Actor, singer and writer Paul Gross was born on April 30, 1959 in in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He studied at the University of Alberta based in Edmonton, although he left only a half-credit shy of graduation. (He later returned to finish that remaining credit, going on to graduate with a fine arts degree.) He made his acting debut in the early 1980s, focusing initially on stage, before making his film debut in 1985’s Turning to Stone.

He appeared in several other television movies and films, before making his big break in the television series Due South, which premiered in 2004. He appeared as the show’s lead: the kindhearted, if not overly-polite, police officer Benton Fraser. The first Canadian-made series to air on a major American network’s primetime slot, it was cancelled by CBS after two seasons because of low ratings. However, the series found success in Canada and the United Kingdom, which led to the production of two more seasons—albeit aired in CTV—from 1997 to 1999. Gross also acted as the executive producer for those two seasons. Regardless, it was received warmly both by critics and audiences.

Gross later went on to take more roles on screen, including a guest role in the original British version of Eleventh Hour. By 2003, he was part of another successful Canadian series, Slings and Arrows, where he appeared as actor and director Geoffrey Tennant. The series aired until 2006. He also pursued a music career, releasing his first CD during his Due South years, in 1997; a follow-up was released four years later. He is set to star in the upcoming series Eastwick.