Campbell, Beatrice Stella

1865

1940

Beatrice Stella Campbell, née Tanner, took up the idea of acting as a way to support herself and her two children, whilst her husband, was employed oversea. She was known on stage with her husband's name as Mrs. Patrick Campbell. Campbell’s breakthrough came with Arthur Pinero’s The Second Mrs Tanqueray, where she appeared as Paula Tanqueray, receiving the most favourable reviews. She later worked on many productions acting also as production manager. She was considered one of the greatest actresses of the time; she was not afraid to play roles deemed socially unconventional, and was brave enough to try for an independent career as an actress–manager.

See Oxford Dictionary of National Biographies http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/32261