Santo was born in the village of Lupia, in the region of Calabria, Italy. He immigrated to Canada with his parents at the age of five and grew up in the town of Hope British Columbia. His two chief mentors, Ray Logie and Tom Kerr discovered and cultivated his acting talent. His performance in the role of Butcher in Bertoldt Brecht's "The Resistable Rise of Arturo Oui" is still remembered by Victoria City theatre-goers, forty years after the production was staged. His one man plays, "Diary of a Madman" and "Hemingway" garnered him widespread professional success and recognition amongst his peers.

With his first wife Kathryn, he moved to Toronto where Julian their son was born and together, they founded Erewhon Theatre, which enriched the lives of millions of children and had a significant influence on the development of Children's Theatre in Canada. His artistry was widely emulated. With his second wife Grace, he moved to Solvang and together they founded the Actors Corner Cafe, a restaurant like no other. In later life he became a prolific visual artist showing us the world around us, only he could see. The five volumes of "Time Gates" reflect Santo's diverse and professional background from being an actor, director, producer, chef, to an intuitive art painter, writer, philosopher as well as entrepreneur. Published between 2020 and 2022, the five volumes contain more than 850 images of art that he produced between 2007-2022. This compelling work of art is interwoven with fiction, drama, poetry, and philosophical discourses. Santo was a member of The Toronto Theosophical Society, Edgar Cayce's A.R.E, and a supportive member of Soka Gakkai International, promoting world peace.

He will always be remembered as devoting himself to making the world a better place for everyone.