Paul Gross is a Canadian actor, producer, director, singer, and writer. His success across multiple fields is a testament to his dedication, perseverance, and undeniable talent. He shot to fame playing Constable Benton Fraser in the television series “Due South.” Beyond his screen work, Gross has also been a prolific presence on various theatre stages. You can learn more about his life and work right here on edmonton-trend.com.
For many, Paul Gross will always be Constable Benton Fraser, the principled police officer who brought order to the world in “Due South.” But in reality, Gross is a true Renaissance man, admired and respected far beyond Canada’s borders. With his good looks and a reputation for being a bit of a maverick, he’s also become a staunch advocate for the Canadian television industry and an outspoken critic of Canada’s often tangled funding system.
Conquering the Stage
Paul was born on April 30, 1959, in Calgary, to a tank commander serving in the Canadian Armed Forces. Due to his father’s military career, the family moved every eighteen months. It was during his teenage years in Washington that Paul first discovered acting, performing in plays like “The Canterbury Tales” and “Faustus.” By age 14, he was already appearing in television and commercial spots, which ultimately allowed him to pay his own way through drama school at the University of Alberta. At 16, he spent a summer at the Stratford Festival, interning in the box office—an experience that left a lasting impression on him. Inspired by the gritty world of American playwright Sam Shepard, Gross penned his first play, “The Deer and the Antelope Play,” which won an Alberta Playwriting Award in 1981. In 1982, John Neville, the artistic director of Toronto Free Theatre, invited him to be a playwright-in-residence at the prestigious Stratford Festival, where his play “Sprung Rhythm” was staged in 1984. Gross then moved on to the Grand Theatre Company in London, Ontario, holding the same position under Robin Phillips. Soon, he began translating his writing skills to television. His script for “In This Corner,” an episode of the CBC-TV series “For the Record,” earned him a Gemini Award nomination in 1986. During this period, Paul continued to act on stage, in film, and on television. In 1989, he made his feature film debut in “Cold Comfort.”
A Career in Film
In 1994, Gross signed on for the weekly series “Due South,” which aired on CTV in Canada and CBS in the United States. Unfortunately, the series lasted only two seasons before being cancelled. Gross took on new responsibilities as an executive producer and writer, earning between $2 million and $3 million a year, making him the highest-paid actor in the Canadian entertainment industry. During this time, he received several prestigious awards for both acting and writing. The series itself was broadcast in 110 countries. With extensive experience as an executive producer, Paul founded WhizBang Films and starred in several films, including “Murder Most Likely” (1999), which he also wrote. In 2000, Gross played Hamlet at Stratford, receiving positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. In 2003, he appeared in the television series “Slings & Arrows,” taking on the role of Geoffrey Tennant, a fractured theatre producer who abandoned acting after a nervous breakdown during a performance of “Hamlet.” Soon after, Tennant was appointed the interim artistic director of the struggling New Burbage Festival. In 2008, Gross endeavoured to finance his next feature film, the project “Passchendaele,” but encountered significant hurdles. In addition to government and private funding, he also attracted private investment, ultimately raising $20 million—a rare feat in Canadian cinema. In the film, Paul played Michael Dunn, a shell-shocked soldier who returns home from the trenches of World War I and falls in love with a nurse. Gross based this compelling story on his own grandfather’s experiences. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival gala, but critics weren’t particularly kind to Gross’s work. Regardless, the movie grossed $4.4 million at the Canadian box office. To promote both “Passchendaele” and “Men with Brooms,” Paul undertook an extensive cross-country tour.
Fun Facts
- Paul Gross has received numerous accolades, including a Gemini Award for Best Writing in a Dramatic Series for “Due South” in 1998.
- The actor earned a degree in performing arts from the University of Alberta in Edmonton.
- Some of his early stage works included productions of Shakespearean plays such as “Hamlet” and “Romeo and Juliet.”
- Paul, along with his colleague David Keeley, released two studio albums, “Two Houses” and “Love and Carnage.”
- During the third season of “Due South,” Paul served as both actor and executive producer, which made him the highest-paid performer in Canadian showbiz history.
Paul Gross continues to appear in feature films and on television. In 2010, he starred in the drama series “Eastwick” and the comedy-western “Gunless.” In between filming, Paul often performs with his rock band, “The Bonemen.”
