Edward Compton was born in London and made his stage debut at the Bristol New Theatre in 1873 in F. Boyle's Old London. In 1877 he toured with the company of Ellen Wallis where he first played extensively in Shakespeare as Cassio (Othello, Malcolm (Macbeth), Florizel (The Winter's Tale), and Benedick; he appeared again in Much Ado About Nothing as Claudio in 1879 at the opening of the new Shakespeare theatre in Stratford.

He was engaged to Adelaide Neilson, who died unexpectedly, leaving him enough in her will for him to open his own Compton Comedy Company in 1881. The Company toured, playing mainly Shakespeare and English comedies, for the next thirty-five years. Even after Compton's death in 1918 the Company continued until 1923.

Edward Compton was the father of five children; four of them were actors and one a writer, the noted author Compton Mackenzie.

                                                             

A role in a non-Shakespearean play

A role in a non-Shakespearean play