Book excerpt: Bruno and the Beach is a lively, highly illustrated book celebrating the fortieth anniversary of Canada's longest running dramatic TV production, The Beachcombers, which aired on CBC TV from 1972 to 1990. The remarkable saga of The Beachcombers--or "Beach," as it was called by both industry insiders and locals of the seaside town of Gibsons, BC, where the series was located--would never have unfolded without the show's larger-than-life star, Bruno Gerussi (Nick Adonidas). His passionate battles to keep the show on air for nearly twenty years were as dramatic as anything that occurred on camera. Groundbreaking for its First Nations content and notable for an outstanding supporting cast that includes Robert Clothier (Relic), Pat John (Jesse) and Rae Brown (Molly), The Beachcombers is a Canadian treasure that became famous around the world. Generously illustrated with photos and memorabilia, Bruno and the Beach includes insiders' anecdotes, Beachcombers trivia, production crew pranks and personal stories of the folks who appeared on both sides of the camera. Written by co-creator Marc Strange and series actor Jackson Davies (Constable John Constable), this book offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the lives of those who gathered at Molly's Reach and shaped a national pastime.