BILLY
RAYMOND
2003
EXTRACT FROM ARTICLE BY SCOTTISH MUSIC HALL & VARIETY THEATRE SOCIETY NEWSLETTER “Stagedoor”, AUTUMN 2003
Reproduced here is an extract from an article written by Al E Wilson:
“A top Australian award has gone to a Scots theatre and television entertainer. Billy Raymond, from Paisley, has been honoured with the prestigious Centenary Medal by the Governor-General of Queensland. Real name Raymond Hubner, the comedy performer, 65, retired recently after two decades of appearing in and directing shows on Australia’s eastern coast and, before that, starring as a kilted personality entertainer in Australian TV, radio and theatre. He was seen regularly on the stage of the Sydney Opera House and received the award “for services to theatre and theatre administration in Northern Australia” at a ceremony at Government House, Queensland.
Soon after announcing his recent decision to give up performing, he was booked to tour Australia and New Zealand as the kilted host of gala concerts featuring the Band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. “Now I’m heading for retirement in the beautiful sunshine of Australia’s Gold Coast,” he said. “This award from the Queensland Government has come as a fitting retirement present. I’ve been a Scottish ex-pat for many years now, bit I like to remind myself that it all began, almost half a century ago, in those wee variety theatres of Glasgow and my home town of Paisley.”
“A top Australian award has gone to a Scots theatre and television entertainer. Billy Raymond, from Paisley, has been honoured with the prestigious Centenary Medal by the Governor-General of Queensland. Real name Raymond Hubner, the comedy performer, 65, retired recently after two decades of appearing in and directing shows on Australia’s eastern coast and, before that, starring as a kilted personality entertainer in Australian TV, radio and theatre. He was seen regularly on the stage of the Sydney Opera House and received the award “for services to theatre and theatre administration in Northern Australia” at a ceremony at Government House, Queensland.
Soon after announcing his recent decision to give up performing, he was booked to tour Australia and New Zealand as the kilted host of gala concerts featuring the Band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. “Now I’m heading for retirement in the beautiful sunshine of Australia’s Gold Coast,” he said. “This award from the Queensland Government has come as a fitting retirement present. I’ve been a Scottish ex-pat for many years now, bit I like to remind myself that it all began, almost half a century ago, in those wee variety theatres of Glasgow and my home town of Paisley.”
Here is Billy’s Centenary Medal (well, actually, three different sizes - one for decoration, one for wearing at functions and the pin to wear in lapels) and the Warrant, signed by the Prime Minister of Australia.
