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| Don Costello | |
|---|---|
 Costello in Another Thin Man (1939) | |
| Born | Eldon Lawrence Costello (1901-09-05)September 5, 1901 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | October 25, 1945(1945-10-25) (aged 44) Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1929–1945 |
Eldon Lawrence Costello (September 5, 1901 – October 25, 1945) was an American actor of stage, screen and radio.
Background
Eldon Lawrence Costello was born on September 5, 1901, in New Orleans, where Jesuit Fathers educated him. His initial plans to study law gave way to his interest in acting.
Career
In the mid 1920s, Costello was stage manager for the Wright Players in Louisville, Kentucky. Later in that decade, he acted with the Majestic Players in Elmira, New York.
Costello entered films in 1935 and in 1939 was put under contract with MGM. Known for his wicked sense of humor, Costello oftentimes played the role of a menace or a tough guy. He is probably best known for his role as Lefty in the movie Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941). He appeared in 37 movies (31 times credited), including Another Thin Man (1939), Johnny Eager (1941) and The Blue Dahlia (1946).
Death
Costello died of an overdose of sleeping tablets on October 25, 1945, at the age of 44. His wife, Louise, found him dead in the bedroom of their home in Sherman Oaks. He had earlier complained of being unable to get to sleep.
Broadway roles
- Jerry-for-Short (1929) - Anthony La Vere
- The Last Mile (1930) - Drake
- Face the Music (1933) - Louis / Mr. O'Ryan
- The Ghost of Yankee Doodle (1937) - Ockleford
Partial filmography
- Another Thin Man (1939) - 'Diamond Back' Vogel
- Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President (1939) - Fred
- One Crowded Night (1940) - Lefty
- Wildcat Bus (1940) - Sid Casey
- Sleepers West (1941) - Carl Izzard
- Ride on Vaquero (1941) - Redge
- I'll Wait for You (1941) - Police Sergeant Brent
- Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) - Lefty
- Whistling in the Dark (1941) - 'Noose' Green
- Last of the Duanes (1941) - Jim Bland
- Unholy Partners (1941) - Georgie Pelotti
- Johnny Eager (1941) - Billiken
- Joe Smith, American (1942) - Mead
- Sundown Jim (1942) - Dobe Hyde
- A-Haunting We Will Go (1942) - Doc Lake
- Just Off Broadway (1942) - George Dolphin
- A Night to Remember (1942) - Eddie Turner
- Truck Busters (1943) - Anthony 'Tony' Bonetti
- Air Raid Wardens (1943) - Heydrich
- Crime Doctor (1943) - Nick Ferris
- A Lady Takes a Chance (1943) - Drunk
- Murder on the Waterfront (1943) - Gordon Shane - 'The Great Rajah'
- Texas Masquerade (1944) - Ace Maxson
- Rationing (1944) - Ace (uncredited)
- The Whistler (1944) - Lefty Vigran aka Gorss (uncredited)
- Mystery Man (1944) - Bud Trilling
- Here Come the Co-Eds (1945) - Diamond (uncredited)
- Great Stagecoach Robbery (1945) - Jed Quinlan
- It's in the Bag! (1945) - Mickey (uncredited)
- Nob Hill (1945) - Steve, Fighting Bartender (uncredited)
- Along Came Jones (1945) - Leo Gledhill
- Incendiary Blonde (1945) - Gus Vettori (uncredited)
- Marshal of Laredo (1945) - Henchman Pretty Boy Murphy
- Follow That Woman (1945) - Nick
- The Red Dragon (1945) - Charles Masack
- Crime of the Century (1946) - Joe, Bartender
- The Blue Dahlia (1946) - Leo (final film role)
References
- "Eldon Lawrence Costello". New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., Birth Records Index, 1790–1915. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
- "Don Costello". California, U.S., Death Index, 1940–1997. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
- "Don Costello is dead". The New York Times. October 26, 1945. p. 19. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- "Handsome stage manager of Wright Players, doing his work, plays many parts". The Courier-Journal. Kentucky, Louisville. March 7, 1926. p. 31. Retrieved February 5, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Majestic Play Is Real Drama". Star-Gazette. New York, Elmira. October 11, 1927. p. 13. Retrieved February 5, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Don Costello, Film Actor, Found Dead". Los Angeles Times. October 26, 1945. p. 1. Retrieved September 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.