Gervase Peterson (/ˈdʒɜːrvəs/; born November 2, 1969, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American television personality and actor who was a contestant on Survivor: Borneo, the first edition of the popular CBS reality television series Survivor, which premiered in May 2000, and was the highest rated American series during the summer of that year.
Peterson returned in 2013 to compete on Survivor: Blood vs. Water and ultimately ended up in the finals, finishing third place with zero jury votes.
[1] As a member of the Pagong tribe, Peterson was one of the first Survivor contestants who was forced by circumstance to eat cooked rat for sustenance.
[3] After the two tribes merged into Rattana, Peterson (like all the remaining members of Pagong) did not realize that former Tagi members Richard Hatch, Kelly Wiglesworth, Rudy Boesch, and Susan Hawk had formed a voting alliance until the Pagong faction had been outnumbered and outmaneuvered.
In the third Redemption Island duel, Marissa was defeated by the husband-and-wife duo of Candice and John Cody, finishing in 17th place.
Like several members of the Survivor: Borneo cast, Peterson has attempted to parlay his popularity into an acting career.
Thus far, his most notable role has been that of absentee father Leo Thompson, whom he portrayed in 2001 on the CBS daytime drama As the World Turns.
[8] A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Peterson grew up in Willingboro Township, New Jersey, and attended Holy Cross Academy.