Diosa Costello

Juana de Dios Castrello, better known as Diosa Costello (April 23, 1913 – June 20, 2013), was a Puerto Rican- American entertainer, performer, producer and club owner,[1] often referred to as "the Latin Bombshell".[2]

Diosa Costello
Costello in 1943
Born	Juana de Dios Castrello April 23, 1913 Guayama, Puerto Rico
Died	June 20, 2013 (aged 100) Hollywood, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Entertainer, performer, producer, and club owner
Years active	1939-1953
Spouse(s)	Don Casino ​ ​ (m. 1958; div. 1971)​ Pupi Campo ​ ​ (m. 1941; div. 1951)​

Early life

Costello was born Juana de Dios Castrello y Cruz in Guayama, Puerto Rico on April 23, 1913,[3] although 1917 is often incorrectly sourced.[4]

Career

After performing for some time at various venues in Spanish Harlem, she paired with Desi Arnaz at the La Conga club. Her Broadway debut was Too Many Girls (1939), where she became the first Latina[5] on the Broadway stage. She decided not to go with the film, however, being reluctant to move to Hollywood.[1]

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.[6]

Personal

She was married to Pupi Campo and Italian singer Don Casino.[1]

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1941	They Met in Argentina	Panchita
1945	The Bullfighters	Conchita
1953	Miss Sadie Thompson	Ameena Horn	(final film role)

References

1. "Diosa Costello The Original Latin Bombshell", by Frederic Gleach
2. "National Museum of American History Celebrates Diosa Costello"
3. Serrano, Basilio (2015). Puerto Rican Pioneers in Jazz, 1900–1939: Bomba Beats to Latin Jazz. iUniverse. ISBN 9781491747704. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
4. Profile of Diosa Costello
5. "Q and A With Diosa Costello", Smithsonian Magazine
6. "Fallece la actriz Diosa Costello" (in Spanish). El Nuevo Dia. 2013-06-27. Retrieved 2013-06-27.

External links

• Diosa Costello at IMDb