Timeline Barry Humphries

Australian comedian, actor, author and satirist best known for creating and performing the characters Dame Edna Everage, Sir Les Patterson and Sandy Stone. Over a career spanning more than seventy years, he won a Tony Award, was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia, and was made a CBE. He was also a respected painter, author and art collector.

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Barry Humphries 15

1934 Barry Humphries born in Melbourne Born John Barry Humphries in Kew, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. His father was a successful builder.
1953 – 1955 Early Theatre and Creating Mrs Everage Began appearing in revues at Melbourne University. In December 1955, he first performed as Mrs Norm Everage, a dowdy Moonee Ponds housewife, at the campus Union Theatre.
1956 – 1958 Early Australian Television First brought Dame Edna to Australian television audiences in 1956, gradually developing the character from a mousy housewife into something more flamboyant.
1959 Moved to London Moved to London, where he appeared in West End shows including Oliver! The move would shape his international career.
1969 – 1971 The Barry McKenzie Comic Strip Created the Private Eye comic strip The Wonderful World of Barry McKenzie with Nicholas Garland, establishing an irreverent Australian voice in British satirical publishing.
1972 – 1974 Barry McKenzie Films Co-wrote and appeared in the cult Australian films The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972) and Barry McKenzie Holds His Own (1974), directed by Bruce Beresford.
1976 – 1979 Dame Edna Breaks Through Dame Edna became a star in the UK in the 1970s with stage shows Housewife, Superstar! and A Night with Dame Edna. Australian PM Gough Whitlam spontaneously made the character a 'Dame' on television.
1987 – 1989 The Dame Edna Experience Hosted The Dame Edna Experience on ITV, a satirical talk show that brought Dame Edna to peak television fame in the UK.
1990 Marriage to Lizzie Spender Married his fourth wife, Lizzie Spender, daughter of poet Stephen Spender. The marriage lasted until his death.
2000 Tony Award for Dame Edna: The Royal Tour Won the Tony Award for his Broadway show Dame Edna: The Royal Tour, marking a high point in his conquest of American audiences.
2003 Finding Nemo Voiced Bruce the shark in Pixar's Finding Nemo, introducing his talents to a new generation.
2004 My Life as Me Published his autobiography My Life as Me, offering a candid account of his early life, his battle with alcoholism, and the creation of his famous characters.
2012 The Hobbit Appeared as the Great Goblin in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
2013 Dame Edna's Farewell Tour Embarked on Dame Edna's Eat Pray Laugh farewell tour, which included a celebrated run at the London Palladium. Surprised King Charles and Camilla at the Royal Variety Performance by sitting next to them in the royal box.
2023 Barry Humphries dies in Sydney Died at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney at the age of 89, following complications from hip surgery. He had returned to Australia from London for Christmas and suffered a fall in February.