Gerald Campion
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Gerald Theron Campion (23 April 1921 – 9 July 2002) was an English actor. He is best remembered for his role as Billy Bunter 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 first cousin of
Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...
– married in 1920 in London. Campion was born in
Bloomsbury Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London, part of the London Borough of Camden in England. It is considered a fashionable residential area, and is the location of numerous cultural institution, cultural, intellectual, and educational ...
,
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, an only child. He won a place at RADA 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 The BBC Home Service was a national and regional radio station that broadcast from 1939 until 1967, when it was replaced by BBC Radio 4. History 1922–1939: Interwar period Between the early 1920s and the outbreak of World War II, the BBC ...
. 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 series ''Whatever Happened to ...?'' in the episode that speculated on whether Bunter's form master at Greyfriars School, Horace Henry Samuel Quelch, became a secret agent. In 1979, he recorded an appearance in '' Shada'', a ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...
'' story which was not completed in its intended form. After dropping out of acting, Campion ran clubs and restaurants in London's Soho, 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) (b. 1925) in London in 1947, ended in divorce in 1972. They had three children: Anthea (a singer who married composer Thomas Rajna); Anthony, born in 1948; and Angelica, born in 1962. His second marriage, with Susan (Suzie) Marks in 1973, ended with his death. Campion lived in Wittersham,
Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
for many years. He and his wife Suzie moved to France in 1991. He died in 2002 aged 81 in Agen,
Aquitaine Aquitaine (, ; ; ; ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Aguiéne''), archaic Guyenne or Guienne (), is a historical region of southwestern France and a former Regions of France, administrative region. Since 1 January 2016 it has been part of the administ ...
, France.


Selected filmography

* '' The Drum'' (1938) – Soldier (uncredited) * '' The Ghost of St. Michael's'' (1941) – Pupil at Rear of Class (uncredited) * '' Take My Life'' (1947) – Newspaper Seller at Station (uncredited) * '' Miranda'' (1948) – Lift Boy (uncredited) * '' The Pickwick Papers'' (1952) – Joe, the Fat Boy * '' Top of the Form'' (1953) – Pugley * '' Knave of Hearts'' (1954) – Harry (uncredited) * '' Up to His Neck'' (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'' (1958) – Andy Galloway * '' Inn for Trouble'' (1960) – George * '' School for Scoundrels'' (1960) – Proudfoot * '' Double Bunk'' (1961) – Charlie * '' Jigsaw'' (1962) – Glazier (uncredited) * '' The Fast Lady'' (1962) – Actor in Scottish TV show * '' A Home of Your Own'' (1964) * '' The Comedy Man'' (1964) – Gerry * '' Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines'' (1965) – Fireman (uncredited) * '' The Sandwich Man'' (1966) – Fred – Sandwich Man in Suit of Armour * '' The Sorcerers'' (1967) – Customer in China Shop * '' Half a Sixpence'' (1967) – Fat Boy * ''
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' is a 1968 children's film, children's Musical film, musical fantasy film directed by Ken Hughes and produced by Albert R. Broccoli. It stars Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Lionel Jeffries, Gert Fröbe, Anna Quayle, ...
'' (1968) – Minister * '' Atlantic Wall'' (1970) – Clergyman 2 * '' The Six Napoleons'' from '' The Return of Sherlock Holmes'' (1986) – Morse Hudson * '' Little Dorrit'' (1987) – Mr. Tetterby * '' Just Ask for Diamond'' (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 Actors from the London Borough of Camden People from Wittersham Male actors from London Male actors from Kent People from Bloomsbury Actors from the Borough of Ashford Billy Bunter