One of the earliest mentions of Barry Humphries in the Guardian was in an arts report from 1978, ahead of a new West End theatre production.

When drawn by reporters at a press conference in London about the production, rumoured to be on the Dracula story, Humphries, dressed as Dame Edna Everage and sporting her familiar lilac-rinsed hair and glitter-spiked spectacles, said in her customary style: “There’s room for something tasteless in London. There’s too much good taste in Britain and there won’t be much left when I’m gone”.

[Oh, he was a HOOT, in the best British sense. There’s a nice round-up of tributes at the link. ~ Beege]