Gerald Campion

Gerald Campion

Gerald Theron Campion (born 23 April 1921 in Bloomsbury, London, England; died 9 July 2002 in Agen, Aquitaine, France) was an English actor best known for his role as Billy Bunter in a 1950s television adaptation of books by Frank Richards (Charles Hamilton).

The son of a screen writer, Cyril Campion, Gerald Campion 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). In 1979 he recorded an appearance in Shada, a Doctor Who story which was recorded in part but never broadcast.

After dropping out of acting, he ran clubs and restaurants in London's Soho, the most famous - and enduring - of which is Gerry's, a private member's club attracting a mainly theatrical membership.

Campion later reprised the role of Bunter (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 his form master at Greyfriars School, Horace Henry Samuel Quelch, became a secret agent.