Sandy Stone was a male character played by the Australian comedian

Barry Humphries John Barry Humphries (17 February 1934 – 22 April 2023) was an Australian comedian, actor, author and satirist. He was best known for writing and playing his stage and television characters Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson. He appeare ...

. Described by

John Betjeman Sir John Betjeman, (; 28 August 190619 May 1984) was an English poet, writer, and broadcaster. He was Poet Laureate from 1972 until his death. He was a founding member of The Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architect ...

as "this decent man from the suburbs", Stone is one of Humphries' more enduring characters.

History of character

The inspiration for Sandy came from a neighbour, a Mr Whittle, whom Humphries knew as a boy, and was portrayed in a short story, ''Sandy Stone's Big Week'', written by Humphries (under the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...

H. Grahame) in 1956 but not published until 1958 (in a Canberra student magazine ''Prometheus''). Humphries describes Sandy, originally called Dusty, as an "elderly, childless man" living in the suburbs of Melbourne. His vocal mannerisms came from an aged man Humphries met on

Bondi Beach Bondi Beach () is a popular beach and the name of the surrounding suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Bondi Beach is located east of the Sydney central business district, in the Local government in Australia, local government area of ...

. One of Sandy's monologues was part of the recording ''A Nice Night's Entertainment'', which was particularly enjoyed by Humphries' friend,

Peter Cook Peter Edward Cook (17 November 1937 – 9 January 1995) was an English comedian, actor, satirist, playwright and screenwriter. He was the leading figure of the British satire boom of the 1960s, and he was associated with the anti-establishmen ...

. Humphries was still writing monologues for Sandy Stone "Australia’s most boring man". He said in 2016 that "slowly the character has deepened, so I begin to understand and appreciate him, and finally feel myself turning into him". In Humphries' later years, he no longer required makeup for the part, and played Sandy in his own dressing gown.

Character

Sandy's monologues were sometimes inspired by stories recounted to Humphries by friends or family, like the tale of Dot Swift who was handed over to the Twilight Home which may be the very same home, or perhaps a subsidiary of the one

Dame Edna Dame Edna Everage, often known simply as Dame Edna, is a character created and portrayed by Australian comedian Barry Humphries, known for her lilac-coloured ("wisteria hue") hair and cat eye glasses ("face furniture"); her favourite flower, ...

's mother resides in. Barry Humphries sometimes used the character to balance pathos with humor or satire: in one monologue having the ghost of Sandy Stone recall his four-year-old daughter who died in the 1930s and how his wife then suffered a breakdown. The Australian columnist

Peter Craven Peter Theodore Craven
, fansite biography by Jim Blanchard. (accessed 12 July 2006). (21 June 1934 – ...

commented that Humphries in his Sandy Stone persona could "reduce an audience of young unbelieving cynics to tears with material that might have been written by James Joyce - delivered with wan, uncomprehending wonderment".Peter Craven, page X ''The Spectator'' Australia 28 July 2012 In some recent appearances (''Shades''), Sandy states he never had any children. A specialist had confirmed this and he never ever completed work on dolls house furniture he had started in his workshop. The planned "nursery" lost its purpose and name. The character is featured in the track ''Sandy Agonistes'' on Humphries' comedy recording ''Moonee Ponds Muse, Vol. 1'' The complete scripts (edited by Colin O'Brien) of all the Stone soliloquies were published in ''The Life and Death of Sandy Stone'' in 1990.

Painting

The artist

Sidney Nolan Sir Sidney Robert Nolan (22 April 191728 November 1992) was one of the leading Australian artists of the 20th century. Working in a wide variety of media, his oeuvre is among the most diverse and prolific in all of modern art. He is best known ...

painted a portrait of the character.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stone, Sandy Comedy theatre characters Fictional Australian people Male characters in theatre Theatre characters introduced in 1958 Barry Humphries