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 Louisville is the List of cities in Kentucky, most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeastern United States, Southeast, and the list of United States cities by population, 27th-most-populous city ...

. Later in that decade, he acted with the Majestic Players in

Elmira, New York Elmira () is a Administrative divisions of New York#City, city in and the county seat of Chemung County, New York, United States. It is the principal city of the Elmira, New York, metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses Chemung County. ...

. Costello entered films in 1935 and in 1939 was put under contract with

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

. 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 ''Here Comes Mr. Jordan'' is a 1941 American Fantasy film, fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Alexander Hall, in which a boxer, mistakenly taken to Heaven before his time, is given a second chance back on Earth. It stars Robert Montgomery ...

'' (1941). He appeared in 37 movies (31 times credited), including ''

Another Thin Man ''Another Thin Man'' is a 1939 American detective film directed by W. S. Van Dyke, the third of six in the ''Thin Man'' series. It again stars William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles and is based on Dashiell Hammett's Contin ...

'' (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 Sherman Oaks (founded in 1927) is a neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles, California within the San Fernando Valley region. The neighborhood includes a portion of the Santa Monica Mountains, which gives Sherman Oaks a lower population densit ...

. 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

* ''

'' (1939) - 'Diamond Back' Vogel * '' Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President'' (1939) - Fred * ''

One Crowded Night ''One Crowded Night'' is a 1940 drama film directed by Irving Reis. Plot In a motor court in the Mojave Desert we are introduced to the Matthews consisting of Mae, the wife of a convict, Annie, her sister, Ma and Pa, their parents, and Mae's yo ...

'' (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 * ''

'' (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 ''Air Raid Wardens'' is a 1943 comedy film directed by Edward Sedgwick and starring Laurel and Hardy. It was the first of two feature films starring the duo for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Plot Set during World War II, Stan and Ollie face a series of m ...

'' (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 Rationing is the controlled distribution (marketing), distribution of scarcity, scarce resources, goods, services, or an artificial restriction of demand. Rationing controls the size of the ration, which is one's allowed portion of the resourc ...

'' (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 Nob Hill is a neighborhood of San Francisco, California, United States that is known for its numerous luxury hotels and historic mansions. Nob Hill has historically served as a center of San Francisco's upper class. Nob Hill is among the highe ...

'' (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 Red Dragon may refer to: Entertainment * ''The Red Dragon'' (magazine), a Welsh historical and literary magazine published 1882–1887 * ''Red Dragon'' (novel), a 1981 book by Thomas Harris ** ''Manhunter'' (film), a 1986 film directed by Micha ...

'' (1945) - Charles Masack * '' Crime of the Century'' (1946) - Joe, Bartender * '' The Blue Dahlia'' (1946) - Leo (final film role)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Costello, Don 1901 births 1945 deaths American male film actors American male stage actors Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players 20th-century American male actors Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) Male actors from New Orleans Deaths in Calabria