Albert Campion is a
fictional character
In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
in a series of
detective novels and short stories by
Margery Allingham
Margery Louise Allingham (20 May 1904 – 30 June 1966) was an English novelist from the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", and considered one of its four "Queens of Crime", alongside Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers and Ngaio Marsh.
Alli ...
. He first appeared as a supporting character in ''
The Crime at Black Dudley
''The Crime at Black Dudley'', also known in the United States as ''The Black Dudley Murder'', is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in 1929, in the United Kingdom by Jarrolds, London and in the United States by Doubleday Dora ...
'' (1929), an
adventure story
Adventure fiction is a type of fiction that usually presents danger, or gives the reader a sense of excitement. Some adventure fiction also satisfies the literary definition of romance fiction.
History
In the Introduction to the ''Encyclopedi ...
involving a ring of criminals, and would go on to feature in another 18
novel
A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...
s and over 20
short stories
A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest t ...
.
Supposedly created as a
parody
A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its subj ...
of
Dorothy L. Sayers
Dorothy Leigh Sayers (; 13 June 1893 – 17 December 1957) was an English crime writer and poet. She was also a student of classical and modern languages.
She is best known for her mysteries, a series of novels and short stories set between th ...
' detective
Lord Peter Wimsey
Lord Peter Death Bredon Wimsey (later 17th Duke of Denver) is the fictional protagonist in a series of detective novels and short stories by Dorothy L. Sayers (and their continuation by Jill Paton Walsh). A dilettante who solves mysteries fo ...
, Campion established his own identity, and matured and developed as the series progressed. After Allingham's death her husband Philip Youngman Carter completed her last Campion book and wrote two more before his own death.
Fictional biography
Albert Campion is a
pseudonym
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
used by a man who was born in 1900 into a prominent
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
aristocratic
Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'.
At the time of the word's ...
family. Early novels hint that he was part of the Royal Family but this suggestion is dropped in later works. He was educated at
Rugby School
Rugby School is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Rugby, Warwickshire, England.
Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain. Up ...
and the (fictitious) St. Ignatius' College,
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
(according to a mini-biography included in ''
Sweet Danger
''Sweet Danger'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in October 1933, in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in the United States by The Crime Club as ''Kingdom of Death''; later US versions used the title ''The Fea ...
''; this is also hinted at in ''
Police at the Funeral
''Police at the Funeral'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in October 1931, in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in 1932 in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York. It is the fourth novel with the myster ...
''). Ingenious, resourceful and well-educated, in his 20s he assumed the name Campion and began a life as an adventurer and detective.
Characteristics
Campion is thin, blond, wears horn-rimmed glasses, and is often described as affable, inoffensive and bland, with a deceptively blank and unintelligent expression. He is, nonetheless, a man of authority and action, and considers himself to be a helpful and comforting 'Uncle Albert' to friends and those in need. In some stories, he lives in a
flat
Flat or flats may refer to:
Architecture
* Flat (housing), an apartment in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and other Commonwealth countries
Arts and entertainment
* Flat (music), a symbol () which denotes a lower pitch
* Flat (soldier), ...
above a
police station
A police station (sometimes called a "station house" or just "house") is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, al ...
at Number 17A, Bottle Street in
Piccadilly
Piccadilly () is a road in the City of Westminster, London, to the south of Mayfair, between Hyde Park Corner in the west and Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is part of the A4 road that connects central London to Hammersmith, Earl's Court, ...
,
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. In the early stories he has a pet
jackdaw
Jackdaws are two species of bird in the genus ''Coloeus'' closely related to, but generally smaller than, the crows and ravens (''Corvus''). ''Coloeus'' is sometimes treated as a subgenus of ''Corvus'', including by the IUCN.Madge & Burn (1994) ...
called
Autolycus.
Names
The name 'Campion' may have its origin in the Old French word for 'champion'. Another source says the name was suggested by Allingham's husband, Philip Youngman Carter, and may allude to the
Jesuit
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
martyr St.
Edmund Campion
Edmund Campion, SJ (25 January 15401 December 1581) was an English Jesuit priest and martyr. While conducting an underground ministry in officially Anglican England, Campion was arrested by priest hunters. Convicted of high treason, he was h ...
. Carter and St. Edmund Campion were both graduates of
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 11–18) with a royal charter located to the south of Horsham in West Sussex. The school was founded in 1552 and received its first royal charter in 1553 ...
school. Campion's fictional college, St. Ignatius, supports the Edmund Campion connection, since St.
Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola, Society of Jesus, S.J. (born Íñigo López de Oñaz y Loyola; eu, Ignazio Loiolakoa; es, Ignacio de Loyola; la, Ignatius de Loyola; – 31 July 1556), venerated as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a Spain, Spanish Catholic ...
was the founder of the Jesuits. There are also occasional references in the books to the field-flower
campion (e.g., ''Look to the Lady'' ch. 21), evoking the similar relationship between the fictional hero
the Scarlet Pimpernel
''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is the first novel in a series of historical fiction by Baroness Orczy, published in 1905. It was written after her stage play of the same title (co-authored with Montague Barstow) enjoyed a long run in London, having ...
and the
pimpernel flower.
'Albert Campion' is revealed early on to be a pseudonym. In ''
Mystery Mile
''Mystery Mile'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in 1930, in the United Kingdom by Jarrolds Publishing, London, and in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York. Following his first, supporting appearance in '' The ...
'' and ''
Police at the Funeral
''Police at the Funeral'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in October 1931, in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in 1932 in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York. It is the fourth novel with the myster ...
'', his true first name is said to be Rudolph, while his surname begins with a K. In ''
The Fashion in Shrouds'' he also mentions his first name being Rudolph but confides he changed it, asking people to call him Albert as he did not like the name Rudolph. In ''
Look to the Lady
''Look to the Lady'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in January 1931, in the United Kingdom by Jarrolds Publishing, London, and in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York, as ''The Gyrth Chalice Mystery''. It is t ...
'' the butler reveals to Lugg that he has deduced who Campion is by a particular feature of his pyjamas which he has also seen on Campion's elder brother's pyjamas.
Campion has used many other names in the course of his career. 'Mornington Dove' (although in the 1988 Avon edition (page 72) of 'The Black Dudley Murder', and in the 1950 UK Penguin edition of "the Crime at Black Dudley", he is called 'Mornington Dodd') and 'the Honourable Tootles Ash' are mentioned in ''The Crime at Black Dudley''; 'Christopher Twelvetrees' and 'Orlando' are mentioned in ''
Look to the Lady
''Look to the Lady'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in January 1931, in the United Kingdom by Jarrolds Publishing, London, and in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York, as ''The Gyrth Chalice Mystery''. It is t ...
''.
Family and background
Allingham makes various references to Campion's aristocratic background, and hints at a connection to royalty in several asides. A study of the books suggests his father was a
viscount
A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status.
In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial ...
and was already dead at the start of the series. Campion's mother is mentioned several times and writes a letter in ''The Fashion in Shrouds'', and Campion borrows a car from his older brother (apparently the current holder of the title) in ''Mystery Mile'', but neither of them appears in person. In ''Sweet Danger'', it was mentioned that his brother was 'still unmarried' and therefore Campion is likely to 'come into the title some day.' In ''Coroner's Pidgin'' a character mentions Campion's uncle, a bishop, and says, 'Let me see, you're the only nephew now, aren't you?' This indicates that, by the middle of the Second World War, Campion's older brother Herbert has died and Campion has inherited the title.
In ''More Work For the Undertaker'', set just after the war, Lugg addresses Campion sarcastically as 'young Viscount Clever'. Campion's sister Valentine Ferris plays a central part in ''The Fashion in Shrouds''; in that book, it is revealed that they are both estranged from most of their family. In ''
Police at the Funeral
''Police at the Funeral'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in October 1931, in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in 1932 in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York. It is the fourth novel with the myster ...
'', the venerable Caroline Faraday is aware of his true identity, and knows his grandmother Emily (whom she refers to as 'The Dowager') – she calls him by his real name, 'Rudolph', and states at one point that the rest of his family blame Emily for encouraging Campion in his adventurous ways.
Associates
From ''Mystery Mile'' onwards, Campion is normally aided by his
manservant
A domestic worker or domestic servant is a person who works within the scope of a residence. The term "domestic service" applies to the equivalent occupational category. In traditional English contexts, such a person was said to be "in service ...
,
Magersfontein Lugg
Magersfontein Lugg is a fictional character in the Albert Campion detective novels, written by Margery Allingham. Servant and factotum to Mr Campion, Lugg is a former burglar, with a gruff manner, who hinders Campion socially as much as he helps d ...
, an uncouth, rough-and-tumble fellow who used to be a
burglar
Burglary, also called breaking and entering and sometimes housebreaking, is the act of entering a building or other areas without permission, with the intention of committing a criminal offence. Usually that offence is theft, robbery or murd ...
. Campion is good friends with
Inspector
Inspector, also police inspector or inspector of police, is a police rank. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it.
Australia
In Australian police forces, the rank of inspector is generally the ne ...
(later
Superintendent
Superintendent may refer to:
*Superintendent (police), Superintendent of Police (SP), or Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), a police rank
*Prison warden or Superintendent, a prison administrator
*Superintendent (ecclesiastical), a church exec ...
)
Stanislaus Oates
This is a list of the recurring characters in the Albert Campion novels and short stories by Margery Allingham.
Central characters
*Albert Campion describes himself (in ''Police at the Funeral'') as a professional adventurer. He is a member of ...
of
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London's 32 boroughs, but not the City of London, the square mile that forms London's ...
, who is as by-the-book as Campion is unorthodox, and in later books with Oates's protégé Inspector
Charles Luke.
In wartime, Campion is involved in
intelligence
Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. More generally, it can b ...
work, and after the war he continues to have a connection to the secret services.
Campion also has many friends and allies, seemingly scattered all across London and the English countryside, often including professional criminals. In the short story "The Meaning of the Act" Campion explains to Oates that the secret of his success is to 'take a drink with anyone, and pick your pals where you find 'em'.
In ''Mystery Mile'' Campion is subtly shown to be in love with Biddy Paget, around whose home most of the story revolves; Campion is distraught when, at the end of the adventure, she marries an American, and his sadness at losing her is mentioned again in subsequent stories.
After a doomed passion for a married woman in ''
Dancers in Mourning
''Dancers in Mourning'' is a crime novel by English writer Margery Allingham, first published in 1937, in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in the United States by Doubleday Doran, New York City; later U.S. versions used the title ''W ...
'', Campion eventually marries Amanda Fitton, who first appears in ''
Sweet Danger
''Sweet Danger'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in October 1933, in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in the United States by The Crime Club as ''Kingdom of Death''; later US versions used the title ''The Fea ...
'' as a 17-year-old and later becomes an aircraft engineer; they have a son, named Rupert. Her brother Hal recovers the family title of Earl of Pontisbright as a result of the adventures described in ''Sweet Danger'', and Amanda then becomes Lady Amanda, as the sister of an Earl.
''Mr Campion's Farewell''
Crime writer
Mike Ripley Mike Ripley was born in 1952 and is the British author of the award-winning ‘Angel’ series of comedy thrillers as well as a critic and archaeologist.
Life and work
Ripley is the author of the ''Angel'' series of comedy thrillers set mainly in E ...
completed an unfinished Campion manuscript, started by Philip Youngman Carter before his death. The fragment, which contained revisions and minor corrections but no plot outline, character synopsis or plan, was bequeathed to Margery Allingham's sister Joyce; upon her death in 2001, the manuscript was left to officials of the Margery Allingham Society. Beginning in 2012, Ripley, with the approval and agreement of the Margery Allingham Society, completed Youngman Carter's manuscript, which has become ''Mr Campion's Farewell''. The novel was published in March 2014 by
Severn House Publishers
Severn House Publishers is an independent publisher of fiction in hardcover and ebooks. Severn House specialises in publishing mid-list authors in both the UK and the USA. Established in 1974, Severn House began republishing out-of-print titles ...
. Succeeding volumes were entirely Ripley's work.
Bibliography
The Campion stories are generally adventures rather than true mysteries, as they rarely feature puzzles that the reader has a chance of solving; it is the characters and situations which carry the story. Most of the novels are short by modern standards – about 200 pages long.
Novels
*''
The Crime at Black Dudley
''The Crime at Black Dudley'', also known in the United States as ''The Black Dudley Murder'', is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in 1929, in the United Kingdom by Jarrolds, London and in the United States by Doubleday Dora ...
'' (1929) (U.S. title: ''The Black Dudley Murder'')
*''
Mystery Mile
''Mystery Mile'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in 1930, in the United Kingdom by Jarrolds Publishing, London, and in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York. Following his first, supporting appearance in '' The ...
'' (1930)
*''
Look to the Lady
''Look to the Lady'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in January 1931, in the United Kingdom by Jarrolds Publishing, London, and in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York, as ''The Gyrth Chalice Mystery''. It is t ...
'' (1931) (U.S. title: ''The Gyrth Chalice Mystery'')
*''
Police at the Funeral
''Police at the Funeral'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in October 1931, in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in 1932 in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York. It is the fourth novel with the myster ...
'' (1931)
*''
Sweet Danger
''Sweet Danger'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in October 1933, in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in the United States by The Crime Club as ''Kingdom of Death''; later US versions used the title ''The Fea ...
'' (1933) (U.S. title: ''Kingdom of Death'' or ''The Fear Sign'')
*''
Death of a Ghost
''Death of a Ghost'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in February 1934, in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York. It is the sixth novel with the mysterious Albert Cam ...
'' (1934)
*''
Flowers for the Judge
''Flowers for the Judge'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in February 1936, in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London, and in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York. It is the seventh novel to feature the myste ...
'' (1936) (U.S. title: ''Legacy in Blood'')
*''
The Case of the Late Pig
''The Case of the Late Pig'' is a crime novel by English writer Margery Allingham, first published 1937, by Hodder & Stoughton. It is the ninth novel featuring the mysterious Albert Campion and his butler/valet/bodyguard Magersfontein Lugg.
Pl ...
'' (1937)
*''
Dancers in Mourning
''Dancers in Mourning'' is a crime novel by English writer Margery Allingham, first published in 1937, in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in the United States by Doubleday Doran, New York City; later U.S. versions used the title ''W ...
'' (1937) (U.S. title: ''Who Killed Chloe?'')
*''
The Fashion in Shrouds'' (1938)
*''
Traitor's Purse
''Traitor's Purse'' is a crime novel written by Margery Allingham. It was originally published in 1941 in the United Kingdom by Heinemann, London and in the United States by Doubleday, New York as ''The Sabotage Murder Mystery''. It is the elev ...
'' (1941) (U.S. title: ''The Sabotage Murder Mystery'')
*''
Coroner's Pidgin
''Coroner's Pidgin'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in 1945, in the United Kingdom by William Heinemann, London and in the United States by Doubleday Doran, New York as ''Pearls Before Swine''. It is the twelfth nov ...
'' (1945) (U.S. title: ''Pearls Before Swine'')
*''
More Work for the Undertaker'' (1948)
*''
The Tiger in the Smoke
''The Tiger in the Smoke'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in 1952 in the United Kingdom by Chatto & Windus and in the United States by Doubleday. It is the fourteenth novel in the Albert Campion series.
Author J. K. R ...
'' (1952)
*''
The Beckoning Lady
''The Beckoning Lady'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in 1955 in the United Kingdom by Chatto & Windus, London; and in the United States by Doubleday, New York under the title ''The Estate of the Beckoning Lady''. It ...
'' (1955) (U.S. title: ''The Estate of the Beckoning Lady'')
*''
Hide My Eyes
''Hide My Eyes'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in 1958, in the United Kingdom by Chatto & Windus, London. It was published in the U.S. under the titles ''Tether's End'' or ''Ten Were Missing''. It is the sixteenth nove ...
'' (1958) (U.S. title: ''Tether's End'' or ''Ten Were Missing'')
*''
The China Governess'' (1962)
*''
The Mind Readers
''The Mind Readers'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in 1965, in the United Kingdom by Chatto & Windus, London. It is the eighteenth novel in the Albert Campion series.
Plot introduction
Canon Avril is looking forward to ...
'' (1965)
*''
Cargo of Eagles
''Cargo of Eagles'' is a crime novel by Margery Allingham, first published in 1968, in the United Kingdom by Chatto & Windus, London. It was incomplete at her death in 1966 and completed by her husband Philip Youngman Carter. It is the nineteent ...
'' (1968) (completed posthumously by
Philip Youngman Carter)
*''
Mr. Campion's Farthing'' (1969) (by Philip Youngman Carter)
*''
Mr. Campion's Falcon'' (1970) (U.S. title: ''Mr. Campion's Quarry'') (by Philip Youngman Carter)
*''
Mr Campion's Farewell'' (2014) – completed by
Mike Ripley Mike Ripley was born in 1952 and is the British author of the award-winning ‘Angel’ series of comedy thrillers as well as a critic and archaeologist.
Life and work
Ripley is the author of the ''Angel'' series of comedy thrillers set mainly in E ...
*''
Mr Campion's Fox'' (2015) by Mike Ripley
*''Mr Campion's Fault'' (2016) by Mike Ripley
*''Mr Campion's Abdication'' (2017) by Mike Ripley
*''Mr Campion's War'' (2018) by Mike Ripley
*''Mr Campion's Visit'' (2019) by Mike Ripley
*''Mr Campion's Seance'' (2020) by Mike Ripley
*''Mr Campion's Coven'' (2021) by Mike Ripley
Short story collections
*''
Mr. Campion: Criminologist'' (1937) comprising:
** ''The Case of the Late Pig''
** ''The Case of the White Elephant''
** ''The Case of the Man with the Sack''
** ''The Border-Line Case''
** ''The Case of the Widow''
** ''The Case of the Pro and the Con''
** ''The Case of the Old Man in the Window''
*''
Mr. Campion and Others'' (1939, 1950)
** ''The Widow''
** ''The Name on the Wrapper''
** ''The Hat Trick''
** ''The Question Mark''
** ''The Old Man in the Window''
** ''The White Elephant''
** ''The Frenchman's Gloves''
** ''The Longer View''
** ''Safe as Houses''
** ''The Definite Article''
** ''The Meaning of the Act''
** ''A Matter of Form''
** ''The Danger Point''
*''
The Casebook of Mr. Campion'' (1947) comprising:
** ''The Case of the Question Mark''
** ''The Crimson Letters''
** ''The Definite Article''
** ''The Magic Hat''
** ''A Matter of Form''
** ''The Meaning of the Act''
** ''Safe as Houses''
*''
The Allingham Case-Book'' (1969) comprising:
** ''Tall Story''
** ''Three is a Lucky Number''
** ''The Villa Maria Celeste''
** ''The Psychologist''
** ''Little Miss Know-All''
** ''One Morning They'll Hang Him''
** ''The Lieabout''
** ''Face Value''
** ''Evidence in Camera''
** ''Joke Over''
** ''The Lying-In-State''
** ''The Pro and the Con''
** ''Is There a Doctor in the House?''
** ''The Borderline Case''
** ''They Never Get Caught''
** ''The Mind's Eye Mystery''
** ''Mum Knows Best''
** ''The Snapdragon and the C.I.D.''
*''
The Allingham Minibus'' (U.S. title: ''Mr. Campion's Lucky Day and Other Stories'') (1973)
** ''He Was Asking After You''
** ''Publicity''
** ''The Perfect Butler''
** ''The Barbarian''
** ''Mr Campion's Lucky Day''
** '' 'Tis Not Hereafter''
** ''The Correspondents''
** ''He Preferred Them Sad''
** ''The Unseen Door''
** ''Bird Thou Never Wert''
** ''The Same To Us''
** ''She Heard It On The Radio''
** ''The Man With The Sack''
** ''The Secret''
** ''A Quarter of a Million''
** ''The Pioneers''
** ''The Sexton's Wife''
** ''The Wink''
*''
The Return of Mr. Campion'' (1989) comprising:
** ''The Case is Altered''
** ''My Friend Mr Campion''
** ''The Dog Day''
** ''The Wind Glass''
** ''The Beauty King''
** ''The Black Tent''
** ''Sweet and Low''
** ''Once in a Lifetime''
** ''The Kernel of Truth''
** ''Happy Christmas''
** ''The Wisdom of Esdras''
** ''The Curious Affair in Nut Row''
** ''What to do with an Aging Detective''
Omnibus editions
*''Crime and Mr Campion'' (1959) – ''Death of a Ghost'', ''Flowers for the Judge'' and ''Dancers in Mourning''.
*''Three Cases for Mr Campion'' (1961) – ''Look to the Lady'', ''The Fashion in Shrouds'' and ''Traitor's Purse''.
*''The Mysterious Mr Campion'' (1963) – ''The Case of the Late Pig'', ''Dancers in Mourning'' and ''The Tiger in the Smoke'';
also a short story ''On Christmas Day in the Morning'' and a preface by the author.
*''Mr Campion's Lady'' (1965) – ''Sweet Danger'', ''The Fashion in Shrouds'' and ''Traitor's Purse'';
also a short story ''A Word in Season'' and a preface by the author.
*''Mr Campion's Clowns'' (1967) – ''Mystery Mile'', ''Coroner's Pidgin'' and ''More Work for the Undertaker'';
with a preface by Philip Youngman Carter.
Adaptations
''Campion'' (1959–1960)
Two stories were adapted by the BBC in 1959 and 1960, with
Bernard Horsfall
Bernard Arthur Gordon Horsfall (20 November 1930 – 28 January 2013) was an English actor of stage and screen.
Early life
Horsfall was born in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, and educated at Rugby School. He trained as an actor at the Webb ...
as Campion and
Wally Patch
Walter Sydney Vinnicombe (26 September 1888 – 27 October 1970) was an English actor and comedian. He worked in film, television and theatre.
Biography
Vinnicombe was born in Willesden, Middlesex and began working on the music hall stages in ...
as Lugg. Each story was shown in six 30-minute episodes. The 1959 adaptation of ''Dancers in Mourning'' also featured
John Ruddock
John Ruddock (20 May 1897 – 24 September 1981) was a Peruvian-born British film and television actor.
John Ruddock was born on 20 May 1897 in Lima, Peru as John Reynolds Ruddock. He was the first of seven children of his British father and Ame ...
as Oates,
Denis Quilley
Denis Clifford Quilley, OBE (26 December 1927 – 5 October 2003) was an English actor and singer.
From a family with no theatrical connections, Quilley was determined from an early age to become an actor. He was taken on by the Birmingham Re ...
as Jimmy Sutane,
Michael Gough
Francis Michael Gough ( ; 23 November 1916 – 17 March 2011) was a British character actor who made more than 150 film and television appearances. He is known for his roles in the Hammer Horror Films from 1958, with his first role as Sir Arthu ...
as Squire Mercer and
Noel Howlett
Noel Howlett (22 December 1902 – 26 October 1984) was an English actor, principally remembered as the incompetent headmaster, Morris Cromwell, in the ITV 1970s cult television programme ''Please Sir!'' He was the subject of infatuation by De ...
as 'Uncle' William Faraday. The 1960 adaptation, ''Death of a Ghost'', featured
Arthur Brough
Arthur Brough (born Frederick Arthur Baker; 26 February 1905 – 28 May 1978) was a British actor and theatre founder, producer and director best known for portraying the character of bumbling senior menswear salesman Ernest Grainger on the BBC ...
as Oates.
''Detective'' (1968)
In 1968 ''The Case of the Late Pig'' was adapted for television starring Brian Smith as Campion, and
George Sewell
George Sewell (31 August 19242 April 2007) was an English actor, best known for his television roles, but also active on stage and in films.
Early life and career
The son of a Hoxton printer and a florist, Sewell left school at the age of 14 a ...
as Lugg.
IMDB Entry for 1968 'The Case of the Late Pig'
/ref> It was part of the BBC ''Detective'' (1964–1969) series which was an anthology series featuring adaptations of detective stories.
''Campion'' (1989–1990)
In 1989 and 1990, the first eight of the novels (excluding ''The Crime at Black Dudley'') were adapted over two seasons, with each story shown in two hour-long episodes. Peter Davison
Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett (born 13 April 1951), known professionally as Peter Davison, is an English actor with many credits in television dramas and sitcoms. He made his television acting debut in 1975 and became famous in 1978 as Tristan ...
played Campion, Brian Glover
Brian Glover (2 April 1934 – 24 July 1997) was an English actor and writer. He worked as a teacher and professional wrestler before commencing an acting career which included films, many roles on British television and work on the stage. His ...
was Lugg and Andrew Burt
Andrew Thomas Hutchison Burt (23 May 1945 – 16 November 2018) was a British actor, voiceover artist, and counsellor.
Early life and education
Andrew Burt was born on 23 May 1945 in Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, to Hutchison Bu ...
was Oates.
Radio
Various stories were adapted for BBC Radio over the years. Campion was played by James Snell, Richard Hurndall
Richard Gibbon Hurndall (3 November 1910 – 13 April 1984) was an English actor. He is best remembered for replacing William Hartnell in the role of the First Doctor for '' Doctor Who's'' 20th anniversary special '' The Five Doctors''.
Caree ...
, William Fox, and Basil Moss
Basil David Moss (25 May 1935 – 28 November 2020) was a British character actor, who featured regularly on television in the 1960s and on radio in the 1970s.
Early life
He was educated at St Paul's School, which he followed with actor's traini ...
.
Among them were the following.
"Traitor's Purse" (read by Roger Allam in 10 episodes),
"Look to the Lady" (1961) starred Richard Hurndall.
"Mr Campion's Falcon" (1972) is not by Marjery Allingham: William Fox took the lead role.
Footnotes
External links
Books featuring Albert Campion
at Faded Page
Distributed Proofreaders Canada (DP Canada) is a volunteer organization that converts books into digital format and releases them as public domain books in formats readable by electronic devices. It was launched in December 2007 and has published ...
An article about Campion
from the Strand Magazine
An Allingham bibliography
with dates and publishers, from the UK Margery Allingham Society
including many Campion books, from the UK Margery Allingham Society
with more alternative titles and links to summaries
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Campion, Albert
Fictional amateur detectives
Fictional gentleman detectives
Crime novel series
Characters in British novels of the 20th century
Literary characters introduced in 1929
Fictional people from the 19th-century