Actor, Television Director. He was best known for playing the character roles of captains, uncles, criminals, widows, Greeks, Italians, married men, single men, and historical figures including Louis Riel (1844-1885), a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political leader of the Métis people. He will be best remembered for playing the role of 'Luther Holton' in the short historical film, "Alexander Galt: The Stubborn Idealist" (1962). The film which was directed by Julian Biggs, which was written for the screen by Charles E. "Chuck" Israel, also starred John Vernon, Robert Christie, and Bernard Behrens. He will also be best remembered for playing the role of the big-hearted Greek log salvager 'Nick Adonidas' on the long-running classic Canadian television series, "The Beachcombers," in 371 episodes on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (or CBC), from 1972 to 1990. On "The Beachcombers," television series (which was arguably the most successful CBC Television drama of all time. It was the longest-running series in Canadian television history at one time before it was surpassed by the "Degrassi," television school series and was translated into five other languages, and shown in 37 different countries), he also played the role of 'Captain Chutney.' The adventures series which focused on the lives of professional lumber salvagers, owners of the local Molly's Reach Cafe, and other friends including a local police officer living in Gibsons, British Columbia, Canada, also starred Pat John, Rae Brown, Robert Clothier, Joe Austin, Charlene Aleck, and Jackson Davies. He received a Gemini Award nomination for Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Continuing Dramatic Role for the final season of "The Beachcombers," in 1990. He was born one of three children of Italian heritage as Bruno Santos Gerussi to Enrico Gerussi (1900-1950), and his wife Teresina Lazzorotto Gerussi (1903-1983), in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, on May 7, 1928. The family also lived in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, and Exshaw, Alberta, Canada, where he grew up. He was educated locally and at the prestigious Trinity College School in Port Hope, Ontario, Canada, and attended the prestigious Banff School of Fine Arts in Banff, Alberta, Canada, on a scholarship. Sadly his father Enrico, who worked as a stonemason before immigrating to Canada, and as a coal miner and a sectionman on the Canadian Pacific Railway after arriving in Canada, took his own life in 1950 when his son was only twenty-two years old. He later moved to New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada, and eventually took an interest in acting and would go onto become one of Canada's most recognizable actors in an acting career that spanned over forty years. He began his acting career fresh out of high school after landing his first acting job at the Seattle Repertory Theatre in Seattle, Washington, in 1949, and then after returning to Canada at the famed Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, by appearing in several notable stage productions of such plays as, 'Grumio' in "The Taming Of The Shrew" (1954), as 'Tubal' in "The Merchant Of Venice" (1955), as 'Marullus,' 'Artemidorus,' and 'Pindarus,' in "Julius Caesar" (1955), as 'Bardolph' in "The Merry Wives Of Windsor" (1956), as 'Nym' in "Henry IV" (1956), as 'Feste' in "Twelfth Night" (1957), as 'Bernardo,' and 'Pirate,' in "Hamlet" (1957), as 'Autolycus' in "The Winter's Tale" (1958), as 'Launce' in "Two Gentlemen Of Verona" (1958), as 'Don John' in "Much Ado About Nothing" (1958), as 'Romeo' in Rome And Juliet" (1960), as 'Oberon' in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1960), as 'Cranmer' in "King Henry VIII" (1961), as 'Junius Brutus' in "Coriolanus" (1961), as 'Ariel' in "The Tempest" (1962), as 'Macduff' in "Macbeth" (1962), as 'Servant to Isidore' in "Timon Of Athens" (1964), as 'Mowbray' in "Richard II" (1964), as 'Dumaine' in "Love's Labour's Lost" (1964), as 'Edmund' in "King Lear" (1964), as 'Mark Antony' in "Julius Caesar' (1965), and as 'Vernon,' and 'Gadshill,' in "Henry IV' (1965). He was one of the Stratford Festival's leading actors and became famous for his Shakespearean roles. He also appeared on the Broadway stage in New York City, New York, in the stage productions of such plays as, 'Launce' in "Two Gentlemen Of Verona" (March 18, 1958, to April 20, 1958), as 'Georges de Moulinville' in "The Broken Jug" (April 01, 1958, to April 13, 1958), and as 'Ishmael' in "Moby Dick" (November 28, 1962, to December 08, 1962). One of his most famous stage roles was playing 'Stanley' in playwright Tennessee Williams, "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1952). He also worked at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (or CBC), where he helped with the production of and appeared in the televised dramas, "The Crucible" (1959), "Riel" (1961), and "Galileo" (1963). He also hosted the mid-morning CBC Radio program, "Gerussi, Words And Music," from 1967 to 1968. Besides, playing the role of 'Luther Holton' in the short historical film, "Alexander Galt: The Stubborn Idealist" (1962), his many other film credits include, "Twelfth Night" (1964), "Do Not Fold, Staple, Spindle, Or Mutilate" (1967), "The Magic Of Aladdin" (1989), "The Hitman" (1991), and "Artisans De Notre Histoire, Volume 7: La Confederation" (1995). Besides, playing the role of the big-hearted Greek log salvager 'Nick Adonidas' on the long-running classic Canadian television series, "The Beachcombers," in 371 episodes on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (or CBC), from 1972 to 1990, his many other television credits include, "Scope," "Playbill," "Oedipus Rex," "On Camera," "The Unforeseen," "First Performance," "Folio," R.C.M.P." "Encounter," "On The Road," "Festival," "The Wayne And Shuster Hour," "Playdate," "The Serial," "Seaway," "Wojeck," "McQueen," "The Newcomers," "The Rovers Comedy House," "Hangin' In," "Seeing Things," "The Little Vampire," "Wiseguy," "Trying Time," "Side Effects," and "The Great Defender." He also narrated an episode of the television series, "Quest" (1962), appeared several times as a guest panelist on the television game show, "Front Page Challenge," appeared in The Flashing Lights music video, for "The Same Thing Twice," using archival footage from, "The Beachcombers," television series, was the host of the Genie Awards in 1980, and was the voice of the character, 'The Phantom' in an episode of the animated cartoon, "The Raccoons" (1989). He was also a professional chef and for many years was the host of the "Celebrity Cooks," television series on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (or CBC), from 1975 to 1979, and on the Global Television Network from 1980 to 1987. The television series which ran for 478 episodes featured appearances by celebrity guests including actress Hermione Gingold, hockey player Jean Beliveau, comedian Elayne Boosler, actor Barry Morse, television host David Letterman, and actor and comedian Bob Crane of "Hogan's Heroes," fame in one of his last television appearances who was later murdered. The taping of Bob Crane's episode was dramatized in the film Auto Focus (2002), in which actor John Kapelos portrayed actor Bruno Gerussi. He once said of his time on the show, "I was once mixing something in a high-speed mixer and forgot to put the lid on. I just lost my concentration, and when I turned the thing on, stuff shot up in the air and came down on my head and all over my shoulders. It looked like a flock of seagulls had just flown over me and made their deposits." His professional chef career also led him to be hired as a commercial spokesperson for a line of microwave ovens and to appear in other commercials for a variety of food products in the 1970s and 1980s. Following the cancellation of "The Beachcombers," television series in 1990, he continued to appear on television, in films, and on the stage including playing the role of 'Lou' in Tom Dulack's "Breaking Legs" at Stage West in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Stage West in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and the Arts Club Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, until his death. His last film role was playing 'Guido Bitando' in the film comedy, "Prince For A Day" (1995). The film which was directed and written for the screen by Corey Blechman, and which also starred Joey Lawrence, Richard Belzer, and Khrystyne Haje, tells the story of a delivery man who dreams of musical stardom and trades places with a look-alike rock star who is unhappy with his career's direction. In addition to his acting, he was also considered a gifted wood carver. He passed away after suffering a heart attack at the home of his longtime companion, Judge Nancy Morrison in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on November 21, 1995, at the age of 67. Following his death, his funeral service was held through First Memorial Funeral Service in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and he was cremated through West Coast Crematorium in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, and his ashes were scattered off the coast of British Columbia, Canada. He was mourned by family, friends, and colleagues. His former co-star who played the role of 'Relic' on "The Beachcombers," Robert Clothier said of him, "You don't have an enormous talent like that without having integrity nailed to your soul and humanity along with it." He was married to Ida Edith Trento Gerussi (1928-1965), with whom he had two children, Tina Gerussi, a casting director, and Nico Gerussi, an assistant film director and a guitarist and vocalist in the R&B band The Raging Butanes. For his contribution to entertainment, he was inducted into the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame in 1994. He also won the Geminis' Earle Grey Award posthumously for Lifetime Achievement in 1996. The television series reunion film, "The New Beachcombers" (2002), which explained that his character 'Nick Adonidas' had passed away after moving back to his native Greece, was dedicated to his memory.