Edith Campion (actress)

Campion was the only child of George Alfred Hannah (1891—1931), the youngest child of Robert 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,^[9][10] training as an actor.^[11]

Campion founded the New Zealand Players Theatre Company in 1953 with her husband Richard, using some of her inheritance to finance the company.^[12][13][14] 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.^[15] This production was also notable as Douglas Lilburn composed the incidental music for it.^[15] In 1959 Campion became a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.^[16]

In the late 1970s Campion began writing more, producing works of fiction and of poetry.^[11] 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.^[11]

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.^[11] Campion died in September 2007.^[2]