Shaun Costello

Known For: Directing
Gender: Male
Date of Birth: January 1, 1944
Day of Death: July 5, 2023 (80 years old)
Place of Birth: 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.
2021
1991
1990
1983
1982
1981
1980
1979
1978
1977

Actor Biker with Cigarette
Joy Of Humiliation

Actor Company Investigator
Cherry Hustlers

Actor Football Announcer (voice) / Autograph Seeker / Guy at Party
Schoolgirl's Reunion

Actor Bobby
Betrayed Teens

Actor Troy Winston
The Fire in Francesca

Actor Bob Gilroy
Dirty Susan

Editor
Schoolgirl's Reunion

Producer
Schoolgirl's Reunion

Writer
Schoolgirl's Reunion

Director
Schoolgirl's Reunion

Producer
Betrayed Teens

Writer
Betrayed Teens

Director
Betrayed Teens

Director
The Fire in Francesca

Director
Dirty Susan
1976

Actor Jerry
The Untamed Vixens

Actor Chip Carson
The Fury in Alice

Actor Closing Narration (voice)
Venture Into the Bizzare

Actor Chip
The Summer of Suzanne

Actor Chauffeur / Highwayman (uncredited)
Midnight Desires

Actor Police Station Cop / Man at Car Window
Water Power

Actor Man in Stable
Sensuous Fly Girls

Actor Dr. Warren Counter
She's No Angel

Actor El Gringo
Tortured Woman

Actor Willy
The Travails of June

Actor Bruce / Betty's Master
The Dark Side of Danielle

Actor Sex Slave (uncredited)
That Lady from Rio

Actor Edgar Frank
The Story of Eloise

Actor Mr. O'Malley
Girl Scout Cookies

Director
Water Power

Writer
The Summer of Suzanne

Writer
The Dark Side of Danielle

Producer
The Story of Eloise

Editor
The Story of Eloise

Writer
The Story of Eloise

Screenplay
Midnight Desires

Producer
Midnight Desires

Director
Midnight Desires

Editor
Midnight Desires

Writer
Water Power

Producer
Water Power

Editor
Water Power

Director
The Untamed Vixens

Writer
The Untamed Vixens

Editor
The Untamed Vixens

Producer
The Untamed Vixens

Producer
The Fury in Alice

Director
Dominatrix Without Mercy

Director
The Fury in Alice

Writer
The Fury in Alice

Director
Sensuous Fly Girls

Writer
Sensuous Fly Girls

Producer
Sensuous Fly Girls

Director
She's No Angel

Director
The Travails of June

Director
The Summer of Suzanne

Director
Tortured Woman

Director
The Dark Side of Danielle

Writer
That Lady from Rio

Director
That Lady from Rio

Director
The Story of Eloise

Director
Girl Scout Cookies

Writer
Dominatrix Without Mercy

Editor
The Travails of June

Producer
The Travails of June

Writer
The Travails of June

Special Effects
Water Power

Title Designer
Water Power
1975

Actor Ray Lavagis
Cheryl's Surrender

Actor Mr. Barnes
Private Practice

Actor Guy with Glasses
Two Senoritas

Actor Bert
China Doll

Actor Lola
Gladys and Her All Girl Band

Actor Guy in Final Class
The School for Sexual Arts

Actor Bob Hartman
Sin of Lust

Actor Minister
Lisa Meets Mr. Big

Actor Randy
Kathy's Graduation Present

Actor Orgy Guy with Two Girls
Baby Oil

Actor Pete
Hotel Hooker

Actor The Spirits
The Passions of Carol

Writer
The Joyriders

Producer
The Joyriders

Editor
The Joyriders

Writer
Sin of Lust

Writer
Kathy's Graduation Present

Director
The Joyriders

Writer
Lisa Meets Mr. Big

Writer
Gladys and Her All Girl Band

Director
Two Senoritas

Producer
Two Senoritas

Writer
Two Senoritas

Director
China Doll

Director
The Passions of Carol

Screenplay
The Passions of Carol

Director
Cheryl's Surrender

Writer
Cheryl's Surrender

Producer
Cheryl's Surrender

Editor
Cheryl's Surrender

Producer
Hotel Hooker

Editor
Hotel Hooker

Director
Lisa Meets Mr. Big

Director
Gladys and Her All Girl Band

Director
The School for Sexual Arts

Director
Kathy's Graduation Present

Director
Sin of Lust

Writer
China Doll

Director
Hotel Hooker

Writer
Hotel Hooker

Producer
The Passions of Carol

Special Effects
The Passions of Carol

Main Title Designer
The Passions of Carol

Editor
The Passions of Carol

Visual Effects
The Passions of Carol
1974

Actor George
The Love Bus

Actor Joe / TV Reporter
Teenage Nurses

Actor Jay Basby
Come Fly with Us

Actor Good Samaritan / Man in Black
Pen Pals

Actor Hired Guy
Lip Service

Actor Poker Buddy (uncredited)
Lady on the Couch
Actor
The Hardy Girls

Screenplay
Teenage Nurses

Editor
Teenage Nurses

Director
Teenage Nurses

Producer
Teenage Nurses

Director
The Love Bus

Writer
The Love Bus

Producer
Lady on the Couch

Editor
Lady on the Couch

Director
Come Fly with Us

Director
Pen Pals

Writer
Pen Pals

Director
Lip Service

Writer
Lip Service

Writer
Lady on the Couch

Director
Lady on the Couch

Writer
Come Fly with Us

Producer
Come Fly with Us

Editor
Come Fly with Us
1973

Actor David
Forced Entry

Actor Self
The Porn Brokers

Actor Jerry
Sweet Sexteen
Actor Peter
Guess Who's Coming

Actor Newspaper Reader / Radio Newscaster
The Tycoon's Daughter

Actor Jamie
Honeymoon Suite

Actor Mr. Boynton
Teachers and Cream

Actor Newscaster / Homer Heaply
Sexual Freedom in the Ozarks

Actor John Spaulding
Go Fly a Kite

Actor Rock the Guitarist / Voice of Walter Cockite
Joe Rock Superstar

Actor Customs Agent
Tina Makes a Deal

Actor Brother Francis
Come And Be Purified

Director
Forced Entry

Editor
Forced Entry

Writer
Forced Entry

Producer
Forced Entry

Director
Maxines' Dating Service

Writer
Honeymoon Suite

Writer
Sexual Freedom in the Ozarks

Producer
Go Fly a Kite

Producer
Sexual Freedom in the Ozarks

Writer
Go Fly a Kite

Producer
Come And Be Purified

Producer
Teachers and Cream

Producer
Tina Makes a Deal

Editor
Tina Makes a Deal

Writer
Teachers and Cream

Editor
Sweet Sexteen

Writer
Sweet Sexteen

Director
Sweet Sexteen

Producer
Sweet Sexteen

Producer
The Love Witch

Director
Come And Be Purified

Director
The Tycoon's Daughter

Director
Teachers and Cream

Director
Honeymoon Suite

Director
Sexual Freedom in the Ozarks

Director
Joe Rock Superstar

Director
Go Fly a Kite

Director
Tina Makes a Deal

Writer
Tina Makes a Deal