1944-01-01 The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA
Shaun Costello began directing for "loops" (10-minute scenes shown in coin-operated viewers in adult theaters) in NYC in the early 1970s, and soon was directing (and acting in) full porn movies and other grindhouse "roughies" shown in Times Square's 42nd Street adult theaters. Costello took work where he could get it, often working for the Mob, who owned many adult theaters and distribution, and working under different aliases for different theaters so that no one (at the time) knew that he was his own competition. Eventually moving on to a mainstream documentary career, Costello written and directed grindhouse movies - rough and violent and reflecting of their times - have seen a resurgence as the 2010's have seen these movies be remastered and re-released and often seen for the first time in decades. Anyone interested in the history of American porn or grindhouse/exploitation theater of the late 1960s and 1970s will likely have encountered Shaun Costello's work, often unknowingly due to his prolific use of aliases.
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Hymns from the Abyss | Self (archive footage) | 2021-08-02 |
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Enrapture | Cigar Shop Man | 1990-03-30 |
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Double Pleasure | (archive footage) | 1982-04-23 |
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Mistress Electra | Narrator (voice) (uncredited) | 1982-01-08 |
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Pandora's Mirror | Waiter / Man in Audition Line | 1981-12-28 |
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New York Construction Co. | 1980-04-01 | |
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More Than Sisters | Martin Randall | 1979-07-05 |
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The Two Lives of Jennifer | Bob O'Connor | 1979-01-01 |
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Slave of Pleasure | Richard Anselm / Masked Guy | 1978-08-30 |
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A Taste Of Bette | S.R. | 1978-01-01 |
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Daughters of Discipline | Bruno | 1978-01-01 |
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Schoolgirl's Reunion | Football Announcer (voice) / Autograph Seeker / Guy at Party | 1977-03-01 |
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Joy Of Humiliation | Biker with Cigarette | 1977-06-16 |
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The Fire in Francesca | Troy Winston | 1977-12-01 |
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Cherry Hustlers | Company Investigator | 1977-05-01 |
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Betrayed Teens | Bobby | 1977-03-09 |
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Dirty Susan | Bob Gilroy | 1977-01-01 |
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Venture Into the Bizzare | Closing Narration (voice) | 1976-01-01 |
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Sensuous Fly Girls | Man in Stable | 1976-03-19 |
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The Untamed Vixens | Jerry | 1976-01-01 |
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Tortured Woman | El Gringo | 1976-10-01 |
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The Story of Eloise | Edgar Frank | 1976-03-31 |
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French Schoolgirls | 1976-07-06 | |
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Girl Scout Cookies | Mr. O'Malley | 1976-05-01 |
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That Lady from Rio | Sex Slave (uncredited) | 1976-08-02 |
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The Dark Side of Danielle | Bruce / Betty's Master | 1976-10-10 |
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The Travails of June | Willy | 1976-01-01 |
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She's No Angel | Dr. Warren Counter | 1976-01-01 |
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Water Power | Police Station Cop / Man at Car Window | 1976-09-01 |
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The Fury in Alice | Chip Carson | 1976-06-01 |
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Midnight Desires | Chauffeur / Highwayman (uncredited) | 1976-03-09 |
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The Summer of Suzanne | Chip | 1976-01-01 |
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Private Practice | Mr. Barnes | 1975-01-01 |
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China Doll | Bert | 1975-10-06 |
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Hotel Hooker | Pete | 1975-01-01 |
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The Passions of Carol | The Spirits | 1975-03-24 |
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Sin of Lust | Bob Hartman | 1975-01-01 |
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The School for Sexual Arts | Guy in Final Class | 1975-01-01 |
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Gladys and Her All Girl Band | Lola | 1975-05-26 |
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Kathy's Graduation Present | Randy | 1975-11-01 |
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Two Senoritas | Guy with Glasses | 1975-02-03 |
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Baby Oil | Orgy Guy with Two Girls | 1975-09-01 |
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Cheryl's Surrender | Ray Lavagis | 1975-12-26 |
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Lisa Meets Mr. Big | Minister | 1975-04-11 |
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Lip Service | Hired Guy | 1974-02-01 |
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Come Fly with Us | Jay Basby | 1974-07-16 |
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Lady on the Couch | Poker Buddy (uncredited) | 1974-03-19 |
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The Love Bus | George | 1974-11-01 |
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Pen Pals | Good Samaritan / Man in Black | 1974-03-08 |
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Teenage Nurses | Joe / TV Reporter | 1974-05-14 |
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Forced Entry | David | 1973-03-16 |
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Tina Makes a Deal | Customs Agent | 1973-06-29 |
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Come And Be Purified | Brother Francis | 1973-08-16 |
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Joe Rock Superstar | Rock the Guitarist / Voice of Walter Cockite | 1973-06-12 |
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Sweet Sexteen | Jerry | 1973-09-01 |
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Honeymoon Suite | Jamie | 1973-09-12 |
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Go Fly a Kite | John Spaulding | 1973-09-23 |
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The Tycoon's Daughter | Newspaper Reader / Radio Newscaster | 1973-10-31 |
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Teachers and Cream | Mr. Boynton | 1973-08-01 |
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Guess Who's Coming | Peter | 1973-05-31 |
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Ozark Sex Fiend | Newscaster / Homer Heaply | 1973-09-06 |
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The Porn Brokers | Self | 1973-03-16 |
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Selling It | (archive footage) | 1972-01-06 |
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Sexual Customs in Scandinavia | Mr. Thorens | 1972-02-11 |
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The Magical Ring | First Fantasy Lover | 1971-09-24 |
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Feel | 1971-09-23 | |
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Sensuous Vixens | Photo Model with Mustache | 1971-08-20 |
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Love in the Rain | Shaun (uncredited) | 1971-11-01 |