Humphries was born on February 17, 1934, in the Melbourne, Victoria, neighborhood of Kew.
He was the son of construction manager Eric Humphries (born John Albert Eric Humphries; 1905–1972) and his wife Louisa Agnes (née Brown; 1907–1984).
His early years were happy and uncomplicated, earning him the moniker “Sunny Sam” from his parents.
Humphries started to become “artistic” in his teens as a way of rebelling against the restrictions of traditional suburban life, much to the dismay of his wealthy parents who disapproved of “art.”
When Barry was nine years old, a significant event occurred. His mother gladly donated all of his books to The Salvation Army, saying, “But you’ve read them, Barry.”
Elizabeth Spender: Who is Barry Humphries’ wife?
Elizabeth “Lizzie” Spender, his fourth wife (since 1990), was once an actor and is the child of Sir Stephen Spender, a British poet, and Natasha Spender, a concert pianist. Their residence for the past 40 years has been a terraced townhouse in West Hampstead.