Gerald Theron Campion (23 April 1921 – 9 July 2002) was an English actor. He is best remembered for his role as

Billy Bunter William George Bunter is a fictional schoolboy created by Charles Hamilton using the pen name Frank Richards. He features in stories set at Greyfriars School, a fictional English public school in Kent, originally published in the boys' weekly ...

in a 1950s television adaptation ('' Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School'') of books by Frank Richards (Charles Hamilton).

Biography

His father Cyril Theron Campion (1894–1961) – a playwright and screenwriter – and Blanche Louise Tunstall née Bear (1890–1933) – a cousin-german of Charlie Chaplin – married in 1920 in London. Campion was born in Bloomsbury,

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, an only child. He won a place at

RADA The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Se ...

at age 15, and appeared in numerous films and television programmes – mostly comedies. In 1937, he appeared in Tavs Neiiendam's radio play ''Inspiration to a Poet'' on the BBC Home Service.

His only major success was as Bunter, a juvenile role he played successfully despite being much older than his character (he was 40 when the series ended). Campion later reprised the role (now Lord Bunter of Hove, who had succeeded in betting shops and property) in the

BBC Radio 7 BBC Radio 4 Extra (formerly BBC Radio 7) is a British Digital radio in the United Kingdom, digital radio broadcasting, radio station from the BBC, broadcasting archived repeats of comedy, drama and documentary programmes nationally, 24 hours a ...

series ''Whatever Happened to ...?'' in the episode that speculated on whether Bunter's form master at

Greyfriars School Greyfriars School is a fictional English public school used as a setting in the long-running series of stories by the writer Charles Hamilton, who wrote under the pen-name of Frank Richards. Although the stories are focused on the Remove (or l ...

, Horace Henry Samuel Quelch, became a secret agent. In 1979, he recorded an appearance in '' Shada'', a '' Doctor Who'' story which was not completed in its intended form. After dropping out of acting, Campion ran clubs and restaurants in London's

Soho Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was develo ...

, the best known of which is Gerry's, a long running private members' club attracting a mainly theatrical membership.

Personal life

Campion's first marriage, with Jean M Sherman (Simmonds) (1925–) in London in 1947, ended in divorce in 1972. They had three children: Anthea (a singer who married composer

Thomas Rajna Thomas Rajna (21 December 1928 – 16 July 2021) was a British pianist and composer of Hungarian birth. He had been domiciled in Cape Town in South Africa since 1970. Biography Rajna was born in Budapest, Hungary. He started to play the piano ...

); Anthony, born in1948; and Angelica, born in1962. His second marriage, with Susan (Suzie) Marks in 1973, ended with his death. Campion lived in

Wittersham Wittersham is a small village and civil parish in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. It is part of the Isle of Oxney. History The Domesday Book of 1086 does not mention Wittersham, but it does assign the manor of Palstre to Odo, Bishop ...

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

for many years. He and his wife Suzie moved to France in 1991. He died in 2002 aged 81 in

Agen The commune of Agen (, ; ) is the prefecture of the Lot-et-Garonne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It lies on the river Garonne southeast of Bordeaux. Geography The city of Agen lies in the southwestern department ...

Aquitaine Aquitaine ( , , ; oc, Aquitània ; eu, Akitania; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Aguiéne''), archaic Guyenne or Guienne ( oc, Guiana), is a historical region of southwestern France and a former administrative region of the country. Since 1 Janu ...

, France.

Selected filmography

* '' The Drum'' (1938) – Soldier (uncredited) * ''

The Ghost of St. Michael's ''The Ghost of St. Michael's'' is a 1941 British comedy- thriller film, produced by Ealing Studios. Will Hay, the film's star, replaced his sidekicks, Graham Moffatt and Moore Marriott, from his previous film '' Where's That Fire?'' with comed ...

'' (1941) – Pupil at Rear of Class (uncredited) * '' Take My Life'' (1947) – Newspaper Seller at Station (uncredited) * '' Miranda'' (1948) – Lift Boy (uncredited) * ''

The Pickwick Papers ''The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club'' (also known as ''The Pickwick Papers'') was Charles Dickens's first novel. Because of his success with '' Sketches by Boz'' published in 1836, Dickens was asked by the publisher Chapman & Hall to ...

'' (1952) – Joe, the Fat Boy * '' Top of the Form'' (1953) – Pugley * '' Knave of Hearts'' (1954) – Harry (uncredited) * ''

Up to His Neck ''Up to His Neck'' is a 1954 British comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Ronald Shiner as Jack Carter, Hattie Jacques as Rakiki and Anthony Newley as Tommy. It was shot at Pinewood Studios near London with sets designed by ...

'' (1954) – Skinny * '' Fun at St. Fanny's'' (1956) – Fatty Gilbert * '' Jumping for Joy'' (1956) – Man with Ice Cream (uncredited) * '' Keep It Clean'' (1956) – Rasher * ''

Carry On Sergeant ''Carry On Sergeant'' is a 1958 British comedy film about National Service starring William Hartnell, Bob Monkhouse and Eric Barker; it is the first in the series of ''Carry On'' films, with 31 entries released from 1958 to 1992. The film was ...

'' (1958) – Andy Galloway * '' Inn for Trouble'' (1960) – George * ''

School for Scoundrels School for Scoundrels may refer to: * ''School for Scoundrels'' (1960 film), a British comedy film starring Ian Carmichael, Terry-Thomas and Alistair Sim * ''School for Scoundrels'' (2006 film), an American film based on the above, featuring Bil ...

'' (1960) – Proudfoot * ''

Double Bunk ''Double Bunk'' is a British black-and-white comedy film set on a houseboat. It was released in 1961, and stars Ian Carmichael and Sid James. The musical score was composed by Stanley Black, and the title song, sung by Sid James and Liz Frase ...

'' (1961) – Charlie * '' Jigsaw'' (1962) – Glazier (uncredited) * '' The Fast Lady'' (1962) – Actor in Scottish TV show * '' A Home of Your Own'' (1964) * ''

The Comedy Man ''The Comedy Man'' is a 1964 British kitchen sink realism drama film directed by Alvin Rakoff and starring Kenneth More, Cecil Parker, Dennis Price and Billie Whitelaw. It depicts the life of a struggling actor in Swinging London. More later s ...

'' (1964) – Gerry * ''

Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines ''Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines; Or, How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes'' is a 1965 British period comedy film that satirizes the early years of aviation. Directed and co-written by Ken Annakin, the film ...

'' (1965) – Fireman (uncredited) * '' The Sandwich Man'' (1966) – Fred – Sandwich Man in Suit of Armour * ''

The Sorcerers ''The Sorcerers'' is a 1967 British science fiction/horror film directed by Michael Reeves, starring Boris Karloff, Catherine Lacey, Ian Ogilvy, and Susan George. The original story and screenplay was conceived and written by John Burke. ...

'' (1967) – Customer in China Shop * ''

Half a Sixpence ''Half a Sixpence'' is a 1963 musical comedy based on the 1905 novel ''Kipps'' by H. G. Wells, with music and lyrics by David Heneker and a book by Beverley Cross. It was written as a vehicle for British pop star Tommy Steele. Background ...

'' (1967) – Fat Boy * '' Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' (1968) – Minister * '' Atlantic Wall'' (1970) – Clergyman 2 * '' The Six Napoleons'' from '' The Return of Sherlock Holmes'' (1986) – Morse Hudson * ''

Little Dorrit ''Little Dorrit'' is a novel by Charles Dickens, originally published in serial form between 1855 and 1857. The story features Amy Dorrit, youngest child of her family, born and raised in the Marshalsea prison for debtors in London. Arthur Cl ...

'' (1987) – Mr. Tetterby * ''

Just Ask for Diamond ''Just Ask for Diamond'', alternatively titled ''Diamond's Edge'', is a 1988 British comedy crime film directed by Stephen Bayly and starring Colin Dale, Saeed Jaffrey and Dursley McLinden. It is based on ''The Falcon's Malteser'' (1986), the ...

'' (1988) – Uncle Holly

References

Sources

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Campion, Gerald 1921 births 2002 deaths Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art English male stage actors English male film actors English male television actors People educated at University College School People from Bloomsbury People from Wittersham