Wednesday 20 March 2013

Gerald 'Bunter' Campion.

                                          

Those of us with enough years under our belts will fondly remember Gerald Campion as Billy Bunty; the obese boy from Greyfriars School, who was always either eating or attempting to steal something to eat.

My family were late-comers to TV, but I do remember seeing the Bunter programmes at a friend's house. He and his friends weren't unlike my own school friends; but I don't think we had an equivalent of Bunter himself.

I loved Bunter, and it's amazing how many of his classmates are now household names. Amongst those schoolboy actors in the original TV series were Anthony Valentine, Michael Crawford, Ron Moody, the wonderful Sam Kydd, and David Hemmings. All of whom, I imagine, were experiencing their first TV roles at Greyfriars.

After his acting career came to an end, Campion ran a series of well known clubs and restaurants in and around London's West End, where his hospitality was legendary.

Campion was also a real-life gourmet, and he retired to Agen in S W France, not far from where I live; which is where he died in 2002 aged 81.

I say, you fellows; anyone got some cake?




19 comments:

  1. I must not have enough years under my belt - I have no knowledge or recollection of him.

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    1. I don't think he travelled outside the UK.

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  2. I think you have got a treasure chest/gold mine of British films, radio and television to write blogs about there Cro. My heroes are Will Haye and Basil Rathbone. I'm 49 but I know Billy Bunter.

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    1. Will Hay was an alternative Quelch, and his stooge Graham Moffatt an alternative Bunter.

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  3. See my belt? and those years underneath it? well that means that I remember Billy Bunter....and Jimmy Clitheroe and Mr Pastry and Crackerjack etc., and obviously watched way too much tv.

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  4. Ah yes, I remember it well ...

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  5. I never got to see Billy Bunter on TV, but I read the books by Frank Richards voraciously. I thought it was rotten that Billy always seemed to be getting kicked on his rump by other boys and terrorised by Quelch.
    Thanks for reminding me, I am going to read them again!

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  6. Crackerjack... Give him a cabbage!

    LLX

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  7. I Misread the title on my blog and thought it was a post on Gerard Butler the hunky actor
    How disappointed was i

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  8. YOU BEASTS! To be fair, it has to be said that Sam Kydd was in EVERYTHING between about 1938 and 1970.

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    Replies
    1. You're right. There was hardly an English made film without him.

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  9. I found the Billy Bunter books far more entertaining than the Beebs TV series

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  10. Don't ask me why but as I was reading your post Cardew the Cad came into mind. lol
    That says something about my age...
    Briony
    x

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    Replies
    1. Wasn't that Cardew Robinson? A wonderful comic actor.

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  11. I read the books but never saw the series.

    When I was a young soldier stationed in Germany, I had an officer who was everything I imagined Bunter to be. All the troops loved him and when we were on exercise, we would secretly divide all his kit up amongst ourselves so he stood at least a reasonable chance of completing a cross country route march. It's something Hollywood doesn't understand; you don't have to be Jean Cluade Van Damme to be a good officer. Since you just reminded me of him, I looked him up on the London Gazette and I see he is STILL serving as a retired officer on the active reserve and has just won another medal. I could never imagine him winning a medal unless it was for being first in the cookhouse queue every day for a week. He was instrumental in me gaining a commission so I still feel guilty for stencilling his dog up with a Nato Part Number. I did make it up to him, however, when he got a hot date with a nurse from RAF Wegburg and I persuaded him that his best chance for a leg over would be to take my Triumph Stag and not his clapped out VW.

    Your post about Billy Bunter has just brought back some very pleasant memories.

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    1. Don't know why, but I never came across the books. I was probably too busy reading the Bulldog Drummond adventures; my favourites at that time.

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  12. Yes crow you're right, it was Cardew Robinson, I can still see his face quite vividly.
    As for the ginger cat, I am presuming that it is a feral cat from abroad somewhere.
    Briony
    x

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