Australian comedian Barry Humphries, whose alter ego Dame Edna Everage became famous around the world, has died. Humphries “passed away peacefully” in a Sydney hospital on Saturday at the age of 89, his agent said. According to media reports, Humphries was hospitalized after falling at home in February. He was still touring until his last year.
Humphries developed the character of Edna Average as a young actor in the 1950s. Over the years, she’s gone from a boring housewife to a self-proclaimed “Gigastar” parody of celebrity. Since the 1980s she has hosted her own talk shows, which have hosted many well-known personalities, including Mel Gibson, Sean Connery, Charlton Heston, Chubby Checker, Susan Sarandon, Alec Baldwin and Martin Sheen.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the actor as the “brightest star in this galaxy”. He was a “great satirist, writer and absolutely unique”. Humphries is survived by his wife Lizzie, four children and ten grandchildren.
lan/cp
