Maurice Costello

Biography

From Wikipedia Maurice George Costello (February 22, 1877 – October 29, 1950) was an American prominent vaudeville actor of the late 1890s and early 1900s, who later played a principal role in early American films, as both a leading man, supporting player and a director. Costello was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Irish immigrants Ellen and Thomas Costello. He appeared in his first motion picture in 1905, in which he had the honour of appearing in the first serious film to feature the character of Sherlock Holmes in the movie Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, in which Costello played the title role. He continued to work for Vitagraph, being a member of the first motion picture stock company ever formed, playing opposite Florence Turner. Among some of his best known pictures are A Tale of Two Cities, The Man Who Couldn't Beat God and For the Honor of the Family. After an absence of some years he returned to the screen. He was married to actress Mae Costello (née Altschuk). His descendants include two daughters, actresses Dolores Costello and Helene Costello, a grandson John Drew Barrymore, and a great granddaughter Drew Barrymore. He was one of the world's first leading men in early American cinema, but like a lot of other silent screen stars, he found the transition to "talkies" extremely difficult, and his leading man status was over. However, Costello was a trouper, and continued to appear in movies, often in small roles and bit parts, right up until his death in 1950.

Known For

The Love of Chrysanthemum

The Cripple

The Story Without a Name

Club Inferno Patron (uncredited)

A Man Betrayed

Fisherman

Siren of the Sea

Baxter Ryan

Johnny Get Your Hair Cut

Caleb Perkins

Man and Wife

Well-Wisher at Train Station (uncredited)

Alice in Movieland

Herbert Warning

The Inherited Taint

Arthur Lewis

How She Won Him

John Martin - First Brother

Barriers Burned Away

Dr. Allan Langham

The Sleep Walker

Albert Black - The Brother

For Her Brother's Sake

John Harmon - A Quaker Husband

A Quaker Mother

Seyn - the Cobbler

A Princess of Bagdad

Herbert - Rose's Fiance

She Came, She Saw, She Conquered

Lt. Osmond

For Love and Glory

Richard III, a Shakespearian Tragedy

The Captain of the Fire Brigade - Tom's Father

The Last Alarm

Harold Winter

Conscience

Lysander

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Leah the Forsaken

Tom Blake

Fellow Voyagers

Baron Lafitte

Some Steamer Scooping

Daniel Briton

The Geranium

Harry Burton - the Children's Uncle

His Sister's Children

Lord Wentworth

Etta of the Footlights

Tom Perry

Too Much Burglar

David Horton

The Evil Men Do

Guy Ryder aka Guy Denton

For the Honor of the Family

Bill - a Providential Thief

Some Good in All

Roy Brain

The Money Kings

Jim Brice

The Heart of Jim Brice

Mr. Hale

Wanted... a Grandmother

Dick Ramsay - Bobby's Father

Bobby's Father

Donald Grant - the Son

Her Grandchild

Sir Edward Tilbury

The Hindoo Charm

Sydney Carton

A Tale of Two Cities

Maurice Costello

A Vitagraph Romance

Ben Corcoran

Roulette

The First Violin

Lambert Chase

The Adventure of the Ambassador's Disappearance

Lambert Chase, Detective

On the Pupil of His Eye

Gordon Frazier

The Two Battles

Harold Moreland - the Black Sheep's Brother

The Black Sheep

Nick Austin

The Sacrifice

Dr. Lyons

Getting Up a Practice

Charles Lindgard

The Sale of a Heart

John Smardon

Iron and Steel

Edwards

Lady from Louisiana

Maurice

Water Lilies

Richelieu; or: The Conspiracy

Colonel Beldan

The Wagon Show

Himself

Little Nemo

Extra (uncredited)

Citizen Kane

Town Councilor (uncredited)

A Man to Remember

Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

The Roaring Twenties

Harold Stanley

The Crimson Stain Mystery

Guest (uncredited)

It's a Wonderful World

Diggs (uncredited)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Howard Hanson

The Picture Idol

Senate Stenographer (uncredited)

Practically Yours

Actor at Dress Rehearsal (uncredited)

Comet Over Broadway

Director in Commissary

Hollywood Boulevard

Dr. LaFleur

Dr. LaFleur's Theory

Card Player (uncredited)

The Glass Key

Ringsider at Fight (uncredited)

Here Comes Mr. Jordan

Extra (uncredited)

All This, and Heaven Too

The boss

The New Stenographer

Hart

Five Little Peppers And How They Grew

Trevor Lawlor - A Young Attorney

The Spider's Web

Health Acres Guest (uncredited)

Search for Beauty

Broker

Edison, the Man

Joe Godfrey

Half a Hero

The Merchant of Venice

Deputy Brown

Fog Bound

Walter Butler

The Mad Marriage

The Way of the Cross

The Days of Terror; or, In the Reign of Terror

Stephen Fiske Jr.

Aunty's Romance

Dr. Dudley Lawrence

The Loyalty of Sylvia

Jack Hardy

Delayed Proposals

Orlando

As You Like It

Endicott, an American Millionaire

The Lonely Princess

Julius Caesar, an Historical Tragedy

Eagle of the Night

Man (uncredited)

Foreign Correspondent

(uncredited)

Tin Pan Alley

Man Carrying Spear

The Sea Hawk

Man at Railroad Station

Third Finger, Left Hand

Extra (uncredited)

Johnny Apollo

Barry Wall

It All Came Out in the Wash

Doctor John Lewis

Lulu's Doctor

Tom - an Honest Attorney

The Meeting of the Ways

'Enry Awkins

Mrs. 'Enry 'Awkins

Dr. Renfrew

The Show Girl

Henry Ford

When Persistency and Obstinacy Meet

Himself - Cameo Appearance

The Peacemaker

Armand's father

Camille

Prince Oscar / Barry Lawrence

The Crown Prince's Double

Rodeo Spectator with Martin Manning (uncredited)

Ride 'Em Cowboy

Man in Audience (uncredited)

Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever

Father O'Brien

The Shamrock and the Rose

Marc Antony

Antony and Cléopatra

Passerby

Du Barry Was a Lady

Board Member

Happily Buried

Edgar Ravenswood

The Bride of Lammermoor

Jesus Christ

The Battle Hymn of the Republic

Rose Leaves

Tammas

Auld Lang Syne

Lambert Chase - the Detective

The Adventure of the Italian Model

Frank as an Adult

The Old Silver Watch

Fred Gillow

The Glimpses of the Moon

Lloyd Stanwood

Proving His Love; or, The Ruse of a Beautiful Woman

John Mason

What a Change of Clothes Did

Schuyler Van Norden

The Moonstone of Fez

Ralph Brent - the Mysterious Lodger

The Mysterious Lodger

King Herod

Salome; or, The Dance of the Seven Veils

The Dancer and the King, a Romantic Story of Spain

Audience Member (Uncredited)

The Climax

Townsman at Banquet (uncredited)

The Ghost Comes Home

Donald Gray

His Mother

Hugh

Dead Man’s Honor

Over the Garden Wall

Silas Warner's Son

The Changing of Silas Warner

Nightclub Patron

A Fig Leaf for Eve

Russell Mortimer

None So Blind

Mr. Redfield

Love of Women

Tom Raine

Rags and the Girl

David

Saul and David

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

129

Gender

Male

Birthday

1877-02-20

Place of Birth

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Also Known As

Maurice George Costello