Paul Gross
Paul Michael Gross OC is a Canadian actor, producer, director, singer, and writer born in Calgary, Alberta. He is known for his lead role as Constable Benton Fraser in the television series Due South as well as his 2008 war film Passchendaele, which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in. During Due South
Early life
Gross was born in Calgary, Alberta, the son of Renie Gross, a writer and art historian, and Robert "Bob" Gross, a career soldier, colonel, and tank commander.Career
Gross studied acting at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, but he left during the third year of his study. He went back later to complete the half-credit needed to receive his fine arts degree. He appeared in several stage productions, such as Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. Other productions in which he appeared include Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme and As You Like It. His student work "The Deer and the Antelope Play" was co-produced by the university’s department of drama and Theatre Network, and won both the Clifford E. Lee National Playwriting Award and the Alberta Culture Playwriting Award.After the play Successful Strangers, Gross starred in his first movie, Turning to Stone.
He wrote and directed the curling movie Men with Brooms. He wrote,co-produced, directed and starred in the Genie Awrad-winning film Passchendaele, inspired by stories he heard from his grandfather, a First World War soldier.
From September 16, 2011, he appeared in a production of Noël Coward's Private Lives in Toronto co-starring Kim Cattrall ; the production moved to Broadway where it opened November 6, and closed on December 31, 2011.
More recently, Gross completed work on the contemporary war drama Hyena Road, released on October 9, 2015.
Between 2011 and 2014 he appeared in 9 episodes as 'Kevin Crocker' on Republic of Doyle.
''Due South''
His role as upright Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer Benton Fraser in the Due South television series brought him increased recognition. Like fellow actor David Marciano, he didn't want to do the show at first, and creator Paul Haggis didn't even know if he wanted Gross for the role, but following a meeting, he was cast as Constable Benton Fraser.When Due South was revived for the third season, Gross returned in the role of Benton Fraser. He also took on duties as executive producer and writer. He earned an estimated salary of $2–3 million per season, and at the time was the highest-paid performer in Canadian television history. He wrote several episodes of the last season of the series. His favourite episodes include "Gift of the Wheelman" and "All the Queen's Horses" and his episodes "Mountie on the Bounty" and "Call of the Wild" are of a similar style.
Personal life
In September 1988, Gross married Canadian actress Martha Burns. The couple have two children, Hannah and Jack.Theatre
| Year | Role | Title | Theatre |
| 1981 | Sylvius | As You Like It | Northern Light Theatre, Edmonton |
| 1981 | Lysander | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Northern Light Theatre, Edmonton |
| 1982–1983 | Mrs Warren's Profession | Theatre Calgary | |
| 1982–1983 | Unseen Hand | Theatre Calgary | |
| 1982–1983 | Farther West | Theatre Calgary | |
| 1982–1983 | Clarence Underhill | Walsh | National Arts Centre, Ottawa |
| 1982–1983 | Motherwell | The Kite | Festival Lennoxville |
| 1982–1983 | Take Me Where the Water is Warm | Festival Lennoxville | |
| 1982–1983 | George Gaga | In the Jungle of Cities | Festival Lennoxville |
| 1984 | Dorante | Successful Strangers | Centaur Theatre, Montréal |
| 1984 | Romeo | Romeo and Juliet | Toronto Free Theatre, Toronto |
| 1988 | Young Kenneth Pyper | Observe the sons of ulster marching towards the somme | Centrestage Co., Toronto |
| 1989 | Brick | Cat on a Hot Tin Roof | Manitoba Theatre Centre, Winnipeg |
| 2000 | Hamlet | Hamlet | Stratford Festival of Canada |
| 2011 | Elyot | Private Lives | Royal Alexandra Theatre, Music Box Theatre |
| 2012 | Edmund Gowery | Are You There, McPhee? | McCarter Theatre, New Jersey |
Filmography
Films
Television
Honours
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
| Officer of the Order of Canada |
| |
| Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for Canada |