Comedian Barry Humphries Was 89 – Deadline

Australian comic Barry Humphries, finest recognized for his comedic character Dame Edna Everage, has died aged 89, his household has confirmed. 

The veteran entertainer had been unwell in a Sydney hospital, struggling problems following hip surgical procedure final month. 

Humphries’ most celebrated creation Dame Edna turned a star within the Seventies within the UK, getting her personal chat present on ITV a decade later – recognized for her fast wit, smiling-assassin putdowns to even essentially the most lauded visitor, and for throwing gladioli out among the many viewers. 

Humphries had been impressed to create the character after watching his mom and different suburban housewives as a toddler in his native Australia. He was born in Melbourne, and moved to the UK in 1959, the place he appeared on the West End stage.

Other characters created by Humphries included drunken diplomat Sir Les Patterson and the at all times grumbling Sandy Stone. 

He additionally voiced the shark Bruce in 2003 Pixar animated movie Finding Nemo, in addition to making appearances in 1967 comedy Bedazzled, Spice World, The Hobbit and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie.

The Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese was one of many first to pay tribute right this moment, calling Humphries “a great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift.”