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Bruno Gerussi (7 May 1928 – November 21 1995) was a Canadian
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
 television actor born in Medicine Hat, Alberta
Alberta

Alberta is one of Canada Canadian Prairies Provinces and territories of Canada. It became a province on September 1, 1905.Alberta is located in western Canada, bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to the west and Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the U.S....
, best known for the lead role in the CBC series The Beachcombers
The Beachcombers

The Beachcombers is a Canada comedy-drama television series broadcast on CBC Television.The series ran from 1972 to 1990 and is the longest-running dramatic series ever made for Canadian television....
. He also hosted CBC's daily cooking-talk show Celebrity Cooks
Celebrity Cooks

Celebrity Cooks was a Canada cooking show independently produced by Initiative Productions and aired on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation from 1975 to 1979 and on Global Television from 1980 to 1984....
 in the late 1970s.

ough closely identified with the Greek-Canadian community due to his role in Beachcombers, Gerussi was in fact of Italian
Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
 heritage.

Enrico Gerussi, who trained in Italy
Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
 as a stonemason, was a coal miner working in the Lethbridge
Lethbridge

Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the largest city in southern Alberta. It is Alberta's fourth-largest city by population after Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, and the third-largest by area after Calgary and Edmonton....
, Alberta
Alberta

Alberta is one of Canada Canadian Prairies Provinces and territories of Canada. It became a province on September 1, 1905.Alberta is located in western Canada, bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to the west and Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the U.S....
 area, as well as a musician.






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Bruno Gerussi (7 May 1928 – November 21 1995) was a Canadian
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
 television actor born in Medicine Hat, Alberta
Alberta

Alberta is one of Canada Canadian Prairies Provinces and territories of Canada. It became a province on September 1, 1905.Alberta is located in western Canada, bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to the west and Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the U.S....
, best known for the lead role in the CBC series The Beachcombers
The Beachcombers

The Beachcombers is a Canada comedy-drama television series broadcast on CBC Television.The series ran from 1972 to 1990 and is the longest-running dramatic series ever made for Canadian television....
. He also hosted CBC's daily cooking-talk show Celebrity Cooks
Celebrity Cooks

Celebrity Cooks was a Canada cooking show independently produced by Initiative Productions and aired on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation from 1975 to 1979 and on Global Television from 1980 to 1984....
 in the late 1970s.

Biography


Family

Although closely identified with the Greek-Canadian community due to his role in Beachcombers, Gerussi was in fact of Italian
Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
 heritage.

Enrico Gerussi, who trained in Italy
Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
 as a stonemason, was a coal miner working in the Lethbridge
Lethbridge

Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the largest city in southern Alberta. It is Alberta's fourth-largest city by population after Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, and the third-largest by area after Calgary and Edmonton....
, Alberta
Alberta

Alberta is one of Canada Canadian Prairies Provinces and territories of Canada. It became a province on September 1, 1905.Alberta is located in western Canada, bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to the west and Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the U.S....
 area, as well as a musician. In 1927, he married Teresina and they moved to Medicine Hat where their eldest son, Bruno, was born. The family subsequently moved to Exshaw
Exshaw, Alberta

Exshaw, Alberta is a small Hamlet of about 350 people. Located at least 45 minutes driving time from Calgary, Alberta city limits, and 60 minutes from downtown Calgary, Exshaw is located on the north side in the eastern portion of the Bow River valley....
 where Enrico worked as a sectionman on the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway

The Canadian Pacific Railway , known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a Canada Class I railroad operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited....
. Near Exshaw, according to Edna (Hill) Appleby, author of Canmore
Canmore, Alberta

Canmore is a town in Alberta, Canada, located in the Bow Valley with a permanent population of 12,005 . The non-permanent population is about 5,567 or 31.6% ....
: The Story of An Era, there remains a stone bridge built by Mr. Gerussi.

Bruno Gerussi grew up in Exshaw and later moved with his family to New Westminster, British Columbia
New Westminster, British Columbia

New Westminster is a historically important city in the Metro Vancouver regional district of British Columbia, Canada. It was founded as the second capital of the Colony of British Columbia ....
.

Early career

A scholarship to the Banff School of Fine Arts
Banff Centre

The Banff Centre is an arts, cultural, and educational institution and conference facility located in Banff, Alberta. A part of Alberta post-secondary educational system, the Centre offers professional career development and creative support in the performing and fine arts, mountain culture, and leadership development....
 led him to acting and in 1954 he joined the Stratford Festival in its second season. He acted in numerous stage productions in Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
 and the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 before joining CBC radio which led ultimately to television. One of his earliest TV appearances was as Feste in a 1962 TV production of Twelfth Night.

The Beachcombers years

The role of his career arrived in 1972 when he was signed to play Nick Adonidas in The Beachcombers
The Beachcombers

The Beachcombers is a Canada comedy-drama television series broadcast on CBC Television.The series ran from 1972 to 1990 and is the longest-running dramatic series ever made for Canadian television....
, a comedy-adventure-drama set on the west coast of Canada. The Beachcombers
The Beachcombers

The Beachcombers is a Canada comedy-drama television series broadcast on CBC Television.The series ran from 1972 to 1990 and is the longest-running dramatic series ever made for Canadian television....
 ran for 387 episodes between 1972 and 1991 and remains Canada's longest-ever running weekly dramatic series.

During part of his time with The Beachcombers
The Beachcombers

The Beachcombers is a Canada comedy-drama television series broadcast on CBC Television.The series ran from 1972 to 1990 and is the longest-running dramatic series ever made for Canadian television....
, Gerussi hosted the popular CBC cooking program Celebrity Cooks
Celebrity Cooks

Celebrity Cooks was a Canada cooking show independently produced by Initiative Productions and aired on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation from 1975 to 1979 and on Global Television from 1980 to 1984....
 in the late 1970s. The series featured the last public appearance of actor Bob Crane
Bob Crane

Robert Edward Crane was an American disc jockey and Emmy Award-nominated actor, best known for his performance as Colonel Robert E. Hogan in the television sitcom Hogan's Heroes from 1965 to 1971, and for his violent and unsolved death....
 of Hogan's Heroes
Hogan's Heroes

Hogan's Heroes is an American television situation comedy that ran for 168 episodes from September 17, 1965, to July 4, 1971, on the CBS network....
 fame, who was murdered soon afterwards. The taping of Crane's episode was recreated in the 2002 film, Auto Focus
Auto Focus

Auto Focus is a 2002 in film United States biographical film directed by Paul Schrader. The screenplay by Michael Gerbosi is based on the book The Murder of Bob Crane by Robert Graysmith....
 in which actor John Kapelos
John Kapelos

John Kapelos is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his portrayal of the janitor Carl in The Breakfast Club.An alumnus of The Second City, Chicago, John Kapelos? theatrical work spans eight years from Second City?s Touring Company to six revues as a member of the famed Resident Company , and finally Second City?s critically acclaim...
 portrayed Gerussi.

Gerussi's popularity in Celebrity Cooks led him to become commercial spokesperson for one of the first lines of microwave oven
Microwave oven

A microwave oven, or a microwave, is a kitchen appliance that cookings or heats food by dielectric heating. This is accomplished by using microwave radiation to heat water and other dipole within the food....
s to be made available for home use in Canada in the late-1970s/early-1980s.

He was the host of the first Genie Awards broadcast in 1980. The Genies are the primary honours for Canadian cinema.

After The Beachcombers

Canadian rock group Bruno Gerussi's Medallion performed at the Beachcombers wrap party in 1991.

On 21 November 1995, Bruno Gerussi died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when the Blood flow to part of the heart is interrupted. This is most commonly due to occlusion of a coronary artery following the rupture of a Vulnerable plaque, which is an unstable collection of lipids and white blood cells in the wall of an artery....
 at his West Vancouver, British Columbia
West Vancouver, British Columbia

West Vancouver is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Part of Metro Vancouver, the municipality is northwest of the city of Vancouver on Burrard Inlet and Howe Sound, and is adjoined by the North Vancouver, British Columbia to its east....
 home at the age of 67. His companion, former Judge Nancy Morrison, was with him at the time of his death.

The TV movie The New Beachcombers (2002), was dedicated in his memory. However, this did not lead to a new series of The Beachcombers
The Beachcombers

The Beachcombers is a Canada comedy-drama television series broadcast on CBC Television.The series ran from 1972 to 1990 and is the longest-running dramatic series ever made for Canadian television....
.

Awards and recognition

Gerussi received a Gemini Award
Gemini Award

The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of television members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television....
 nomination for Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Continuing Dramatic Role in 1990 for the final season of The Beachcombers.

He won the Geminis' Earle Grey Award
Earle Grey Award

The Earle Grey Award is the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Canada Gemini Awards. The Earle Grey Award is presented annually to an actor or actress in recognition of their body of work in television....
 posthumously for lifetime achievement in 1996.

Filmography

  • 1962: Alexander Galt: The Stubborn Idealist (movie)
  • 1962: Twelfth Night (TV)
  • 1967: Do Not Fold, Staple, Spindle, or Mutilate (movie)
  • 1972-1991: The Beachcombers
    The Beachcombers

    The Beachcombers is a Canada comedy-drama television series broadcast on CBC Television.The series ran from 1972 to 1990 and is the longest-running dramatic series ever made for Canadian television....
     (CBC Television
    CBC Television

    CBC Television is a Canadian English language television network. It is owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. This channel can be also seen on some United States cable systems....
     dramatic series)
  • 1975-1979: Celebrity Cooks
    Celebrity Cooks

    Celebrity Cooks was a Canada cooking show independently produced by Initiative Productions and aired on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation from 1975 to 1979 and on Global Television from 1980 to 1984....
     (CBC Television
    CBC Television

    CBC Television is a Canadian English language television network. It is owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. This channel can be also seen on some United States cable systems....
     daytime series)
  • 1980: The Newcomers
    The Newcomers (TV miniseries)

    The Newcomers was a series of seven hour-long Canada television specials that aired from 1977 to 1980 on CBC Television. The series was sponsored by Imperial Oil to mark the company's 100th anniversary in 1980....
     ("1978" episode; limited TV series)
  • 1987: Moving Day (TV movie)
  • 1991: The Hitman (movie)
  • 1995: Prince for a Day (TV movie)
  • 1995: "Under My Skin" (TV movie)


External links