Sam Costa | |
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| Born | Samuel Gabriel Costa (1910-06-17)17 June 1910 Stoke Newington, London, England |
| Died | 23 September 1981(1981-09-23) (aged 71) Hillingdon, London, England |
| Known for | Singer, comic actor, broadcaster |
| Spouse | Esther Comer |
Samuel Gabriel Costa (17 June 1910 – 23 September 1981) was an English singer, entertainer and broadcaster. Initially a popular singer in thedance band era and a comic actor on the showMuch-Binding-in-the-Marsh, he was later adisc jockey forRadio Luxembourg and theBBC.
Costa was born inStoke Newington, London, the son of journalist Gabriel Costa and Annie (née Sawer), and was ofSephardic Jewish-Portuguese ancestry –Costa is a Jewish, and non-Jewish, Portuguese surname.[1]
Sam Costa began his career as a pianist withBert Firman's band. He later became a popular British dance band singer in the 1930s making many records with bands such asJack Jackson,Lew Stone, Harry Leader,Maurice Winnick and Jay Wilbur.[1][2] After his crooning days, hisBBC radio career began in 1939 with theIt's That Man Again (ITMA) shows withTommy Handley, in which he took the part of Lemuel the office boy.[2] He then worked withKenneth Horne,Richard Murdoch andMaurice Denham inMuch-Binding-in-the-Marsh.[1]
In 1950, he started hostingRecord Rendezvous on the BBC, and also hostedThe Sam Costa Show onRadio Luxembourg.[2] On Sundays he did bothBreakfast Time andGlamorous Nights and he also presentedHousewives' ChoiceandMidday Spin, transitioning toBBC Radio 2 from 1967. On BBC Radio 2 he had various shows; morning, lunchtime, afternoon, early evening, and late night. Costa would sign off saying "Thank you for the pleasure of your company".[1]
On Radio Luxembourg in the early 1960s, he hosted an hour-long show sponsored byGuards Cigarettes. Along with Kenneth Horne, Costa also appeared in an episode ofThe Men from the Ministry which co-starred Richard Murdoch. While he generally disliked TV work, Costa did appear on severalJuke Box Jury shows. In 1964 he linked a musical short film,Just for You which featured some prominent "pop" bands of the day, includingThe Applejacks andFreddie and the Dreamers. Costa was also a regular onDavid Frost'sFrost on Sunday in 1970.
He married Esther Comer in 1938; they were married for over 40 years. He was the great-uncle of the radio presenterAndy Jacobs.[3]
Sam Costa died in London in 1981.
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| Preceded by First Presenter | BBC Radio 2 Drivetime Show presenter 1971–1976 | Succeeded by |
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