Prepare for an evening of laughter and nostalgia as ITV presents “Barry Humphries: The Last Laugh” at 10:00 Pm on Monday, December 25, 2023. This intimate and upbeat documentary offers a candid glimpse into the life and legacy of the legendary comic trailblazer responsible for the iconic Dame Edna Everage.
With a treasure trove of timeless footage, the show takes viewers on a journey through Barry Humphries’ remarkable career. Friends and admirers, including Nick Cave, Jason Donovan, Jonathan Ross, Sharon Osbourne, and Alison Hammond, gather to pay tribute to the man who proved to be as complex as he was funny. This heartwarming tribute offers an honest and affectionate look at the man behind the characters that became cultural phenomena.
Tune in for an evening of celebration, as “Barry Humphries: The Last Laugh” promises to be a delightful retrospective, capturing the essence of a comedic genius whose influence has left an indelible...
With a treasure trove of timeless footage, the show takes viewers on a journey through Barry Humphries’ remarkable career. Friends and admirers, including Nick Cave, Jason Donovan, Jonathan Ross, Sharon Osbourne, and Alison Hammond, gather to pay tribute to the man who proved to be as complex as he was funny. This heartwarming tribute offers an honest and affectionate look at the man behind the characters that became cultural phenomena.
Tune in for an evening of celebration, as “Barry Humphries: The Last Laugh” promises to be a delightful retrospective, capturing the essence of a comedic genius whose influence has left an indelible...
- 12/19/2023
- by Posts UK
- TV Everyday
Vida Blue, a hard-throwing left-hander who became one of baseball’s biggest draws in the early 1970s and helped lead the brash Oakland Athletics to three straight World Series titles, has died. He was 73.
The A’s said Blue died Saturday but didn’t give a cause of death.
“I remember watching a 19-year-old phenom dominate baseball, and at the same time alter my life,” Dave Stewart,” a four-time 20-game winner for the A’s a generation later, wrote on Twitter. “There are no words for what you have meant to me and so many others.”
Blue was voted the 1971 American League Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player after going 24-8 with a 1.82 Era and 301 strikeouts with 24 complete games, eight of them shutouts. He was 22 at when he won Mvp, the youngest to win the award. He remains among just 11 pitchers to win Mvp and Cy Young in the same year.
The A’s said Blue died Saturday but didn’t give a cause of death.
“I remember watching a 19-year-old phenom dominate baseball, and at the same time alter my life,” Dave Stewart,” a four-time 20-game winner for the A’s a generation later, wrote on Twitter. “There are no words for what you have meant to me and so many others.”
Blue was voted the 1971 American League Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player after going 24-8 with a 1.82 Era and 301 strikeouts with 24 complete games, eight of them shutouts. He was 22 at when he won Mvp, the youngest to win the award. He remains among just 11 pitchers to win Mvp and Cy Young in the same year.
- 5/7/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
Comedian, actor, and writer Barry Humphries, best known for his characters Dame Edna Everage, Sir Les Patterson and Sandy Stone, died on Saturday in Sydney, aged 89. Humphries’ seven decade career spanned film and television, theatre and books. He died at St Vincent’s Hospital, having been admitted after complications from hip surgery. “He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit,” a family statement said. “With over 70 years...
The post Barry Humphries dies, aged 89 appeared first on If Magazine.
The post Barry Humphries dies, aged 89 appeared first on If Magazine.
- 4/24/2023
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
Emmerdale star Dale Meeks has died aged 47, his family has said.
The actor played Simon Meredith in the ITV soap Emmerdale from 2003-2006. Mr Meeks also starred in Cbbc show Byker Grove and ITV true crime drama The Hunt for Raoul Moat, which aired just last week.
The 47-year-old’s death was announced by a family member in a post on Facebook. His cause of death has not been revealed.
The post read: “So unbelievably sad. Brother in Law, mucca, side kick and just the Best friend a lad could have wished for. Rip Dale Meeks. So much less to laugh about now you’re not there to share it with.
“Thanks everyone for all the beautiful messages and memories you have been sharing. The support of Dale’s friends has been so incredibly strong over these chaotic, heartbreaking final hours, I can only stand in awe.”
Tributes have flooded in for the actor,...
The actor played Simon Meredith in the ITV soap Emmerdale from 2003-2006. Mr Meeks also starred in Cbbc show Byker Grove and ITV true crime drama The Hunt for Raoul Moat, which aired just last week.
The 47-year-old’s death was announced by a family member in a post on Facebook. His cause of death has not been revealed.
The post read: “So unbelievably sad. Brother in Law, mucca, side kick and just the Best friend a lad could have wished for. Rip Dale Meeks. So much less to laugh about now you’re not there to share it with.
“Thanks everyone for all the beautiful messages and memories you have been sharing. The support of Dale’s friends has been so incredibly strong over these chaotic, heartbreaking final hours, I can only stand in awe.”
Tributes have flooded in for the actor,...
- 4/24/2023
- by Martha McHardy
- The Independent - TV
Deborah Cahn’s new drama The Diplomat arrived on Netflix on Thursday (20 April) and fans are already comparing it to The West Wing.
Cahn began her career as a writer and producer on the acclaimed political drama, which is generally considered to be among the greatest TV shows ever, and is also known for her work on Homeland.
Her new series follows Keri Russell as the US Ambassador to the UK who is trying to divorce her husband (Rufus Sewel) in the midst of a diplomatic crisis.
The series also stars Rory Kinnear, David Gyasi, Ali Ahn and Ato Essando.
Many critics and viewers have picked out The Diplomat’s similarities to The West Wing and Russell’s performance, in particular, in their praise for the series.
“Great cast. Hooked me already. As the reviews have said, a modern day West Wing quality drama,” one person tweeted about the show.
Cahn began her career as a writer and producer on the acclaimed political drama, which is generally considered to be among the greatest TV shows ever, and is also known for her work on Homeland.
Her new series follows Keri Russell as the US Ambassador to the UK who is trying to divorce her husband (Rufus Sewel) in the midst of a diplomatic crisis.
The series also stars Rory Kinnear, David Gyasi, Ali Ahn and Ato Essando.
Many critics and viewers have picked out The Diplomat’s similarities to The West Wing and Russell’s performance, in particular, in their praise for the series.
“Great cast. Hooked me already. As the reviews have said, a modern day West Wing quality drama,” one person tweeted about the show.
- 4/23/2023
- by Tom Murray
- The Independent - TV
Watch out for this big grrrl, Tennessee lawmakers.
Lizzo began the second leg of her The Special 2our with a show in Knoxville on Friday and proceeded to thumb her nose at the state’s new law banning drag performances. The four-time Grammy winner and reality TV host brought onstage a host of drag performers, including several who have competed on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Among them were including Aquaria, Asia O’Hara, Kandy Muse, Vanessa Vanjie and others.
“In light of recent and tragic events and current events, I was told by people on the internet, ‘Cancel your shows in Tennessee,’ ‘Don’t go to Tennessee,'” Lizzo said onstage at Thompson-Boling Arena. “Their reason was valid, but why would I not come to the people who need to hear this message the most? … Why would I not create a safe space in Tennessee where we can celebrate drag entertainers and celebrate our differences?...
Lizzo began the second leg of her The Special 2our with a show in Knoxville on Friday and proceeded to thumb her nose at the state’s new law banning drag performances. The four-time Grammy winner and reality TV host brought onstage a host of drag performers, including several who have competed on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Among them were including Aquaria, Asia O’Hara, Kandy Muse, Vanessa Vanjie and others.
“In light of recent and tragic events and current events, I was told by people on the internet, ‘Cancel your shows in Tennessee,’ ‘Don’t go to Tennessee,'” Lizzo said onstage at Thompson-Boling Arena. “Their reason was valid, but why would I not come to the people who need to hear this message the most? … Why would I not create a safe space in Tennessee where we can celebrate drag entertainers and celebrate our differences?...
- 4/22/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Australian comedian and entertainer Barry Humphries, best known for his character Dame Edna Everage, died April 22. He was 89.
Humphries passed in a Sydney hospital following complications with hip surgery, his family announced in a statement.
“He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit,” the family said. “With over 70 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.”
Humphries reportedly fell in February and had a hip replacement. In March, the entertainer had hip surgery, but earlier this week, he returned to the hospital due to complications and later died, according to Sydney Morning Herald.
Also Read:
Rasheeda Williams, Trans Woman Featured in Hit Documentary ‘Kokomo City’, Dies at 35
Humphries was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1934, and less than 20 years later,...
Humphries passed in a Sydney hospital following complications with hip surgery, his family announced in a statement.
“He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit,” the family said. “With over 70 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.”
Humphries reportedly fell in February and had a hip replacement. In March, the entertainer had hip surgery, but earlier this week, he returned to the hospital due to complications and later died, according to Sydney Morning Herald.
Also Read:
Rasheeda Williams, Trans Woman Featured in Hit Documentary ‘Kokomo City’, Dies at 35
Humphries was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1934, and less than 20 years later,...
- 4/22/2023
- by Joshua Vinson
- The Wrap
Barry Humphries, the Australian entertainer whose gladioli-waving alter ego Dame Edna charmed and roasted celebrities, all with a Cheshire grin, outrageous eyewear, a “Hello, Possums!” greeting and a flurry of caustic wit, died Saturday. He was 89.
Humphries died at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney of complications from hip surgery, his family announced.
“He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit,” they said. “With over 70 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.”
He portrayed Dame Edna Everage — whom he called a “gauche, garrulous Melbourne housewife with a very shrill voice who was obsessed with interior decoration” — for more than six decades across cabarets, clubs, stage and screen as one of the world’s oldest continual comic creations.
Humphries died at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney of complications from hip surgery, his family announced.
“He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit,” they said. “With over 70 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.”
He portrayed Dame Edna Everage — whom he called a “gauche, garrulous Melbourne housewife with a very shrill voice who was obsessed with interior decoration” — for more than six decades across cabarets, clubs, stage and screen as one of the world’s oldest continual comic creations.
- 4/22/2023
- by Rhett Bartlett
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Barry Humphries, the Australian comedian who for over 60 years played his character Dame Edna Everage on the stage and screen, has died at the age of 89.
Humphries’ family announced his death Saturday at a Sydney hospital, where he had been due complications from a hip surgery he underwent in March; the comedian suffered a fall the previous month in his native Australia.
“He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit,” a family statement said (via The Associated Press...
Humphries’ family announced his death Saturday at a Sydney hospital, where he had been due complications from a hip surgery he underwent in March; the comedian suffered a fall the previous month in his native Australia.
“He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit,” a family statement said (via The Associated Press...
- 4/22/2023
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Tributes from across the entertainment industry are flooding in following the death of Barry Humphries.
The Australian comedy legend died aged 89 in a Sydney hospital surrounded by his loved ones on Saturday.
His family said in a statement that Humphries “was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit”.
The star’s death follows reports earlier this week that he had been admitted to hospital with “serious health problems” following complications with a recent hip replacement surgery.
Across his seven-decade career, Humphries became best known for his creations Sir Les Patterson and Dame Edna Everage.
His other credits include appearances in Bedazzled (1967), Spice World (1997), The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016) and Finding Nemo (2003).
Matt Lucas, Carol Vorderman and Rob Brydon are among the industry figures to have paid tribute to Humphries.
Scroll down for live updates...
The Australian comedy legend died aged 89 in a Sydney hospital surrounded by his loved ones on Saturday.
His family said in a statement that Humphries “was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit”.
The star’s death follows reports earlier this week that he had been admitted to hospital with “serious health problems” following complications with a recent hip replacement surgery.
Across his seven-decade career, Humphries became best known for his creations Sir Les Patterson and Dame Edna Everage.
His other credits include appearances in Bedazzled (1967), Spice World (1997), The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016) and Finding Nemo (2003).
Matt Lucas, Carol Vorderman and Rob Brydon are among the industry figures to have paid tribute to Humphries.
Scroll down for live updates...
- 4/22/2023
- by Annabel Nugent
- The Independent - TV
Barry Humphries, who spent decades in and out of drag as he played Dame Edna and other outlandish characters, has died. The Australian comedian was 89. A Sydney hospital confirmed Humphries’ death, noting he passed away on Saturday, April 22, several days after undergoing hip surgery, according to The New York Times. “He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit,” his family said in a statement, per The Guardian. “With over 70 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 n all its forms.
- 4/22/2023
- TV Insider
Australian comedian Barry Humphries, best known for his beloved drag character Dame Edna Everage, has died at age 89.
BBC News reports that Humphries died in a Sydney hospital, where he’d been suffering from complications from hip surgery he underwent in March after suffering a fall.
A statement from Humphries’ family remembers him as “completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit.”
Read More: Michael Lerner, Oscar-Nominated ‘Barton Fink’ Actor, Dead At 81
His fans, the statement added, were “precious to him,” and that his characters, “which brought laughter to millions, will live on.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued a statement upon news of Humphries’ death. “A great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift,” said Albanese.
For 89 years, Barry Humphries entertained us through a galaxy of personas, from Dame Edna to Sandy Stone.
BBC News reports that Humphries died in a Sydney hospital, where he’d been suffering from complications from hip surgery he underwent in March after suffering a fall.
A statement from Humphries’ family remembers him as “completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit.”
Read More: Michael Lerner, Oscar-Nominated ‘Barton Fink’ Actor, Dead At 81
His fans, the statement added, were “precious to him,” and that his characters, “which brought laughter to millions, will live on.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued a statement upon news of Humphries’ death. “A great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift,” said Albanese.
For 89 years, Barry Humphries entertained us through a galaxy of personas, from Dame Edna to Sandy Stone.
- 4/22/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
In the eighties and nineties, before drag really entered the mainstream, Dame Edna was a household name, especially if you lived in the UK. The alter-ego of Australian comedian Barry Humphries, Deadline reports that the beloved star passed away at 89. The comedian had been unwell following hip surgery. In addition to Dame Edna, Humphries was also in high demand as a voice actor, having voiced Bruce the Shark in Finding Nemo and even dipped into motion capture to play the Great Goblin in The Hobbit trilogy.
But, it was Dame Edna that remained Humphries most iconic role. He apparently based the character on his mother, and she was a spoof of vainglorious celebrity interviewers, with Edna hosting a chat show that featured interviews with some of the biggest stars in the world. Mel Gibson, Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Cher – if you were a star in the seventies, eighties and early nineties,...
But, it was Dame Edna that remained Humphries most iconic role. He apparently based the character on his mother, and she was a spoof of vainglorious celebrity interviewers, with Edna hosting a chat show that featured interviews with some of the biggest stars in the world. Mel Gibson, Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Cher – if you were a star in the seventies, eighties and early nineties,...
- 4/22/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Barry Humphries, the Australian actor and comedian best known for his larger-than-life alter ego, Dame Edna Everage, has died at 89. As reported by the BBC, Humphries passed away in a Sydney hospital from complications following hip surgery, having had a fall in February.
Humphries was a beloved fixture of both Australian and British entertainment. He moved to the UK in 1959 and quickly became a core part of the comedy scene, hosting his own talk show, "The Dame Edna Experience," as well as other series and specials including "Dame Edna's Neighborhood Watch," "Dame Edna Kisses It Better," and "The Dame Edna Treatment." The character was known for her purple-tinted bouffant hair, signature diamante-studded glasses, colorful fashion choices, and her signature greeting: "Hello, possums!"
U.S. audiences may be familiar with Dame Edna from an appearance in "Saturday Night Live" in 1977, and for her 1990s celebrity talk show "Dame Edna's Hollywood," as...
Humphries was a beloved fixture of both Australian and British entertainment. He moved to the UK in 1959 and quickly became a core part of the comedy scene, hosting his own talk show, "The Dame Edna Experience," as well as other series and specials including "Dame Edna's Neighborhood Watch," "Dame Edna Kisses It Better," and "The Dame Edna Treatment." The character was known for her purple-tinted bouffant hair, signature diamante-studded glasses, colorful fashion choices, and her signature greeting: "Hello, possums!"
U.S. audiences may be familiar with Dame Edna from an appearance in "Saturday Night Live" in 1977, and for her 1990s celebrity talk show "Dame Edna's Hollywood," as...
- 4/22/2023
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
Dick Van Dyke will make his soap opera debut on Days Of Our Lives.
The 97-year-old is set to appear as a guest star on a forthcoming episode of the long-running series.
Van Dyke told Access Hollywood that the role came about after he met Days Of Our Lives star Drake Hogestyn at the gym and asked him for a part on the show.
“I used to kid him, ‘Don’t you have any parts for old people? Come on, give me one.’ And he took me seriously and got me a part!” he told the outlet in a video interview.
The episode – which will air in autumn – Van Dyke will play a man with amnesia, appearing in a scene with cast members Hogestyn and Deidre Hall.
During the Access Hollywood segment, Carol Burnett offered Van Dyke some advice. Burnett previously had a recurring role on All My Children in the Eighties.
The 97-year-old is set to appear as a guest star on a forthcoming episode of the long-running series.
Van Dyke told Access Hollywood that the role came about after he met Days Of Our Lives star Drake Hogestyn at the gym and asked him for a part on the show.
“I used to kid him, ‘Don’t you have any parts for old people? Come on, give me one.’ And he took me seriously and got me a part!” he told the outlet in a video interview.
The episode – which will air in autumn – Van Dyke will play a man with amnesia, appearing in a scene with cast members Hogestyn and Deidre Hall.
During the Access Hollywood segment, Carol Burnett offered Van Dyke some advice. Burnett previously had a recurring role on All My Children in the Eighties.
- 4/22/2023
- by Annabel Nugent
- The Independent - TV
Barry Humphries, the Australian-born comedian, actor and satirist who was best known for his TV Drag persona, Dame Edna Everage, has died. He was 89 years old.
The news of his death was confirmed in a tweet by Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, who called Humphries “the brightest star” in the galaxy of his great characters.
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Humphries embodied Dame Edna for nearly seven decades...
The news of his death was confirmed in a tweet by Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, who called Humphries “the brightest star” in the galaxy of his great characters.
More from TVLineWWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk Dead at 79 - Ric Flair and Mick Foley Pay TributeAnother World's Nancy Frangione Dead at 70Ahsoka Pays Tribute to Ray Stevenson in Series Premiere: 'For Our Friend, Ray'
Humphries embodied Dame Edna for nearly seven decades...
- 4/22/2023
- by Claire Franken
- TVLine.com
Tributes have poured in following the news of Barry Humphries’ death.
The Australian comedy legend died aged 89 on Saturday (22 April) in hospital in Sydney surrounded by his loved ones.
Earlier this week, reports emerged that the Melbourne-born entertainer had been admitted to a Sydney hospital with “serious health problems” following complications with a recent hip replacement surgery.
In a statement announcing his death, his family said that “he was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit”.
Following the news, tributes from public figures and fellow comedians have flooded in on social media remembering Humphries and his iconic characters, including Dame Edna Everage.
Ricky Gervais applauded the “comedy genius” on Twitter, bidding “farewell” to Humphries.
Gavin and Stacey star Rob Brydon shared a photograph of himself and Humphries, writing alongside the picture: “Rip Barry Humphries. A true great who inspired me immeasurably.
The Australian comedy legend died aged 89 on Saturday (22 April) in hospital in Sydney surrounded by his loved ones.
Earlier this week, reports emerged that the Melbourne-born entertainer had been admitted to a Sydney hospital with “serious health problems” following complications with a recent hip replacement surgery.
In a statement announcing his death, his family said that “he was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit”.
Following the news, tributes from public figures and fellow comedians have flooded in on social media remembering Humphries and his iconic characters, including Dame Edna Everage.
Ricky Gervais applauded the “comedy genius” on Twitter, bidding “farewell” to Humphries.
Gavin and Stacey star Rob Brydon shared a photograph of himself and Humphries, writing alongside the picture: “Rip Barry Humphries. A true great who inspired me immeasurably.
- 4/22/2023
- by Annabel Nugent
- The Independent - TV
Australian satirist Barry Humphries, known for his onstage and TV drag persona Edna Everage and for his character Sir Les Patterson, has died. He was 89.
The BBC reported that Humphries had been in hospital in Sydney, Australia, and had been suffering from complications following surgery in March.
“A great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said following the news of Humphries’ death.
“Rip Barry Humphries – one of the greatest ever Australians – and a comic genius who used his exuberant alter egos, Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson, to say the otherwise unsayable. Also an infallibly brilliant Spectator contributor. What a loss,” said former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Twitter.
Rip Barry Humphries – one of the greatest ever Australians – and a comic genius who used his exuberant alter egos, Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson,...
The BBC reported that Humphries had been in hospital in Sydney, Australia, and had been suffering from complications following surgery in March.
“A great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said following the news of Humphries’ death.
“Rip Barry Humphries – one of the greatest ever Australians – and a comic genius who used his exuberant alter egos, Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson, to say the otherwise unsayable. Also an infallibly brilliant Spectator contributor. What a loss,” said former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Twitter.
Rip Barry Humphries – one of the greatest ever Australians – and a comic genius who used his exuberant alter egos, Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson,...
- 4/22/2023
- by Carmel Dagan and Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Australian comedian Barry Humphries, best known for his comedic character Dame Edna Everage, has died at age 89, his family has confirmed.
The veteran entertainer had been unwell in a Sydney hospital, suffering complications following hip surgery last month.
Humphries’ most celebrated creation Dame Edna became a star in the 1970s in the UK, getting her own chat show on ITV a decade later. She was known for her quick wit, smiling-assassin putdowns to even the most lauded guest, and for throwing gladioli out among the audience.
Humphries had been inspired to create the character after watching his mother and other suburban housewives as a child in his native Australia. He was born in Melbourne, and moved to the UK in 1959, where he appeared on the West End stage.
Other characters created by Humphries included drunken diplomat Sir Les Patterson and the always grumbling Sandy Stone.
He also voiced the shark...
The veteran entertainer had been unwell in a Sydney hospital, suffering complications following hip surgery last month.
Humphries’ most celebrated creation Dame Edna became a star in the 1970s in the UK, getting her own chat show on ITV a decade later. She was known for her quick wit, smiling-assassin putdowns to even the most lauded guest, and for throwing gladioli out among the audience.
Humphries had been inspired to create the character after watching his mother and other suburban housewives as a child in his native Australia. He was born in Melbourne, and moved to the UK in 1959, where he appeared on the West End stage.
Other characters created by Humphries included drunken diplomat Sir Les Patterson and the always grumbling Sandy Stone.
He also voiced the shark...
- 4/22/2023
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
Australian comedian Barry Humphries has died aged 89.
Humphries – best known for his comedy characters, including Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson – died in hospital on Saturday (22 April) surrounded by his family.
Earlier this week, reports emerged that the comedian had been admitted to a Sydney hospital with “serious health problems” following complications arising from a recent hip replacement surgery.
A spokesperson for St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney confirmed that the entertainer had died on Saturday at around 7pm Aest.
A statement from his family read: â.“He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit. With over â.70 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.”
It continued: “His audiences were precious to him, and he never took them for granted.
Humphries – best known for his comedy characters, including Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson – died in hospital on Saturday (22 April) surrounded by his family.
Earlier this week, reports emerged that the comedian had been admitted to a Sydney hospital with “serious health problems” following complications arising from a recent hip replacement surgery.
A spokesperson for St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney confirmed that the entertainer had died on Saturday at around 7pm Aest.
A statement from his family read: â.“He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit. With over â.70 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.”
It continued: “His audiences were precious to him, and he never took them for granted.
- 4/22/2023
- by Annabel Nugent
- The Independent - TV
Ray Mears has opened up about his role in the manhunt for killer Raoul Moat in 2010.
One week in July 2010 saw Britain’s biggest manhunt by Northumbria Police, after former bouncer and bodybuilder Moat shot three people – his ex-girlfriend, her new partner, and a police officer – two days after he was released from Durham Prison.
The following search featured 160 armed officers (10 per cent of those available in England and Wales at any one time), sniper teams and helicopters and concluded with Moat dying by suicide.
Also involved in the search was TV survival expert Mears, who got involved due to his expertise in tracking animals in the wild.
Public interest in the case has been reignited this week following the release of ITV’s three-part drama The Hunt for Raoul Moat, which concluded on Tuesday (18 April) night.
You can read The Independent’s review here.
Appearing on Good Morning Britainon...
One week in July 2010 saw Britain’s biggest manhunt by Northumbria Police, after former bouncer and bodybuilder Moat shot three people – his ex-girlfriend, her new partner, and a police officer – two days after he was released from Durham Prison.
The following search featured 160 armed officers (10 per cent of those available in England and Wales at any one time), sniper teams and helicopters and concluded with Moat dying by suicide.
Also involved in the search was TV survival expert Mears, who got involved due to his expertise in tracking animals in the wild.
Public interest in the case has been reignited this week following the release of ITV’s three-part drama The Hunt for Raoul Moat, which concluded on Tuesday (18 April) night.
You can read The Independent’s review here.
Appearing on Good Morning Britainon...
- 4/19/2023
- by Isobel Lewis
- The Independent - TV
Quentin Tarantino has shared his position on the debate about gun ownership in the US.
There have already been more than 140 mass shootings in the United States in 2023, with gun legislation activists lamenting the lack of progress being made on new restrictions.
In a new interview with the Spanish newspaper El Pais, the Inglorious Basterds director – whose films are known for their extreme violence and bloodshed – was asked for his thoughts on the issue.
“There are always two sides,” he said. “We certainly don’t need as many automatic weapons as there are. There should be better laws. [But] I do have a gun at home.”
Tarantino then clarified that his gun was “for protection”.
Elsewhere in the interview, he revealed his favourite tense scene from all of his films.
In another recent interview, Tarantino opened up about how the performance of one of his films at the box office served...
There have already been more than 140 mass shootings in the United States in 2023, with gun legislation activists lamenting the lack of progress being made on new restrictions.
In a new interview with the Spanish newspaper El Pais, the Inglorious Basterds director – whose films are known for their extreme violence and bloodshed – was asked for his thoughts on the issue.
“There are always two sides,” he said. “We certainly don’t need as many automatic weapons as there are. There should be better laws. [But] I do have a gun at home.”
Tarantino then clarified that his gun was “for protection”.
Elsewhere in the interview, he revealed his favourite tense scene from all of his films.
In another recent interview, Tarantino opened up about how the performance of one of his films at the box office served...
- 4/19/2023
- by Ellie Harrison
- The Independent - Film
Barry Humphries has been admitted to hospital with “serious health problems” after a major surgery, reports claim.
The comedian, 89, was admitted to hospital in Sydney this week following complications with a recent hip replacement surgery, Australian news outlets report.
Appearing on Sunrise on Channel Seven on Wednesday (19 April), journalist Peter Ford said that there were “serious concerns” for Humphries, who is currently surrounded by his loved ones in hospital.
“At this moment Barry is [in] a serious condition but being kept comfortable. He’s surrounded by family,” Ford said, adding that a statement would be shared with the media imminently.
The reporter said that things were looking “tough” for Humphries – best known for his drag alter-ego Dame Edna Everage – but that he had a “fantastic” team of medical professionals supporting him.
“I reckon Barry has a fighting spirit and he’s not going to give up easily,” he said.
On Sky News Australia,...
The comedian, 89, was admitted to hospital in Sydney this week following complications with a recent hip replacement surgery, Australian news outlets report.
Appearing on Sunrise on Channel Seven on Wednesday (19 April), journalist Peter Ford said that there were “serious concerns” for Humphries, who is currently surrounded by his loved ones in hospital.
“At this moment Barry is [in] a serious condition but being kept comfortable. He’s surrounded by family,” Ford said, adding that a statement would be shared with the media imminently.
The reporter said that things were looking “tough” for Humphries – best known for his drag alter-ego Dame Edna Everage – but that he had a “fantastic” team of medical professionals supporting him.
“I reckon Barry has a fighting spirit and he’s not going to give up easily,” he said.
On Sky News Australia,...
- 4/19/2023
- by Isobel Lewis
- The Independent - TV
Puns grow knee-high – and in bawdier moments a bit higher – in Shucked, the new musical comedy that combines the winking hayseed humor of Green Acres and Hee Haw with the decidedly urban, gently subversive camp that peppered the Off Broadway scene in the ’90s with kitschy fare like Ruthless!, The Real Live Brady Bunch and Theatre-a-Go!-Go!’s Valley of the Dolls parody.
The musical comes by its unlikely spiritual DNA honestly, or however it can, through the combined and disparate talents of book writer Robert Horn and composers Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally.
Consider that pedigree for a moment: Horn won a Tony for 2019’s Tootsie, and has written for Dame Edna, Designing Women, Bette Midler and RuPaul. Clark and McAnally have stacked up a big barnful of CMA Awards, Grammys and country music hits. Together this trio is a match made in some bizarro Broadway cornfield of dreams,...
The musical comes by its unlikely spiritual DNA honestly, or however it can, through the combined and disparate talents of book writer Robert Horn and composers Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally.
Consider that pedigree for a moment: Horn won a Tony for 2019’s Tootsie, and has written for Dame Edna, Designing Women, Bette Midler and RuPaul. Clark and McAnally have stacked up a big barnful of CMA Awards, Grammys and country music hits. Together this trio is a match made in some bizarro Broadway cornfield of dreams,...
- 4/5/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Alison Hammond’s role as the new co-host of The Great British Bake Off is just, if you’ll pardon the pun, the icing on the cake of a 21-year screen career, which has been filled with some of the most hilarious and surreal moments ever committed to television.
The Birmingham-born star has, over the decades, knocked a sailor into the Thames, had Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling in fits of giggles, and joined forces with Ainsley Harriott to terrorise a woman called Jill in her living room.
Those are just a few of the chaotic moments Hammond has given us, which you can read about below, along with many more…
The time she nearly got arrested in Italy
During a 2019 segment for This Morning in which she was promoting a £300,000 cash prize competition – filmed in Pisa, Italy, for reasons I’m struggling to decipher – Hammond got in a spot...
The Birmingham-born star has, over the decades, knocked a sailor into the Thames, had Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling in fits of giggles, and joined forces with Ainsley Harriott to terrorise a woman called Jill in her living room.
Those are just a few of the chaotic moments Hammond has given us, which you can read about below, along with many more…
The time she nearly got arrested in Italy
During a 2019 segment for This Morning in which she was promoting a £300,000 cash prize competition – filmed in Pisa, Italy, for reasons I’m struggling to decipher – Hammond got in a spot...
- 3/17/2023
- by Ellie Harrison
- The Independent - TV
George Trumbull Miller, the director of The Man From Snowy River and The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter, has died of a heart attack. He was 79.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported the news of the Australian filmmaker’s death on Saturday. No details of the day he died have been shared at this time.
Miller rose to prominence in the 1980s with his massive hit The Man From Snowy River, starring Kirk Douglas. To this day, the Western still has a place on Australia’s list of top 20 grossing films of all time in unadjusted terms. It made 17.2 million locally then, which equals about 68 million in today’s world.
After becoming one of his home country’s most commercially successful filmmakers, the Scottish-born director made his way to Hollywood, where he helmed The NeverEnding Story II, Christmas movie In the Nick of Time and family movie Zeus and Roxanne,...
The Sydney Morning Herald reported the news of the Australian filmmaker’s death on Saturday. No details of the day he died have been shared at this time.
Miller rose to prominence in the 1980s with his massive hit The Man From Snowy River, starring Kirk Douglas. To this day, the Western still has a place on Australia’s list of top 20 grossing films of all time in unadjusted terms. It made 17.2 million locally then, which equals about 68 million in today’s world.
After becoming one of his home country’s most commercially successful filmmakers, the Scottish-born director made his way to Hollywood, where he helmed The NeverEnding Story II, Christmas movie In the Nick of Time and family movie Zeus and Roxanne,...
- 2/19/2023
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
George Trumbull Miller, an Australian film and television director whose most notable credits include “The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter” and “The Man From Snowy River,” died of a heart attack in a hospital in Melbourne. He was 79 years old.
Miller’s death was confirmed by the Sydney Morning Herald. No details regarding a date of death are available at this time.
Miller reached national prominence for his 1982 Western “The Man From Snowy River,” starring Kirk Douglas. The film grossed 17.2 million in Australia and reached more than 20 million worldwide, inspiring a sequel as well as an arena attraction. More than 40 years on, “Man From Snowy River” remains one of the top 20 highest grossing local productions in the history of the Australian box office.
Coincidentally, George T. Miller’s rise as a filmmaker closely paralleled that of his fellow Australian, “Mad Max” director George Miller.
“He was very kind to me,...
Miller’s death was confirmed by the Sydney Morning Herald. No details regarding a date of death are available at this time.
Miller reached national prominence for his 1982 Western “The Man From Snowy River,” starring Kirk Douglas. The film grossed 17.2 million in Australia and reached more than 20 million worldwide, inspiring a sequel as well as an arena attraction. More than 40 years on, “Man From Snowy River” remains one of the top 20 highest grossing local productions in the history of the Australian box office.
Coincidentally, George T. Miller’s rise as a filmmaker closely paralleled that of his fellow Australian, “Mad Max” director George Miller.
“He was very kind to me,...
- 2/18/2023
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Kit Hesketh-Harvey was one of those surprisingly rare performers whose personality was the same on stage as off. When I saw him in the many revues he would write and perform, the audience basked in his humour and genuine warmth.
You could say that Hesketh-Harvey was the last of the old-style Vaudevillians, keeping alive the spirit of Noël Coward, while unafraid to surprise his audience by stepping into the caustic territory of Barry Humphries. He always revelled in that quintessentially English humour, self-deprecating but biting, drawing on a world of shared references from British culture, while at the same time carving out its own originality.
His version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “A Policeman’s Lot Is Not a Happy One” turned the jolly jape of a song into a critique of modern-day policing. “They want evidence that can’t be circumvented. So, invent it.” Delivered with such a smile,...
You could say that Hesketh-Harvey was the last of the old-style Vaudevillians, keeping alive the spirit of Noël Coward, while unafraid to surprise his audience by stepping into the caustic territory of Barry Humphries. He always revelled in that quintessentially English humour, self-deprecating but biting, drawing on a world of shared references from British culture, while at the same time carving out its own originality.
His version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “A Policeman’s Lot Is Not a Happy One” turned the jolly jape of a song into a critique of modern-day policing. “They want evidence that can’t be circumvented. So, invent it.” Delivered with such a smile,...
- 2/2/2023
- by David Lister
- The Independent - Film
I’m here because I woke up covered in blood,” says a tearful Rachel Watson (Emily Blunt) in the 2016 movie The Girl on the Train. She is standing in a sterile room while a dozen strangers sit in a circle on plastic foldable chairs, sheepishly avoiding eye contact with her. “I have bruises all over my arm from when I’ve fallen and someone’s helped me up,” she tells them.
This is one of the countless portrayals of an AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meeting on screen, and it’s perhaps one of the most dramatic. “Hi, I’m [insert name] and I’m an alcoholic,” is a classic refrain used in movies and television where a character, fighting addiction, reaches breaking point and attends AA for the first time. Rocketman (2019). Madmen (2007). Smashed (2012). These all include depictions of AA meetings. There’s even a scene in Pixar’s aquatic delight Finding Nemo (2003) that...
This is one of the countless portrayals of an AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meeting on screen, and it’s perhaps one of the most dramatic. “Hi, I’m [insert name] and I’m an alcoholic,” is a classic refrain used in movies and television where a character, fighting addiction, reaches breaking point and attends AA for the first time. Rocketman (2019). Madmen (2007). Smashed (2012). These all include depictions of AA meetings. There’s even a scene in Pixar’s aquatic delight Finding Nemo (2003) that...
- 12/7/2022
- by Ellie Muir
- The Independent - TV
You can just say you’re a transphobe, Ricky Gervais. And Netflix, just say you’re okay with anti-lgbtq content on your platform.
On Tuesday, after Netflix premiered Gervais’ tired special SuperNature, GLAAD released a statement condemning the streaming service for giving the comedian a platform to share anti-trans and anti-gay rhetoric in the form of quote-unquote comedy. (At least Netflix dropped the special before Pride month.)
“It’s full of graphic, dangerous, anti-trans rants masquerading as jokes. He also spouts anti-gay rhetoric & spreads inaccurate information about HIV,” GLAAD tweeted.
On Tuesday, after Netflix premiered Gervais’ tired special SuperNature, GLAAD released a statement condemning the streaming service for giving the comedian a platform to share anti-trans and anti-gay rhetoric in the form of quote-unquote comedy. (At least Netflix dropped the special before Pride month.)
“It’s full of graphic, dangerous, anti-trans rants masquerading as jokes. He also spouts anti-gay rhetoric & spreads inaccurate information about HIV,” GLAAD tweeted.
- 5/24/2022
- by Tomás Mier
- Rollingstone.com
(L-r) Scott Murray, John B. Murray, his second wife Annie and daughter Sue.
John B. Murray, one of the pioneers of the modern Australian cinema, died yesterday in Melbourne after a massive stroke. He was 88.
The writer/producer/director and distributor was one of the guiding lights of the industry from the 1960s.
He was the first director of the Film, Radio and Television Board at the Australian Council for the Arts, which later became the Australia Council and subsequently was transferred to the Australian Film Commission when it was established in 1975.
Former Australian Film Commission CEO Kim Williams tells If: “He made a very substantial contribution and should be remembered especially for his courage in establishing the early video access centres around the country.
“He also got the the Chauvel and Longford cinemas going in Sydney and Melbourne under the then AFI, with their Australian programming and as venues...
John B. Murray, one of the pioneers of the modern Australian cinema, died yesterday in Melbourne after a massive stroke. He was 88.
The writer/producer/director and distributor was one of the guiding lights of the industry from the 1960s.
He was the first director of the Film, Radio and Television Board at the Australian Council for the Arts, which later became the Australia Council and subsequently was transferred to the Australian Film Commission when it was established in 1975.
Former Australian Film Commission CEO Kim Williams tells If: “He made a very substantial contribution and should be remembered especially for his courage in establishing the early video access centres around the country.
“He also got the the Chauvel and Longford cinemas going in Sydney and Melbourne under the then AFI, with their Australian programming and as venues...
- 6/2/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘Old People’s Home For 4 Year Olds’ (Photo: Nigel Wright).
Endemol Shine Australia’s Old People’s Home For 4 Year Olds took home two prizes from the New York Festivals TV and Film Awards, with other Aussie winners including Northern Pictures/Oxford Scientific Films’ Magical Land of Oz and episodes of Sbs’s Dateline.
Old People’s Home For 4 Year Olds, commissioned by the ABC, scored Gold in the Social Issues documentary category at the awards, in addition to a Silver Award from the United Nations Department of Global Communications, for exemplifying the aims and ideas of the Un.
The series, which won the 2019 Aacta Award for Best Documentary or Factual Program, demonstrates the physical and mental benefits of bringing together the very young and very old in a retirement home.
Magical Land of Oz, produced by Northern Pictures and narrated by Barry Humphries, another ABC commission, won the Gold...
Endemol Shine Australia’s Old People’s Home For 4 Year Olds took home two prizes from the New York Festivals TV and Film Awards, with other Aussie winners including Northern Pictures/Oxford Scientific Films’ Magical Land of Oz and episodes of Sbs’s Dateline.
Old People’s Home For 4 Year Olds, commissioned by the ABC, scored Gold in the Social Issues documentary category at the awards, in addition to a Silver Award from the United Nations Department of Global Communications, for exemplifying the aims and ideas of the Un.
The series, which won the 2019 Aacta Award for Best Documentary or Factual Program, demonstrates the physical and mental benefits of bringing together the very young and very old in a retirement home.
Magical Land of Oz, produced by Northern Pictures and narrated by Barry Humphries, another ABC commission, won the Gold...
- 4/23/2020
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
‘Koko: A Red Dog Story.’
Alternate content releases Koko: A Red Dog Story, Standing Up for Sunny and A Boy Called Sailboat premiered in Australian cinemas last weekend, together with the conventionally-released Kairos.
It is difficult to judge the box office results given the limited number of sessions and screens, but all faced the challenge of going into the market with minimal marketing support and publicity.
The third edition of the Red Dog franchise from writers and directors Aaron McCann and Dominic Pearce had the widest release on more than 80 screens, distributed by Roadshow Films and producer Nelson Woss’s Good Dog Distribution.
Last week Woss told If he was encouraged by the responses from test screenings in Indianapolis and charity previews in Perth. But he acknowledged there were no ads on TV or in newspapers and no billboards, bus shelters or buses for the the low-budget film co-funded by Screen Australia,...
Alternate content releases Koko: A Red Dog Story, Standing Up for Sunny and A Boy Called Sailboat premiered in Australian cinemas last weekend, together with the conventionally-released Kairos.
It is difficult to judge the box office results given the limited number of sessions and screens, but all faced the challenge of going into the market with minimal marketing support and publicity.
The third edition of the Red Dog franchise from writers and directors Aaron McCann and Dominic Pearce had the widest release on more than 80 screens, distributed by Roadshow Films and producer Nelson Woss’s Good Dog Distribution.
Last week Woss told If he was encouraged by the responses from test screenings in Indianapolis and charity previews in Perth. But he acknowledged there were no ads on TV or in newspapers and no billboards, bus shelters or buses for the the low-budget film co-funded by Screen Australia,...
- 12/9/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘Judy & Punch’. (Photo: Ben King)
Two Aussie films, Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch and Ben Lawrence’s Hearts and Bones, will be among the 12 features in official competition at this year’s Sydney Film Festival (Sff).
Also up for the festival’s $60,000 Sydney Film Prize are Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s Never Look Away, which was nominated for two Oscars; recent Cannes selections such as Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain and Glory, Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite, and Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles’ Bacurau; Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award winner Monos, from directors Alejandro Landes and Alexis Dos; Joanna Hogg’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner The Souvenir; Nadav Lapid’s Golden Bear winner Synonymes, as well as Sacha Polak’s Dirty God, Teona Strugar Mitevska’s God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya, and Kiwi director Hamish Bennett’s Bellbird.
Sydney Film Festival launched the full program for its 66th...
Two Aussie films, Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch and Ben Lawrence’s Hearts and Bones, will be among the 12 features in official competition at this year’s Sydney Film Festival (Sff).
Also up for the festival’s $60,000 Sydney Film Prize are Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s Never Look Away, which was nominated for two Oscars; recent Cannes selections such as Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain and Glory, Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite, and Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles’ Bacurau; Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award winner Monos, from directors Alejandro Landes and Alexis Dos; Joanna Hogg’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner The Souvenir; Nadav Lapid’s Golden Bear winner Synonymes, as well as Sacha Polak’s Dirty God, Teona Strugar Mitevska’s God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya, and Kiwi director Hamish Bennett’s Bellbird.
Sydney Film Festival launched the full program for its 66th...
- 5/8/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
All hail the memory of Stanley Donen. We also appreciate the razor-sharp satire of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, whose genius Donen preserved in this hilarious Faustian comedy. Poor pitiful Stanley Moon bargains with the Devil for seven chances to win the woman of his dreams, which naturally turns out to be a big mistake. Who could make a wise decision with Raquel Welch’s ‘Lillian Lust’ climbing into their bed?
Bedazzled
Blu-ray
Twilight Time
1967 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 104 min. / Street Date February 19, 2019 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store / 29.95
Starring: Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Eleanor Bron, Raquel Welch, Barry Humphries, Alba, Michael Bates, Robin Hawdon, Robert Russell, Evelyn Moore.
Cinematography: Austin Dempster
Art Direction: Terence Knight
Film Editor: Richard Marden
Original Music: Dudley Moore
Written by Peter Cook and Dudley Moore
Produced and Directed by Stanley Donen
Stanley Donen took his first big screen credit at age 19, and at 28 co-directed...
Bedazzled
Blu-ray
Twilight Time
1967 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 104 min. / Street Date February 19, 2019 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store / 29.95
Starring: Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Eleanor Bron, Raquel Welch, Barry Humphries, Alba, Michael Bates, Robin Hawdon, Robert Russell, Evelyn Moore.
Cinematography: Austin Dempster
Art Direction: Terence Knight
Film Editor: Richard Marden
Original Music: Dudley Moore
Written by Peter Cook and Dudley Moore
Produced and Directed by Stanley Donen
Stanley Donen took his first big screen credit at age 19, and at 28 co-directed...
- 2/26/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Eleanor Witcombe in 2017.
Screenwriter and playwright Eleanor Witcombe, whose most enduring works were the adaptations of My Brilliant Career and The Getting of Wisdom, has died in Sydney. She was 95.
My Brilliant Career producer Margaret Fink, who hired Witcombe to adapt Miles Franklin’s 1901 novel, a coming-of-age story about a headstrong young woman played by Judy Davis, tells If: “Her contribution to the film is incalculable.”
She began her professional career as a playwright in 1948 when the Mosman Children’s Theatre Club commissioned her to write three plays for children: Pirates at the Barn, The Bushranger and Smugglers Beware.
In 1952 she left for two years’ work and study in London. On her return she wrote one-hour adaptations of plays, books, and stories for ABC radio, the Lux Radio Theatre and the Macquarie Radio Theatre.
She also wrote the books for stage musicals A Ride on a Broomstick and Mistress Money for the Philllip Street Theatre.
Screenwriter and playwright Eleanor Witcombe, whose most enduring works were the adaptations of My Brilliant Career and The Getting of Wisdom, has died in Sydney. She was 95.
My Brilliant Career producer Margaret Fink, who hired Witcombe to adapt Miles Franklin’s 1901 novel, a coming-of-age story about a headstrong young woman played by Judy Davis, tells If: “Her contribution to the film is incalculable.”
She began her professional career as a playwright in 1948 when the Mosman Children’s Theatre Club commissioned her to write three plays for children: Pirates at the Barn, The Bushranger and Smugglers Beware.
In 1952 she left for two years’ work and study in London. On her return she wrote one-hour adaptations of plays, books, and stories for ABC radio, the Lux Radio Theatre and the Macquarie Radio Theatre.
She also wrote the books for stage musicals A Ride on a Broomstick and Mistress Money for the Philllip Street Theatre.
- 11/5/2018
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Fifteen years ago yesterday, Finding Nemo swam into theaters. The Pixar project, written and directed by Andrew Stanton, went on to become an instant phenomenon, earning $940.3 million worldwide on a reported $94 million budget. To date, Finding Nemo remains the best-selling DVD title of all time, and it inspired attractions at Disney theme parks around the world. It didn't hurt that the movie featured an all-star voice cast: Eric Bana as Anchor, Nicholas Bird as Squirt, Albert Brooks as Marlin, Willem Dafoe as Gill, Ellen DeGeneres as Dory, LuLu Ebeling as Darla, Brad Garrett as Bloat, Alexander Gould as Nemo, Barry Humphries as Bruce, Allison Janney as Peach, Vicki Lewis as Deb/Flo, Austin Pendleton as Gurgle, Elizabeth...
- 5/31/2018
- E! Online
Louisa Mellor Oct 19, 2017
We chatted to actor Paul Kaye about playing wizards, the musical Matilda, and his move from celebrity satire to serious drama…
Main image credit: Jordan Katz-Kaye
“Bitterness, really” is Paul Kaye’s explanation of what drove his satirical red-carpet interviewer Dennis Pennis in the nineties. “I’d hit thirty, I’d sort of failed as a musician, I’d failed as an artist I felt at the time.” Ambushing Hollywood’s elite in the persona of a brash, punk nuisance wasn’t Kaye’s first choice for stardom, he admits. “It wasn’t how I expected to forge a career. Of all the things I thought I’d end up doing, it wasn’t that.”
See related 26 new UK TV shows to look out for 50 upcoming comic book TV shows, and when to expect them
Trained in theatre design, in his twenties Kaye worked as an illustrator...
We chatted to actor Paul Kaye about playing wizards, the musical Matilda, and his move from celebrity satire to serious drama…
Main image credit: Jordan Katz-Kaye
“Bitterness, really” is Paul Kaye’s explanation of what drove his satirical red-carpet interviewer Dennis Pennis in the nineties. “I’d hit thirty, I’d sort of failed as a musician, I’d failed as an artist I felt at the time.” Ambushing Hollywood’s elite in the persona of a brash, punk nuisance wasn’t Kaye’s first choice for stardom, he admits. “It wasn’t how I expected to forge a career. Of all the things I thought I’d end up doing, it wasn’t that.”
See related 26 new UK TV shows to look out for 50 upcoming comic book TV shows, and when to expect them
Trained in theatre design, in his twenties Kaye worked as an illustrator...
- 10/18/2017
- Den of Geek
Screenwriter Shelley Birse won the top prize at last year's Awgie Awards for her work on 'The Code'..
The Australian Writers. Guild has opened up entries for the 50th annual Awgie Awards.
The awards recognise and reward the outstanding achievements of Aussie storytellers and their contribution to our cultural landscape.
Shelley Birse, who won last year.s Major Award for penning the second season of the ABC's cyber thriller The Code, said the Awgie Awards had ruined her life.
.I can't get more than three words of crippling self-doubt out before someone in my family walks to the bookshelf and brandishes the bronze statue my way," she said.
.To be given the nod from the writers I respect most in the world? I wish this kind of ruination for everyone..
Other winners at last year.s awards included Angus Cerini for his Helpmann Award-winning play The Bleeding Tree...
The Australian Writers. Guild has opened up entries for the 50th annual Awgie Awards.
The awards recognise and reward the outstanding achievements of Aussie storytellers and their contribution to our cultural landscape.
Shelley Birse, who won last year.s Major Award for penning the second season of the ABC's cyber thriller The Code, said the Awgie Awards had ruined her life.
.I can't get more than three words of crippling self-doubt out before someone in my family walks to the bookshelf and brandishes the bronze statue my way," she said.
.To be given the nod from the writers I respect most in the world? I wish this kind of ruination for everyone..
Other winners at last year.s awards included Angus Cerini for his Helpmann Award-winning play The Bleeding Tree...
- 2/2/2017
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
By Raymond Benson
“A Dickens Delight”
By Raymond Benson
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby may not immediately come to mind when naming the most well-known of author Charles Dickens’ novels, but it’s arguably one of his best. Besides being a cracking good story in print, the Royal Shakespeare Company famously produced an 8-1/2-hour long Tony Award-winning play (staged in two parts, with a dinner break) in 1980 that was one of this reviewer’s most treasured theatrical experiences.
The motion picture, released in 2002 to positive critical acclaim but little enthusiasm from ticket-buyers, is also a delight. Writer/director Douglas McGrath whittled down Dickens’ massive tome to a mere 132 minutes, and yet one doesn’t miss the extracted bits. The screenplay is an essential lesson in adaptation. Now a gorgeously rendered Blu-ray release from Twilight Time, Nickleby can be re-evaluated and appreciated for the superb achievement it is.
“A Dickens Delight”
By Raymond Benson
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby may not immediately come to mind when naming the most well-known of author Charles Dickens’ novels, but it’s arguably one of his best. Besides being a cracking good story in print, the Royal Shakespeare Company famously produced an 8-1/2-hour long Tony Award-winning play (staged in two parts, with a dinner break) in 1980 that was one of this reviewer’s most treasured theatrical experiences.
The motion picture, released in 2002 to positive critical acclaim but little enthusiasm from ticket-buyers, is also a delight. Writer/director Douglas McGrath whittled down Dickens’ massive tome to a mere 132 minutes, and yet one doesn’t miss the extracted bits. The screenplay is an essential lesson in adaptation. Now a gorgeously rendered Blu-ray release from Twilight Time, Nickleby can be re-evaluated and appreciated for the superb achievement it is.
- 12/31/2016
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The Code. . Shelley Birse has taken out the top prize at this year.s Awgie Awards, winning the Major Award for the second season of ABC cyber-thriller The Code..
The first season of The Code also took out the Australian Writers. Guild Major Award in 2014. This year.s award makes it the only series to have been recognised by two Major Awards for both of its seasons. The Code also received the Awgie Award for the Television: Miniseries — Original category.
Overall, more than 25 Australian writers —.from radio, television, film, theatre and interactive media — were honoured at this year.s Awgie Awards, held in Sydney on Friday evening.
Andrew Knight and Osamah Sami.s Ali.s Wedding took out the award for most outstanding script for an original feature, while Shaun Grant and Craig Silvey received the award for most outstanding feature adaptation for Jasper Jones.
Samantha Strauss was honoured for her original telemovie,...
The first season of The Code also took out the Australian Writers. Guild Major Award in 2014. This year.s award makes it the only series to have been recognised by two Major Awards for both of its seasons. The Code also received the Awgie Award for the Television: Miniseries — Original category.
Overall, more than 25 Australian writers —.from radio, television, film, theatre and interactive media — were honoured at this year.s Awgie Awards, held in Sydney on Friday evening.
Andrew Knight and Osamah Sami.s Ali.s Wedding took out the award for most outstanding script for an original feature, while Shaun Grant and Craig Silvey received the award for most outstanding feature adaptation for Jasper Jones.
Samantha Strauss was honoured for her original telemovie,...
- 10/17/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Absolutely Fabulous is one of my favorite television shows, and the fact that Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie didn’t hit theaters off the back of a massive, almost unprecedented marketing push is something that I felt was something of a personal affront… sort of.
Jennifer Saunders is easily one of the funniest women to walk the Earth, and the real rub of the popularity of Absolutely Fabulous is that it never translated into American audiences seeking out all her other work.
Coming back to Edina after a bit of a break is still a stretch, because much as I love it, the show really covered the available ground, but you have to love seeing her, and Patsy, again. And, as much as the duo have gotten up to some rather crazy things in their past, killing Kate Moss is a worthy excuse to bring back the franchise. Well, you know what I mean.
Jennifer Saunders is easily one of the funniest women to walk the Earth, and the real rub of the popularity of Absolutely Fabulous is that it never translated into American audiences seeking out all her other work.
Coming back to Edina after a bit of a break is still a stretch, because much as I love it, the show really covered the available ground, but you have to love seeing her, and Patsy, again. And, as much as the duo have gotten up to some rather crazy things in their past, killing Kate Moss is a worthy excuse to bring back the franchise. Well, you know what I mean.
- 9/27/2016
- by Marc Eastman
- AreYouScreening.com
Plus: Ileen Reich assumes corp comms role at Participant Media; and more…
The Weinstein Company (TWC) has promoted Nicole Quenqua and Marguerite Michael to co-heads of TWC publicity.
Quenqua will run the department’s New York office and Michael will lead the publicity team in La.
TWC-Dimension has promoted Pantea Ghaderi to executive vice-president of publicity.
TWC top brass made the announcements as it emerged that president of publicity Dani Weinstein was departing after 16 years.
Ileen Reich has joined Participant Media as senior vice president of publicity and corporate communications. She arrives from Sony Pictures Entertainment where she served as senior vice-president of national publicity and reports to Christina Kounelias, executive vice-president of worldwide marketing and communications.George Blagden, Charleene Closshey, Robbie Kay, Stelio Savante, Michael Beach, and Raymond J. Barry have joined No Postage Necessary. The story of a hacktivist who tries to win the heart of a young widow is shooting in Florida until the end...
The Weinstein Company (TWC) has promoted Nicole Quenqua and Marguerite Michael to co-heads of TWC publicity.
Quenqua will run the department’s New York office and Michael will lead the publicity team in La.
TWC-Dimension has promoted Pantea Ghaderi to executive vice-president of publicity.
TWC top brass made the announcements as it emerged that president of publicity Dani Weinstein was departing after 16 years.
Ileen Reich has joined Participant Media as senior vice president of publicity and corporate communications. She arrives from Sony Pictures Entertainment where she served as senior vice-president of national publicity and reports to Christina Kounelias, executive vice-president of worldwide marketing and communications.George Blagden, Charleene Closshey, Robbie Kay, Stelio Savante, Michael Beach, and Raymond J. Barry have joined No Postage Necessary. The story of a hacktivist who tries to win the heart of a young widow is shooting in Florida until the end...
- 8/4/2016
- by govi2016@lawnet.ucla.edu (Alec Govi)
- ScreenDaily
It would take a comedic genius like Joanna Lumley to turn the single word “Gabon” into a three-act play. But it is the visionary Jennifer Saunders who wrote the joke, gave it to her partner in crime and brought the outrageous world of “Absolutely Fabulous” to life. And for that, we should all be in awe. Saunders is the star and creator of “Absolutely Fabulous” — “Ab Fab,” to fans — the movie based on the hit series that ran on BBC One for twenty years, and one of the most successful series-to-movie adaptations of the last decade.
Not that “Absolutely Fabulous” is a cinematic masterpiece, but unlike the big screen versions of “Sex and The City” or the just-released “Looking,” “Absolutely Fabulous” captures the irreverent fun of the series using an appropriately absurd plot device and does not read like a tired excuse to put the characters back in a room together.
Not that “Absolutely Fabulous” is a cinematic masterpiece, but unlike the big screen versions of “Sex and The City” or the just-released “Looking,” “Absolutely Fabulous” captures the irreverent fun of the series using an appropriately absurd plot device and does not read like a tired excuse to put the characters back in a room together.
- 7/22/2016
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie reunites fashionista-wannabee gal pals Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley) from the 1990s hit British TV comedy for more of their hard partying, party-crashing, champagne-swilling inappropriate shenanigans.
First off: if you are not already a fan steeped in the old British TV show Absolutely Fabulous but think Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie might give you a taste of what all the fuss was about, forget it – this film is not for you. Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie is strictly for fans, and unlike some movie adaptions, it does not give the uninitiated even much thought. It is possible to watch the whole film with nary a chuckle, having the nagging feeling there are plenty of in-jokes there soaring over your head. You would be right.
If you are a committed Ab Fab fan, the movie version may well be hilarious. At the promotional screening, there...
First off: if you are not already a fan steeped in the old British TV show Absolutely Fabulous but think Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie might give you a taste of what all the fuss was about, forget it – this film is not for you. Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie is strictly for fans, and unlike some movie adaptions, it does not give the uninitiated even much thought. It is possible to watch the whole film with nary a chuckle, having the nagging feeling there are plenty of in-jokes there soaring over your head. You would be right.
If you are a committed Ab Fab fan, the movie version may well be hilarious. At the promotional screening, there...
- 7/22/2016
- by Cate Marquis
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Appropriate for their big screen debut, Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone (Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley) are still oozing glitz and glamour, living the high life they are accustomed to; shopping, drinking and clubbing their way around London’s trendiest hotspots. But when they accidentally push Kate Moss into the river Thames at an uber fashionable launch party, Eddy and Patsy become entangled in a media storm surrounding the supermodel’s untimely demise and are relentlessly pursued by the paparazzi. Fleeing penniless to the glamorous playground of the super-rich, the French Riviera, they hatch a plan to make their escape permanent and live the high life forever more!
Fox Searchlight Pictures presents in association with BBC Films a DJ Films/Saunders & French production, starring Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, also starring Julia Sawalha, Jane Horrocks, June Whitfield, Chris Colfer, Kate Moss, Lulu, Emma Bunton, Robert Webb,...
Fox Searchlight Pictures presents in association with BBC Films a DJ Films/Saunders & French production, starring Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, also starring Julia Sawalha, Jane Horrocks, June Whitfield, Chris Colfer, Kate Moss, Lulu, Emma Bunton, Robert Webb,...
- 7/11/2016
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The cheeky comic actor is best known for her audacious cameos in the films Pitch Perfect and Bridesmaids. But, as her forthcoming role in Guys and Dolls suggests, she is also equipped for theatre
In the 1970s, it was all about Olivia Newton-John, with her sweatband and iridescent Lycra. Then came Kylie Minogue, cute in dungarees. Britain, it seems, has a habit of clutching petite, bubbly, blond Australian entertainers to its collective heart. But the current Aussie favourite is quite a different proposition.
Rebel Wilson is naughty, witty and brash, and definitely not petite. At 36, the comic actor from Sydney, who made her name with supporting roles in Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect, has quickly become a larger-than-life feature of the comedy firmament. As a carefully calibrated, living and breathing national stereotype, Wilson is proving as difficult to ignore as Barry Humphries/Dame Edna Everage and Crocodile Dundee himself, Paul Hogan,...
In the 1970s, it was all about Olivia Newton-John, with her sweatband and iridescent Lycra. Then came Kylie Minogue, cute in dungarees. Britain, it seems, has a habit of clutching petite, bubbly, blond Australian entertainers to its collective heart. But the current Aussie favourite is quite a different proposition.
Rebel Wilson is naughty, witty and brash, and definitely not petite. At 36, the comic actor from Sydney, who made her name with supporting roles in Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect, has quickly become a larger-than-life feature of the comedy firmament. As a carefully calibrated, living and breathing national stereotype, Wilson is proving as difficult to ignore as Barry Humphries/Dame Edna Everage and Crocodile Dundee himself, Paul Hogan,...
- 5/28/2016
- by Vanessa Thorpe
- The Guardian - Film News
Ahead of the trailer dropping for the film this week, Fox Searchlight Pictures has revealed the full list of celebrities set to make cameo appearances in the upcoming "Absolutely Fabulous" movie - a list that includes the likes of Kate Moss, Gwendoline Christie, Joan Collins, Barry Humphries, Jerry Hall and Jean Paul Gaultier.
In the film Edina and Patsy are blamed for a major incident at an uber fashionable launch party and become entangled in a media storm. Fleeing penniless to the glamorous playground of the super-rich, the French Riviera, they hatch a plan to make their escape permanent and live the high life forevermore.
Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha, Jane Horrocks and June Whitfield lead the cast of the film, joined in major roles by Kathy Burke, Helen Lederer, Harriet Thorpe, Celia Imrie, Mo Gaffney, Chris Ryan and both Emma Bunton and Lulu as themselves.
The full list of celebs are: Abbey Clancy,...
In the film Edina and Patsy are blamed for a major incident at an uber fashionable launch party and become entangled in a media storm. Fleeing penniless to the glamorous playground of the super-rich, the French Riviera, they hatch a plan to make their escape permanent and live the high life forevermore.
Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha, Jane Horrocks and June Whitfield lead the cast of the film, joined in major roles by Kathy Burke, Helen Lederer, Harriet Thorpe, Celia Imrie, Mo Gaffney, Chris Ryan and both Emma Bunton and Lulu as themselves.
The full list of celebs are: Abbey Clancy,...
- 4/25/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Some of Britain's film and music royalty attended Saturday's London wedding of 21st Century Fox and News Corp executive chairman Rupert Murdoch and model/actress Jerry Hall. Actor Michael Caine, musician Bob Geldof, former Rolling Stone Bill Wyman, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and playwright Tom Stoppard were among those celebrating the church wedding of the 84-year-old mogul and 59-year-old Hall at St. Bride's, the traditional "journalists' church" on Fleet Street in the British capital. Richard E. Grant, "Dame Edna" Barry Humphries and big Time Warner shareholder Vivi Nevo were also among the guests, according to sources and
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- 3/5/2016
- by Alex Ritman, Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Barry Humphries has joked the reason 'Downton Abbey' is so successful in America is because of its all-white cast. The 81-year-old star - made famous for his popular TV drag act Dame Edna Everage - has quipped that viewers in the Us are drawn to the ITV melodrama, which came to an end over the festive season following five years on screen, because there are no black actors starring in it. Asked why he thinks the period drama is so popular in the States, he told the RadioTimes magazine with a giggle: ''Because there are no black people in it.'' Nevertheless,...
- 1/5/2016
- Virgin Media - TV
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