Jump to content

Edith Campion (actress)

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edith Campion
MBE
in 1946 as "Mary Boyle" in "Juno and the Paycock"
Born
Beverley Georgette Hannah

(1923-12-13)13 December 1923
Wellington, New Zealand
Died16 September 2007(2007-09-16) (aged 83)
Ōtaki, New Zealand
Occupation(s)Actress, writer
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1945; div. 1987)​
Children3, including Jane Campion
RelativesAlice Englert (granddaughter)
Sheilah Winn (cousin)[1]

Edith Campion MBE (born Beverley Georgette Hannah; 13 December 1923 – 16 September 2007) was a New Zealand actor, writer, and a co-founder of the New Zealand Players theatre company.[2][3]

Early life

[edit]

Campion was the only child of George Alfred Hannah (1891—1931), the youngest child of Robert and Hannah Hannah[4][5][6] and his wife Jessie McLean Hannah (née Armstrong).[7] Robert Hannah founded the R. Hannah and Co. shoemaking business, owning shoe factories and a chain of shops throughout the country.[1]

Her father died when she was 8 and her mother 2 years later but her maternal grandmother did not die until 1944. Campion was educated at Queen Margaret College and Nga Tawa Diocesan School as well as receiving a private education from governesses.[2] In 1942 she attended Victoria University of Wellington.[2] In 1945 Campion married Richard.[8] She then travelled with him to London in 1948 to attend the Old Vic Theatre School, training as an actor.[9]

New Zealand Players Theatre Company

[edit]

Campion founded the New Zealand Players Theatre Company in 1953 with her husband Richard, using some of her inheritance to finance the company.[10][11][12] She acted numerous leading roles in many productions put on by the company and by the 1950s was regarded as one of New Zealand's pre-eminent actresses.[2] In 1955 Campion took the lead role of Saint Joan in the play of the same name and garnered very favourable reviews.[13] This production was also notable as Douglas Lilburn composed the incidental music for it.[13] In 1959 Campion became a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.[14]

Writing career

[edit]

In the late 1970s Campion began writing more, producing works of fiction and of poetry.[9] In 1977 she published A Place to Pass Through and Other Stories and in 1979 had her novella The Chain published in a co-publication called Tandem along with En Route, a novella by Frank Sargeson.[9]

Later life

[edit]

She was divorced from Richard in 1987.[2] In 1990 Campion had a cameo role in her daughter Jane's movie An Angel at My Table.[2] Jane's 1993 film The Piano was also dedicated to her.[9] Campion died in September 2007.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b O'Neil, Andrea (14 September 2015). "Robert Hannah's shoe empire marches into Wellington - 150 years of news". Stuff. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Kiwi actress Edith Campion dies". Stuff. 31 January 2009. Archived from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Obituary: Edith Campion". NZ Herald. 22 September 2007. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  4. ^ Memorial inscription Karori cemetery
  5. ^ Personal, Horowhenua Chronicle 2 June 1931 Page 4
  6. ^ "Creator of professional theatre". Stuff. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  7. ^ Deaths The Evening Post 25 March 1944 Page 1
  8. ^ "Wedding at St Paul's". Evening Post. Vol. CXL, no. 152. 26 December 1945. p. 8. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  9. ^ a b c d Robinson, Roger (2006). "Campion, Edith". In Robinson, Roger; Wattie, Nelson (eds.). The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Literature. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780195583489.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-1917-3519-6. OCLC 865265749. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  10. ^ The Oxford encyclopedia of theatre and performance. Dennis Kennedy. New York. 2003. ISBN 0-19-861096-3. OCLC 79410878.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  11. ^ Zohrab, Irene (1997). "Raymond Boyce's Reminiscences on the New Zealand 'Petrouchka' and the Russian Tradition in Theatre". New Zealand Slavonic Journal: 221–238. ISSN 0028-8683. JSTOR 23806806.
  12. ^ Derby, Mark (22 October 2014). "The rise of professional companies". teara.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 7 November 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  13. ^ a b Nathan, Rhoda (1994). "A Fabian Down Under: Shaw's Plays in the Antipodes". Shaw. 14: 167–176. ISSN 0741-5842. JSTOR 40655118.
  14. ^ "New Year honours list" (PDF). New Zealand Gazette. No. 2. 15 January 1959. p. 31.
Retrieved from "http://en.wiki.x.io/w/index.php?title=Edith_Campion_(actress)&oldid=1214572561"