Barry Humphries had been hospitalized since February after falling and breaking his hip at home.
— It was the most ridiculous thing you can imagine. I reached for a book, my foot got stuck in a carpet or something and I fell, he told the newspaper.
But Humphries never came home from the hospital and a week ago his health deteriorated significantly. He died surrounded by his family in Sydney hospital.
Barry Humphries was 89 years old. Archive image.
Barry Humphries began performing as Lady Edna already in 1955, but the heyday was during the 1980s and 90s, when her purple hair, Burdusa manner and greeting phrase “Hello, possums” made her well known even in Sweden, when Dame Edna got her own TV series that was shown here as well.
Barry Humphries actually put his figure “on the shelf” and stopped performing with her a little over ten years ago, but made comebacks at regular intervals. The last time as late as 2019 with another farewell tour in Australia.
Australian drag show performer Barry Humphries was born in Melbourne in 1934 and created Dame Edna already in his 20s. Then it became a figure that followed him throughout his career. Although he did other characters and theatrical roles under his own name, none became as famous as Dame Edna.
In 2006, Dame Edna became a postage stamp in her home country.