▁arrived ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁signed ▁to ▁play ▁Nick ▁Ad on idas ▁in ▁The ▁Beach com bers , ▁a ▁comedy - ad vent ure - d rama ▁created ▁by ▁Marc ▁and ▁Susan ▁Str ange ▁and ▁set ▁on ▁the ▁west ▁coast ▁of ▁Canada . ▁The ▁Beach com bers ▁ran ▁for ▁ 3 8 7 ▁episodes ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁and ▁remains ▁Canada ' s ▁longest - ever ▁running ▁week ly ▁dram atic ▁series . ▁ ▁During ▁part ▁of ▁his ▁time ▁with ▁The ▁Beach com bers , ▁Ger us si ▁hosted ▁the ▁C BC ▁cook ing ▁program ▁C ele br ity ▁Cook s ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁and ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁The ▁series ▁fil med ▁for ▁ 1 2 ▁seasons , ▁with ▁a ▁Monday - to - F rid ay ▁time ▁slot ▁for ▁most ▁of ▁those ▁years ▁and ▁Ger us si ▁hosted ▁ 4 7 8 ▁episodes ▁before ▁the ▁show ' s ▁last ▁season ▁in ▁production , ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁The ▁C ele br ity ▁Cook s ▁episode ▁featured ▁the ▁last ▁public ▁appearance ▁of ▁actor ▁Bob ▁C rane ▁of ▁Hog an ' s ▁Hero es ▁fame , ▁who ▁was ▁murder ed ▁soon ▁afterwards . ▁The ▁tap ing ▁of ▁C rane ' s ▁episode ▁was ▁dram at ized ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁film , ▁Auto ▁F ocus ▁in ▁which ▁actor ▁John ▁Kap el os ▁port