Diosa Costello | |
|---|---|
 Costello in 1943 | |
| Born | Juana de Dios Castrello (1913-04-23)April 23, 1913 |
| Died | June 20, 2013(2013-06-20) (aged 100) Hollywood, Florida, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entertainer, performer, producer, and club owner |
| Years active | 1939-1953 |
| Spouses | |
Juana de Dios Castrello, better known asDiosa Costello (April 23, 1913 – June 20, 2013), was a Puerto Rican entertainer, performer, producer and club owner,[1] often referred to as "the LatinBombshell".[2]
Costello was bornJuana de Dios Castrello y Cruz in Guayama, Puerto Rico on April 23, 1913,[3] although 1917 is often incorrectly sourced.[4]
After performing for some time at various venues inSpanish Harlem, she paired withDesi Arnaz at theLa Conga club. Costello debuted onBroadway inToo Many Girls (1939), which was directed byGeorge Abbott.[1] Costello is often erroneously cited as the firstLatina[5] to appear on the Broadway stage; howeverLupe Vélez had three Broadway credits[6] before Costello's 1939 Broadway debut.Too Many Girls was chosen to be made into a film, however, Costello decided not to go with the film because she "never liked traveling much" and stayed in New York.[1]
She also appeared on Broadway in the 1941 musical revueCrazy in the Heat, and in 1951 she replacedJuanita Hall in the role of Bloody Mary in the original Broadway production ofSouth Pacific.
The Smithsonian filmed an interview with Costello in 2006. She died in her sleep on June 20, 2013, at the age of 100 in Hollywood, Florida.[7]
She was married toPupi Campo and Italian singer Don Casino.[1]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | They Met in Argentina | Panchita | |
| 1945 | The Bullfighters | Conchita | |
| 1953 | Miss Sadie Thompson | Ameena Horn | (final film role) |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
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