Australian comedian Barry Humphries, known for his character Dame Edna Everage, has died at age 89. Disney fans would know Humphries as the voice of the shark Bruce in “Finding Nemo.”
Humphries passed away in a Sydney hospital after complications following hip surgery. His family said in a statement, “He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit. With over 70 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.”
Humphries lived in London but had returned to Australia recently for Christmas. He suffered a fall in February, which led to hip surgery.
“It was the most ridiculous thing,” Humphries previously said of the fall, “like all domestic incidents are. I was reaching for a book, my foot got caught on a rug or something, and down I went.”
In addition to Dame Edna, Humphries also created the characters of Sir Les Patterson, Sandy Stone, and Barry McKenzie.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tweeted the following about the news: “For 89 years, Barry Humphries entertained us through a galaxy of personas, from Dame Edna to Sandy Stone. 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.”
Humphries starred in dozens of movies and TV specials dating back to the 1960s. He published several books, including two autobiographies, and recordings. Outside of his original characters, he sometimes acted as a narrator, including for Australia’s “Magical Land of Oz,” a wildlife documentary series. He also appeared as the Great Goblin in “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.”
Humphries is survived by his wife Lizzie Spender, four children, and ten grandchildren.
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