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
Died	16 September 2007(2007-09-16) (aged 83) Ōtaki, New Zealand
Occupation(s)	Actress, writer
Spouse	Richard Campion ​ ​ ( m. 1945; div. 1987)​
Children	3, including Jane Campion
Relatives	Alice 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]}

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]

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]

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]

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]