Shaun Costello
Directing
🎂 1944-01-01
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.
Cast credits(68)
Cigar Shop Man
1990
Self (archive footage)
2021
George
1974
Waiter / Man in Audition Line
1981
David
1973
Ray Lavagis
1975
Jerry
1976
Joe / TV Reporter
1974
Biker with Cigarette
1977
Chip Carson
1976
Self
1973
(archive footage)
1972
Closing Narration (voice)
1976
Bob O'Connor
1979
Chip
1976
Mr. Thorens
1972
1971
Company Investigator
1977
Mr. Barnes
1975
Football Announcer (voice) / Autograph Seeker / Guy at Party
1977
Guy with Glasses
1975
Jerry
1973
Photo Model with Mustache
1971
Bert
1975
Chauffeur / Highwayman (uncredited)
1976
Police Station Cop / Man at Car Window
1976
(as Russ Carlson)
1982
Jay Basby
1974
First Fantasy Lover
1971
Richard Anselm / Masked Guy
1978
Peter
1973
S.R.
1978
Bobby
1977
Bruno
1978
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
1982
Man in Stable
1976
Good Samaritan / Man in Black
1974
Lola
1975
Newspaper Reader / Radio Newscaster
1973
Dr. Warren Counter
1976
Jamie
1973
El Gringo
1976
Willy
1976
Guy in Final Class
1975
Bruce / Betty's Master
1976
Bob Hartman
1975
Shaun (uncredited)
1971
Sex Slave (uncredited)
1976
Mr. Boynton
1973
Edgar Frank
1976
Newscaster / Homer Heaply
1973
John Spaulding
1973
Minister
1975
Randy
1975
Mr. O'Malley
1976
Rock the Guitarist / Voice of Walter Cockite
1973
Troy Winston
1977
Hired Guy
1974
Customs Agent
1973
Bob Gilroy
1977
Martin Randall
1979
Orgy Guy with Two Girls
1975
Brother Francis
1973
Pete
1975
Poker Buddy (uncredited)
1974
The Spirits
1975
1980
1974
Production (36)
Associate Producer
1991
Producer
1981
Producer
1980
Producer
1973
Producer
1974
Producer
1975
Producer
1979
Producer
1977
Producer
1973
Producer
1973
Producer
1973
Producer
1976
Producer
1974
Producer
1976
Producer
1973
Producer
1973
Producer
1973
Producer
1975
Producer
1976
Producer
1973
Producer
1978
Producer
1976
Producer
1975
Producer
1979
Producer
1975
Producer
1976
Producer
1981
Producer
1983
Producer
1983
Producer
1977
Producer
1978
Producer
1982
Producer
1976
Producer
1974
Producer
1976
Producer
1975
Editing (19)
Camera (2)
Directing (64)
Director
1990
Director
1976
Director
1981
Director
1973
Director
1980
Director
1974
Director
1973
Director
1979
Director
1980
Director
1974
Director
1975
Director
1973
Director
1975
Director
1975
Director
1980
Director
1975
Director
1976
Director
1976
Director
1975
Director
1976
Director
1976
Director
1979
Director
1983
Director
1973
Director
1975
Director
1978
Director
1979
Director
1977
Director
1981
Director
1974
Director
1971
Director
1983
Director
1978
Director
1972
Director
1977
Director
1982
Director
1976
Director
1981
Director
1974
Director
1976
Director
1975
Director
1973
Director
1976
Director
1976
Director
1976
Director
1975
Director
1976
Director
1976
Director
1973
Director
1973
Director
1976
Director
1973
Director
1975
Director
1975
Director
1973
Director
1973
Director
1976
Director
1978
Director
1977
Director
1977
Director
1973
Director
1974
Director
1974
Director
1975
Writing (51)
Writer
1981
Writer
1973
Writer
1980
Screenplay
1974
Writer
1975
Writer
1976
Writer
1975
Writer
1976
Writer
1973
Writer
1979
Writer
1980
Writer
1977
Writer
1973
Writer
1973
Writer
1974
Writer
1976
Screenplay
1976
Writer
1975
Writer
1975
Writer
1973
Writer
1975
Writer
1973
Writer
1975
Screenplay
1975
Writer
1976
Screenplay
1978
Writer
1976
Writer
1975
Writer
1979
Writer
1976
Screenplay
1979
Screenplay
1980
Writer
1981
Writer
1983
Writer
1971
Writer
1983
Writer
1977
Writer
1978
Writer
1976
Writer
1982
Writer
1981
Writer
1974
Writer
1976
Writer
1976
Writer
1973
Writer
1974
Writer
1975
Writer
1974
Writer
1975
Writer
1974
Writer
1976