Bille BrownPrint Page 
The large director`s chair commemorates Bille Brown (1952 - 2013) who was an actor, playwright, producer and director of many theatrical plays. The chair was officially opened to commemorate Callide Valley Lions Club 40th anniversary.
Bille Brown touched thousands of lives. For many, it was seeing him hold a moment of passion or delight onstage, commanding an audience’s attention with a mere tilt of the head or slump of the shoulder. Countless others enjoyed his character work in films and television shows.
But others who knew “The Boy from Biloela” personally, who worked alongside him in his creative and educational endeavours, his death from bowel cancer yesterday - aged just 61 - has left a deep well of grief.
“The artistic community of Queensland and Australia has lost a true gentleman. We are part of Bille's legacy,” said Wesley Enoch, artistic director of the Queensland Theatre Company, where Brown worked more than anywhere. “Every actor, playwright, director, stage manager, designer, musician and all the teams who work in theatre in Queensland owe Bille a huge debt. He brought a sense of adventure, love and respect. His talent and love survives in us all. He was the most knowledgeable, flamboyant and kind-hearted man I knew,” said actor Carol Burns, who co-starred in his critically acclaimed two-hander Bill and Mary. He wanted to create something that would tell Australians more about their own art history,” she said of Brown’s script about William Dobell and Dame Mary Gilmore.
“We’d have young people come up to us with their eyes shining after the show, saying they never knew Australia had these kinds of artists in our history. It was about the art of painting and art of words and he was a great wordsmith,” said Burns.
The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 January 2013.
Location
| Address: | Callide & Prairie Streets, Lions Park, Biloela, 4715 |
|---|---|
| State: | QLD |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -24.399382 Long: 150.509504 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Structure |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Arts |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Saturday 5th July, 2003 |
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The boy from Biloela
Plaque :
Erected by Callide Valley Lions Club Inc on their 40th anniversary, the 5th July 2003 as a tribute to Bille Brown for for achievements in theperforming arts
Bille Brown
Plaque :
Bille Brown AM
Date of birth :
11th January 1952
Laid to rest :
13th January 2013
Plaque :
The Callide Valley Lions Club chose this project to celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2003. A large Director`s chair with the name "Bille Brown" embossed on the backrest was erected in the Lions Park in Biloela as a tribute to the boy from Biloela, one of this area`s favourite sons. Bille was born and educated in Biloela. He was an entrant and eventual winner of the club`s inaugural Youth of the Year competition in 1969. This competition is till held annually.
The chair was chose to symbolize Bille`s many achievements in the fine arts. He has gone on to become a world renown actor, playwright, producer and director of many plays, on live stage and the screen.
Bille never forgot the town that he was reared in. Born to Bill and Maureen Brown in Biloela, he spent the most impressionable years here. His childhood days were spent acting out scenes from movies, and this built in him a love for telling stories.
Since leaving Biloela at the age of 17, he spent years working his way up in the theatre and it was until 1971 that he scored his first role in a large theatre company. Some of his notable successes....
. 12 years with the Royal Shakespeare Company in London
. Hamlet
. Cinema-goers will have seen him in "The Dish"and in "The Man Who Sued God" with Billy Connolly and Judy Davis.
This chair was officially opened by Bille on Saturday 5th July, 2003, to commemorate the Club`s 40th anniversary. In the presence of Callide Valley Lions members, and members of the public, Bille was presented with the keys to the Banana Shire by Mayor Glenn Churchill
To quote Bille "It should not be just a monument to me but an encouragement to others to pursue what they are good at and love doing".
