John Barry Humphries, AO, CBE (17 February 1934 - 22 April 2023) was an Australian comedian, satirist, dadaist, artist, author and character actor, perhaps best known for his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage, a Melbourne housewife and "gigastar", and Sir Les Patterson, Australia's foul-mouthed cultural attaché to the Court of St. James's. He was 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, especially Dame Edna Everage, have brought him international renown, and he had 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 had 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, as well as 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 died following complications from hip surgery at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney on 22 April 2023.
Read moreShow less
Biography from TMDB.
- February 17, 1934
- April 22, 2023 (aged 89)
- Camberwell, Melbourne, Australia
- Actor and writer
- 34 on MovieCove · 86 credits in all
What are Barry Humphries' films like?
Across their 19 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
A split, not a type: Ironic 7 · Wry 2 · Earnest 8
Light 14 · Serious 1 · Dark 2
Grounded 5 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 5
Gentle 3 · Charged 14 · Intense 0
Steady 5 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 4
Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 8
Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 1
Casual 11 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 13 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 2
Resolved 14 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1
Roles they play
Usually the Trickster: 5 of 8 analyzed roles.
Show the 8 rolesHide the roles
- Tricksteras Aunt Edna Everage in The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972)
- Tricksteras Bert Schnick in Shock Treatment (1981)
- Tricksteras Dame Edna Everage in Howling III (1987)
- Heroas Sir Les Patterson in Les Patterson Saves the World (1987)
- Allyas Dame Edna Everage in Les Patterson Saves the World (1987)
- Tricksteras Bert in Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills (1996)
- Mentoras Humphrey Beal in The Leading Man (1996)
- Tricksteras Blind Wally in Welcome to Woop Woop (1997)
Moods and endings
- Happy10
- Bittersweet5
- Ambiguous3
- Cyclical1
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Barry Humphries' films?
As of October 24, 2026, 16 of their 34 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).
- Cineverse, show their title on Cineverse
- discovery+, show their title on discovery+
- IndiePix Unlimited, show their title on IndiePix Unlimited
- Midnight Pulp, show their title on Midnight Pulp
- PBS Documentaries, show their title on PBS Documentaries
- Screambox, show their title on Screambox
- Shout! TV, show their title on Shout! TV
- Sundance Now, show their title on Sundance Now
Subscription and free streaming for Barry Humphries' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
86 credits, 34 with a MovieCove page; 29 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
Parkinson at 50(2021)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Show of Titles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
Dame Edna Rules The Waves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)
Dame Edna Rules The Waves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)
Standing Up for Sunny(2019)
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Magical Land of Oz(2019)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows
A Granny's Guide to the Modern World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Dragged(2016)
Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Blinky Bill the Movie(2015)
Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Jack Irish: Dead Point(2014)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
The Great Comic Relief Bake Off (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
Kath & Kimderella(2012)
Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all filmsA Comedy Roast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Comedy Rocks with Jason Manford (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Mary and Max(2009)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Salvation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Gaybo Laughs Back (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Little Britain Down Under (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
The Dame Edna Treatment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Betjeman and Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
The One Show(2006)
Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows
Da Kath & Kim Code(2005)
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all filmsThe Tony Danza Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Barry Humphries Presents Back to My Roots and Other Suckers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Finding Nemo(2003)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Nicholas Nickleby(2002)
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows
Welcome to Woop Woop(1997)
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
Parkinson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)
Spice World(1997)
Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
Ally McBeal(1997)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows
Sir Les And The Great Chinese Takeaway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
The Leading Man(1996)
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
Les Patterson 'Has A Stand Up' - Live & Rampant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Napoleon(1995)
Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
Immortal Beloved(1994)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
The Team: A Season With McLaren (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
RTL Samstag Nacht (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Late Night with Conan O'Brien (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Selling Hitler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Joan Rivers: Abroad in London (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
Dame Edna's Neighbourhood Watch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
A Late Lunch With Sir Les (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
Dame Edna's Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
Boulevard Bio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
An Audience with Jackie Mason (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
A Night on Mount Edna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Single Voices (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
One More Audience with Dame Edna Everage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
The Dame Edna Experience (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
Howling III(1987)
Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
An Aussie Audience with Dame Edna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
Another Audience with Dame Edna Everage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Dr. Fischer of Geneva (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
A Birthday Tribute to Dame Edna Everage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
Shock Treatment(1981)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
The Rocky Horror Treatment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
A Toast to Melbourne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
An Audience with Dame Edna Everage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
Russell Harty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
Friday Night, Saturday Morning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
An Audience with... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
The Getting of Wisdom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
Saturday Night Live(1975)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows
The Great MacArthy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
Side by Side (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
Barry McKenzie Holds His Own (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
Percy's Progress (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
The Naked Bunyip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
Bedazzled(1967)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Omnibus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)
The Wednesday Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)
Le Bain Vorace (Dial P for Plughole) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)
Career shape
Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 83 titles from 1954 to 2021; peak year 2013.
Biggest box office
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
Highest rated
Mary and Max (2009)
Most popular right now
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
Film career
Peak 2013 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.
- 1967Screen debut· Bedazzled
- 2009Career best· Mary and Max
Billing
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.
How do Barry Humphries' films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 43rd percentile, the median of all 29; across their 17 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 42nd percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up12
- 50th to 74th5
- 25th to 49th10
- Below 25th7
Shape of the crowd
19 of their 34 titles are Mixed.
- Universally Loved4
- Loved with Detractors1
- Divisive2
- Crowd Pleaser8
- Mixed19
Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 42. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Barry Humphries' work okay for kids?
Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Barry Humphries work with?
People who share at least 2 of Barry Humphries' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Peter Cook shares the most, 3.
Directors
- Philippe MoraShared titles: Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills (1996), Howling III (1987)See all 2 shared titles with Philippe Mora
Writers
- Peter CookShared titles: Pleasure at Her Majesty's (1976), The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972), Bedazzled (1967)See all 3 shared titles with Peter Cook
Actors
- Barry OttoShared titles: Blinky Bill the Movie (2015), Howling III (1987)See all 2 shared titles with Barry Otto
- Deborah MailmanShared titles: Blinky Bill the Movie (2015), Jack Irish: Dead Point (2014)See all 2 shared titles with Deborah Mailman
- Toni ColletteShared titles: Blinky Bill the Movie (2015), Mary and Max (2009)See all 2 shared titles with Toni Collette
- Jeff FattShared titles: Da Kath & Kim Code (2005), The Crocodile Hunter Diaries (2000)See all 2 shared titles with Jeff Fatt
Composers and cinematographers
- Dale CorneliusShared titles: Blinky Bill the Movie (2015), Mary and Max (2009)See all 2 shared titles with Dale Cornelius
- Mike MolloyShared titles: Welcome to Woop Woop (1997), Shock Treatment (1981)See all 2 shared titles with Mike Molloy