dame Edna

Movie • 2008

Self/Dame Edna/Les Patterson

Barry Humphries - A Life of Laughs

Barry Humphries - A Life of Laughs

Movie • 2023

Self (Archive)

Sir Les And The Great Chinese Takeaway

Sir Les And The Great Chinese Takeaway

Movie • 1997

Les Patterson/Dame Edna

A Late Lunch With Sir Les

A Late Lunch With Sir Les

Movie • 1991

Les Patterson

Barry Humphries: This is Your Lunch

Barry Humphries: This is Your Lunch

Movie • 1988

Self/Dame Edna

Gaybo Laughs Back

Gaybo Laughs Back

Movie • 2008

Dame Edna

Royal Variety Performance 1984

Royal Variety Performance 1984

Movie • 1984

A Night on Mount Edna

A Night on Mount Edna

Movie • 1990

Dame Edna Everage

The Tony Danza Show

The Tony Danza Show

TV • 2004

Dame Edna

Ally McBeal

Ally McBeal

TV • 1997

Claire Otoms

The One Show

The One Show

TV • 2006

Self

QI

QI

TV • 2003

Self

The View

The View

TV • 1997

Self

The South Bank Show

The South Bank Show

TV • 1978

Self

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

TV • 1992

The Dame Edna Treatment

The Dame Edna Treatment

TV • 2007

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

TV • 1993

Dame Edna

The Wednesday Play

The Wednesday Play

TV • 1964

Dame Edna's Neighbourhood Watch

Dame Edna's Neighbourhood Watch

TV • 1992

Dame Edna

Pebble Mill

Pebble Mill

TV • 1991

Self

The Dame Edna Experience

The Dame Edna Experience

TV • 1987

Russell Harty

Russell Harty

TV • 1980

Betjeman and Me

Betjeman and Me

TV • 2006

Comedy Rocks with Jason Manford

Comedy Rocks with Jason Manford

TV • 2010

A Comedy Roast

A Comedy Roast

TV • 2010

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live

TV • 1975

Dame Edna Everage

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

TV • 1992

Dame Edna Everage

Brilliant Creatures

Brilliant Creatures

TV • 2014

Self

I'd Do Anything

I'd Do Anything

TV • 2008

Himself - Judge

Dame Edna's Hollywood

Dame Edna's Hollywood

TV • 1991

Dame Edna Everage

Who Do You Think You Are?

Who Do You Think You Are?

TV • 2008

Self

The One Show

The One Show

TV • 2006

Dame Edna Everage

The Graham Norton Show

The Graham Norton Show

TV • 2007

Self

An Audience with...

An Audience with...

TV • 1978

Dame Edna Everage

An Audience with...

An Audience with...

TV • 1978

Dame Edna Everage / Sir Les Patterson

Hollywood Squares

Hollywood Squares

TV • 1998

Self - Panelist

Wogan

Wogan

TV • 1982

Self

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

TV • 1962

Dame Edna Everage

A Granny's Guide to the Modern World

A Granny's Guide to the Modern World

TV • 2016

Micallef Tonight

Micallef Tonight

TV • 2003

Self

The Great Comic Relief Bake Off

The Great Comic Relief Bake Off

TV • 2013

Contestant (Dame Edna Everage)

Magical Land of Oz

Magical Land of Oz

TV • 2019

Narrator (voice)

RTL Samstag Nacht

RTL Samstag Nacht

TV • 1993

Q&A

Q&A

TV • 2008

Self - Panellist

Parkinson

Parkinson

TV • 1998

Dame Edna Everage

The Team: A Season With McLaren

The Team: A Season With McLaren

TV • 1993

Dame Edna Everage

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

TV • 1962

Self

Omnibus

Omnibus

TV • 1967

Sir Les Patterson

Omnibus

Omnibus

TV • 1967

Self

Boulevard Bio

Boulevard Bio

TV • 1991

Dame Edna

The Osbournes

The Osbournes

TV • 2002

Self

QI

QI

TV • 2003

Self - Panellist (archive footage)

Barry Humphries – Filmography & Biography – Critifan