Paul Gross

Paul Michael Gross (born April 30, 1959) is a Canadian actor, director, writer, and producer born in Calgary, Alberta. Gross is known for his lead role as Constable Benton Fraser in the popular Canadian television series Due South as well as for his 2008 war film Passchendaele, which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in. Gross acted as executive producer on Due South and in addition to starring, wrote seven episodes including the two-part series finale, and wrote and sang songs for the soundtrack of the series. He later found success with two other Canadian television series, Slings & Arrows and Republic of Doyle. Early life Gross was born in Calgary, Alberta, the son of Renie Gross (née Dunne), a writer and art historian, and Robert "Bob" Gross, a career soldier, colonel, and tank commander. His family moved to Arlington, Virginia in his adolescence, where Gross attended Yorktown High School. He credits drama teacher Timothy Jecko as his inspiration for becoming an actor: "I'm not sure where I would have ended up otherwise." 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.