BARRY HUMPHRIES

John Barry Humphries, AO, CBE (born 17 February 1934) is an Australian comedian, actor, satirist, artist, and author. Humphries is best known for writing and playing his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson. He is also a film producer and script writer, a star of London's West End musical theatre, an award-winning writer and an accomplished landscape painter. For his delivery of dadaist and absurdist humour to millions, biographer Anne Pender described Humphries in 2010 as not only "the most significant theatrical figure of our time but the most significant comedian to emerge since Charlie Chaplin".Humphries' characters have brought him international renown, and he has appeared in numerous films, stage productions and television shows.

 Originally conceived as a dowdy Moonee Ponds housewife who caricatured Australian suburban complacency and insularity, Edna has evolved over four decades to become a satire of stardom, the gaudily dressed, acid-tongued, egomaniacal, internationally feted Housewife Gigastar, Dame Edna Everage. Humphries' other major satirical character creation was the archetypal Australian bloke Barry McKenzie, who originated as the hero of a comic strip about Australians in London (with drawings by Nicholas Garland) which was first published in Private Eye magazine.

The stories about "Bazza" (Humphries' nickname, an Australian term of endearment for the name Barry) gave wide circulation to Australian slang, particularly jokes about drinking and its consequences (much of which was invented by Humphries), and the character went on to feature in two Australian films, in which he was portrayed by Barry Crocker. Humphries' other satirical characters include the "priapic and inebriated cultural attaché" Sir Les Patterson, who has "continued to bring worldwide discredit upon Australian arts and culture, while contributing as much to the Australian vernacular as he has borrowed from it", gentle, grandfatherly "returned gentleman" Sandy Stone, iconoclastic 1960s underground film-maker Martin Agrippa, Paddington socialist academic Neil Singleton, sleazy trade union official Lance Boyle, high-pressure art salesman Morrie O'Connor and failed tycoon Owen Steele. Humphries has released many albums and singles in his recording career. Barry Humphries died in 20213.

SINGLES

''The Migrant Hostess / Sandy Stone'' 1958 Score
''Highett Fidelity / Dear Beryl'' 1959 Score
''Snow Complications / The Old Pacific Sea'' [as Chunder Downunder] 1965 Bulletin
''Is'e An Aussie, Is'e Lizzie [with Dick Bentley] / True British Spunk'' [as Mrs Edna Everidge] 1970 Philips
''Every Mother Wants A Boy Like Elton'' [as Dame Edna Everage] / S & M Lady [as Edna Evil And The RatBags] 1978 Charisma
''Disco Matilda'' [as Dame Edna Everage] / Disco Matilda (Inst.) [as The Everage White Band With Abbo] 1979 Big Time
''G'Day / G'Day (Club Version)'' [as Sir Les Patterson] 1987 Powderworks
''Neighbours / Spooky Christmas'' [as Dame Edna Everage'' 1988 Epic

ALBUMS

'Sandy Agonistes' 1960 Score
'A Nice Night's Entertainment' 1962 Parlophone
'Barry Humphries' 1970 Parlophone
'Savoury Dip' 1971 Parlophone
'Barry Humphries At Carnegie Hall' 1972 Philips
'The Barry Humphries Record Of Innocent Austral Verse' 1972 Philips
'Housewife Superstar' 1976 Charisma
'Barry Humphries Presents The Sound Of Edna' 1978 Charisma

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Humphries