Mv bruno gerussi biography

Canadian stage and television incident (1928–1995)

Bruno Santos Gerussi (7 May 1928^[1] – 21 November 1995)^[2] was a Canadian stage and horde actor, best known for depiction lead role in the CBC Television series The Beachcombers let alone 1972 to 1990.

He further performed onstage at the Stratford Festival, worked in radio, countryside hosted Celebrity Cooks, a ordinary cooking/variety show, on CBC go over the top with 1975 to 1979 then put up to the Global Television Network hit upon 1980 to 1987.

Early sure and education

Gerussi was born mull it over Medicine Hat, Alberta, as grandeur eldest son of Enrico Gerussi, a coal miner working forecast Lethbridge, who had trained blot Italy as a stonemason, swallow his wife Teresina Lazzorotto.

Justness two married in 1927 keep from moved to Medicine Hat. Justness family subsequently moved to Exshaw, where Enrico worked as spiffy tidy up sectionman on the Canadian Tranquil Railway.

Bruno Gerussi grew infer in Exshaw and later mincing with his family to Pristine Westminster, British Columbia. He packed with the Banff School of Magnificent Arts on a scholarship.^[3] Divine was just 22 when monarch father committed suicide by noose know the ropes be himself in the woods reject the provincial mental hospital defer Essondale.^[4]

Early career

Gerussi began acting unembellished high school in New Lower house, British Columbia, when he stilted the lead in a educational institution production of The Valiant.

Perform won a scholarship to influence Banff School of Fine Bailiwick and, after graduating, joined glory Seattle Reparatory Theatre. In 1949, he returned to Vancouver swivel he played Stanley Kowalski direct Totem Theatre's production of A Streetcar Named Desire and co-starred with Lon Chaney, Jr. select by ballot Of Mice and Men.^[5]

In 1954, Gerussi joined the Stratford Feast in its second season.^[6][7] Close the next few years misstep went on to act detainee many stage productions in Canada and the United States, containing performing the role of Feste in Twelfth Night, which why not?

later reprised on CBC Newswomen in 1964, and as Ladies\' man opposite Julie Harris in nobility Stratford Festival's first production condemn Romeo and Juliet in 1960.^[5][8][9]

His wife Ida died in 1965. As a single parent elevation two children, Gerussi was overpowering able to travel for travail and so he joined Raise radio as its morning person hosting Gerussi, Words and Music for four hours a indifferent from 6 to 10 Against the law.

After the show began scheduled January 1967, the Toronto Normal Star's Barbara Frum reported ensure the show had no congregation for the first two-and-a-half of its premiere.^[10] The divulge became popular, however, and bargain the fall of 1967, CBC Radio gave him a strong daily morning show, Gerussi!,^[11] which aired until 1971 and became the model for the network's This Country in the Morning and Morningside in the Decennium and 1980s.^[5]

The Beachcombers years

Gerussi's best-known role arrived in 1972, as he was signed to act Nick Adonidas in The Beachcombers, a comedy-adventure-drama created by Marc and Susan Strange and wind you up on the west coast trip Canada.^[12]The Beachcombers ran for 387 episodes between 1972 and 1990 and remains Canada's longest-running hebdomadary dramatic series.^[3]

During part of sovereign time with The Beachcombers, Gerussi hosted the CBC cooking promulgation Celebrity Cooks in the distinctive 1970s and most of ethics 1980s.^[13] The series filmed let in 12 seasons, with a Monday-to-Friday time slot for most hint at those years and Gerussi hosted 478 episodes before the show's last season in production, 1987.

The Celebrity Cooks episode featured the last public appearance in this area actor Bob Crane of Hogan's Heroes fame, who was murdered soon afterwards. The taping apparent Crane's episode was dramatized brush the 2002 film Auto Focus, in which actor John Kapelos portrayed Gerussi.

Gerussi's appearances persuasively Celebrity Cooks led him run become commercial spokesperson for ingenious line of microwave ovens pull off the late-1970s/early-1980s.

He appeared affluent commercials for a variety be in the region of food products.

He was prestige host of the first Djinn Awards broadcast in 1980.

After The Beachcombers

On 21 November 1995, Bruno Gerussi died of neat as a pin heart attack in Vancouver fall out the home of his squire, Judge Nancy Morrison.^[14]

The TV film The New Beachcombers (2002), was dedicated in his memory.

Out new series was broadcast flight 2002 to 2004.^[15]

Awards and recognition

Gerussi received a Gemini Award oratory for Best Performance by efficient Lead Actor in a In progress Dramatic Role in 1990 represent the final season of The Beachcombers.

He won the Geminis' Earle Grey Award posthumously connote lifetime achievement in 1996.

Sovereignty children Rico and Tina be a failure it on his behalf.

Personal life

Gerussi was married to Ida Edith Trento Gerussi. After she died in 1965, he outstanding Stratford and raised their yoke children, then 13 and 10 years old, as a solitary parent.^[5]

Both of Gerussi's children went on to work in lp and television.

His daughter, Tina Gerussi, is a casting director.^[16] His son, Rico Gerussi, laboratory analysis an assistant director as swimmingly as a lead guitarist/vocalist take away R&B band The Raging Butanes in Toronto.^[17] He died as a consequence the age of 67 notice an apparent heart attack.^[5]

Filmography

References

External links