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The legendary and much-loved Australian entertainer Barry Humphries has died aged 89.
Humphries, who was at least as well-known as Dame Edna Everage and the other iconic characters he created as he was as himself, passed away on Saturday.
The comedian and actor has been in Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital after complications from hip surgery in February.
READ MORE: PM leads tributes to Barry Humphries
'The characters he created, which brought laughter to millions, will live on'
"It is with great sadness that we announce that Barry Humphries passed away peacefully in Sydney, Australia today. He was surrounded by his family," a statement from his publicist confirmed.
"He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit.
"With over seventy 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. His audiences were precious to him, and he never took them for granted.
"Although he may be best remembered for his work in theatre, he was a painter, author, poet, and a collector and lover of Art in all its forms. He was also a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and a friend and confidant to many. His passing leaves a void in so many lives.
"The characters he created, which brought laughter to millions, will live on.
"We ask that everyone please respect the family's privacy during this very difficult time.
"He is survived by his wife Lizzie, his children Tessa, Emily, Oscar and Rupert, and 10 beloved grandchildren."
Born to entertain
Humphries was born in Kew, in Melbourne's east, on 17 February 1934 to parents Eric and Louisa Humphries.
Humphries studied at Melbourne Grammar School, where he detested sport and maths and dodged school cadets "on the basis of conscientious objection".
Instead, he excelled in literature and the arts, and spent many hours playing dress-ups in the back garden of his house.
"Disguising myself as different characters, and I had a whole box of dressing up clothes…and I was very spoilt in that way," he said.
"I also found entertaining people gave me a great feeling of release, making people laugh was a very good way of befriending them. People couldn't hit you if they were laughing."
Humphries spent two years studying law, philosophy and fine arts at the University of Melbourne, before moving into theatre and exploring street drama.
There, he became well-known for his public pranks.
One infamous joke: he boarded a plane and secretly emptied a can of Heinz Russian Salad into the sick bag.
He then pretended to vomit, and much to the disgust of other passengers, began to eat the salad.
After joining the Melbourne Theatre Company following two years at university, Humphries created the first incarnation of what would become his best-known character, Edna Everage.
The birth of a legend
Humphries moved to London in 1959, and he rapidly immersed himself in a series of West End productions, comedy programs and a bawdy cartoon strip that ultimately led to a landmark Australian movie – The Adventures of Barry McKenzie.
It starred singer Barry Crocker and portrayed a young Aussie abroad, escorted by his aunty – Edna Everage.
The film was hugely successful in the box office, and a sequel was made called Barry McKenzie Holds His Own.
In this, Edna was made a Dame by the then-prime minister Gough Whitlam, prompting the legend of the gaudy housewife to grow.
The character earned him many accolades including an Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance in 1979 for his one-man show A Night with Dame Edna, as well as a Tony Award.
Sandy Stone also earned Humphries notoriety.
The character was an elderly Australian man who would do a series of monologues during performances, leading to Humphries calling him "Australia's most boring man".
Sir Les Patterson, however, was anything but boring.
The boozy Australian cultural attaché was dishevelled, uncouth and lecherous.
"Les is vulgarity on roller skates. But Les Patterson is the acceptable face of inappropriate behaviour," Humphries once said of the character.
'Laughter is a marvellous thing'
For 15 years Humphries was an alcoholic, up until the making of The Adventures of Barry McKenzie in the early 1970s.
For the stereotypical drunken Aussie abroad, "sticking it to the Poms" was closer to home than most realised.
"It's about 45 years since I've had an alcoholic drink," Humphries revealed to 60 Minutes.
"I got a lot of advice, a lot of support from people. I decided I wasn't running the universe.
"That's a very bitter discovery for people like me, to find out that I'm not the centre of the universe. And as a kid that's where I was."
Humphries was married four times.
He was still with his fourth wife, Lizzie Spender, up until his death.
The pair lived in a terraced townhouse in London's West Hampstead and had recently returned to Sydney.
Humphries spoke of his love for women.
"I wouldn't mind if there were no men in the world at all. I really do like women. Women know more," he said.
"My sister's school magazine was full of poems and romance, mine was full of sport, and I used to think how lovely to be at the Presbyterian Ladies College writing these poems.
"Women know more about life … they bring it into the world … they are much more honest … they cook. My wife is a wonderful cook, which is why I'm so morbidly obese."
For all of this, the world will sorely miss not just Humphries, but Dame Edna, Sir Les, and Sandy Stone.
"I've done what my mother said I did, and that is, I've drawn attention to myself over all these years, in heavy disguise," Humphries said.
"Laughter is a marvellous thing.
"Therapeutic, like some kind of cosmic forgiveness to hear.
"It's like a fire going up a chimney – whoosh! And just something I said did that."
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