Humphries’ last joke from hospital bed

Barry Humphries was, at the very least, one of Australia’s greatest ever entertainers.

But there was always more to Humphries, who – like his greatest character – went from the suburbs of Melbourne to the highest stages in the world.

On Saturday night, his family confirmed the 89-year-old died at St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Sydney, following complications from hip surgery earlier this year.

Nine Entertainment Editor Richard Wilkins said the man who created Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson spent his last days doing what he did best – making people laugh.

“Apparently in hospital he was still cracking people up. He’s saying. ‘No, I’ve got this new hip. You can call me ‘bionic Bazza,’” he said in the Today show’s coverage of Humphries’ death.

“That must have taken a lot of energy from him but he kept people entertained, the showman.”

Wilkins also shared an anecdote of bumping into Humphries at the supermarket before a Boxing Day party, with Wilkins inviting Humphries to the event.

“He was the first to arrive, and spent the whole day meeting people. And he was eternally interested in other people,” said Wilkins.

“At the end he said, ‘I’m going to go now.’ I said, ‘Do you want me to get a car.’ And he said, ‘I’m getting a lift with one of those people over there.’

“That was Barry. He was just there. He made ordinary people feel special and special people feel pretty ordinarily.”

A close friend of Humphries andPuberty Blues co-author, Kathy Lette described him as a “loyal and loving” friend.

“The number one thing he wanted to do was make sure the nurses were laughing and his visitors felt at ease,” she told Today.

“The last time I saw him he was making jokes about obituaries and what words one could or couldn’t use. He didn’t want the word ‘nice’ or ‘bubbly’, which meant drunk!”

In the short hours following his death, politicians, celebrities and world leaders, with King Charles confirming that he is contacting Humphries’ family. Sarah Ferguson, his sister-in-law and the Duchess of York “thanked” the comedian for his work.

“Thank you dearest Barry for giving my father so much kindness and to all my family — we will miss your amazing brilliance,” she tweeted on Sunday morning.

His biographer Anne Pende in 2010 described Humphries as “not only the most significant theatrical figure of our time … [but] the most significant comedian to emerge since Charlie Chaplin.”

He was born in Melbourne on February 17, 1934, the first child of Eric and Louise “Lou” Humphries. Sister Barbara and brothers Christopher and Michael followed.

He grew up in the comfortable, middle-class but very 1950s suburb of Camberwell, a background which inspired his absurdist comedy.

The young Humphries attended Camberwell Grammar before winning a scholarship to the University of Melbourne, where he became infamous for his pranks and Dadaist-inspired art and performances.

After he left Melbourne University before graduating, he joined the Melbourne Theatre Company where Mrs Norm Everage made her debut in late 1955.

The housewife from Moonee Ponds was an acerbic wit, but condescending and egotistical.

Edna Everage – who later became Dame Edna – stood out with purple hair, glamorous but gaudy frocks, rhinestone glasses and gladioli.

Humphries’ other characters also took an absurdist aim at Australia and Australians.

Sandy Stone “the world’s most boring man” and Sir Les Patterson, the boozy, uncouth “cultural attache” who always had a drink in his hand also had something to say.

Humphries gave Australia sophisticated comedy when the country was anything but. His characters made Australians laugh at themselves, whether they realised it or not.

And then he took it to the world.

He moved to London in the 1960s, where he became friends with members of the British comedy scene including Peter Cook and Spike Milligan.

The Brits lapped up his style and his comedy talk show The Dame Edna Experience where celebrity guests were subjected to Dame Edna’s interview and arch observations.

He also had success in the US, winning a Tony award for his successful stage show Dame Edna: The Royal Tour and appeared on shows, including the popular dramedy Ally McBeal.

Humphries was more than a satirist and comedian. He was an artist, actor, scriptwriter, author and producer.

And his personal life was just as colourful.

He was married four times – briefly to Brenda Wright when he was 21, then Rosalind Tong and Diane Millstead. He has been married to Lizzie Spender since 1990.

He has four children – daughters Tessa and Emily and sons Oscar and Rupert from his second and third marriages.

He was an alcoholic early in his career, but was sober since the early 1970s.

In 2019, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival stripped his name from its major award after a furore over comments Humphries made about transgender being a “fashion” the year before.

Although Humphries did his farewell tour in 2013, he reportedly was planning a comeback.

“I have to get back on my feet … I’m going back on tour later this year. The result of my broken hip means I now have a titanium hip … you can call me ‘Bionic Bazza’,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald in late March.

Humphries had been living in London with his wife Lizzie for the past 40 years, but was holidaying in Sydney during summer when he broke his hip in a very suburban way.

“It was the most ridiculous thing, like all domestic incidents are. I was reaching for a book, my foot got caught on a rug or something, and down I went,” he told the SMH.

His sons Oscar and Rupert reportedly travelled from London to be by his side along with his daughter, Emily, who he was estranged from for two decades.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia loved his characters but “the brightest star in the 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.”

His death made headlines worldwide.

The New York Times remembered him as “a master improviser (many of Dame Edna’s most stinging barbs were ad libbed) with a face like taffy.”

“Humphries was widely esteemed as one of the world’s foremost theatrical clowns.”

At the very least, he was Australia’s greatest clown.