A self-taught actor, he was remarkable for his natural acting style at a time when more theatrical performances were the norm in The Netherlands.

[2] Rejected from drama school he became volunteer at the theater company of Cor van der Lugt Melsert at the Stadsschouwburg.

After the end of World War II Brusse performed at the cabaret of Wim Sonneveld, toured Switzerland, and in 1948, visited Indonesia with his theater group Toneelgroep C 6.

[1][6] Brusse was able to combine his stage and film career with work for radio, TV and commercials, one of the first Dutch actors to do so.

His documentary Mensen van morgen (1964) sketches a portrait of young people in the early sixties and is praised for its candor.

In the 1970s he has the leading parts in several films by Wim Verstappen and Pim de la Parra: Blue Movie (1971), VD (1972) and Dakota (1974).

[7] Around the same time, he also was a regular panel member in the game show Wie van de drie, the Dutch version of To Tell the Truth.

[3] In 2002, he released under his own management Vader is zo stil de laatste tijd, a personal documentary about aging.

[2] In January 2013, he returned to The Netherlands to live in the Rosa Spier Huis, a retirement home for notable Dutch artists.

[8] For Mensen zoals jij en ik, he won the 1982 Gouden Televizier-Ring, the most important Dutch audience award for TV programmes.