Photo: Michael Reaves Getty Images Sport
Actor Dwier Brown, Kevin Costner's father in classic FIELD OF DREAMS spoke to Bill about his Baseball Hall of Dreams and The Baseball Building--which Dwier has created in Dyersville. Dwier is from Medina County, Ohio.
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ABOUT DWIER BROWN, THE BASEBALL HALL OF DREAMS & THE BASEBALL BUILDING
In one of the most iconic scenes in movie history, Kevin Costner, playing Ray Kinsella, is in a Dyersville, Iowa cornfield and as the credits roll he is finally, finally having that long-delayed soul-satisfying catch with his dad as "Field of Dreams" concludes.
And now, exactly 35 years after filming started on this beloved classic, as a thank you to the townspeople of Dyersville, Iowa who continue to mean so much to him-- actor Dwier Brown--who played Kevin Costner's dad--John Kinsella--is welcoming one and all to his Baseball Hall of Dreams and The Baseball Building--which Dwier has created in Dyersville.
This small town in Iowa meant so much to a young actor that Dwier never forgot their kindness. Dwier's affection is fueled in part by the fact that just before he arrived in town to shoot the film he had unexpectedly lost his own dad. Not only has he returned to the town many times over the years, but he is now offering his own unique thank you to the people of Dyersville--and the many visitors who, because Dwier built it, they will now come. (Dwier will be in Dyersville April 18th-24th).
DWIER BROWN VIDEO ON THE BASEBALL HALL OF DREAMS
https://www.facebook.com/thebaseballhallofdreamsofficial/videos/490213429643501
Fast Facts About The Baseball Hall of Dreams
Formerly a Dyersville dairy and brewery, Dwier and a partner purchased the property and then, fueled by some sweat equity from Dwier himself, have transformed them into a museum designed to commemorate the heart and soul of baseball.
Fast Facts about The Baseball Building
http://www.thebaseballbuilding.com
*The Baseball Building spotlights and celebrates the enormous, seldom-recognized contributions of women, minorities, and disabled players to the game.
*The Baseball Building also highlights vintage baseball equipment and even the history of baseball humor
*Visitors can see a wonderful demonstration of how bats and balls are made and borrow vintage mitts from the vast collection and go outside and "have a catch"
*Also on prominent display is a Wall of Dreams where children of all ages can write their dreams and insert their wishes into gaps in the limestone wall.
*And next door is the If You Build It Exhibit, a museum chronicling the movie's filming with many fun interactive exhibits and photos.
DWIER BROWN BIO
Dwier Brown has been a professional actor for almost 40 years and during that time has performed in hundreds of films, plays and television shows, including Gettysburg, The Guardian, To Live and Die in L.A., The Cutting Edge, Red Dragon, The Thorn Birds, Without a Trace, Criminal Minds, Charmed, Firefly, House M.D., E.R. and C.S.I.
In 1988, Brown traveled to a farm in Iowa to play Kevin Costner's father in a brief scene at the conclusion of the movie Field of Dreams.As it turned out, his on-screen time may have been relatively brief, but those five minutes ultimately changed his life. So much so that since the movie's release in 1989, Brown estimates he's interacted with thousands of fans who've shared poignant memories about their fathers and how watching the film changed their lives, too.
Brown's funny and touching memoir, If You Build It. relays these stories, as well as offering behind-the-scenes anecdotes from the Field of Dreams set. Brown rounds things out by offering memorable tales from the years he spent growing up on a farm in Ohio. His candid memoir, which has earned a five-star rating on Amazon, also takes readers inside his unlikely journey to becoming a Hollywood actor.
In recent years Brown has spent his time creating TheBaseballBuilding.com housed inside a 20,000 sq. ft. building, circa 1860. It's now occupied by the If You Build It Exhibit (about the making of the movie), The Baseball Hall of Dreams (celebrating the heart and soul of the game), The Batting Center with cages and other training areas, and a soon-to-open baseball-themed restaurant--all located fewer than five miles from the world-famous Field of Dreams movie site.
Notably, Dyersville attracts over 300,000 baseball-loving tourists each year. These days, Brown--together with his partner David Feigin--are dedicated to creating an exciting, fun environment for all-things baseball in the belief--to paraphrase one of the most famous lines from the film that-- "If you build it, they will come."