Elvis Costello
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- August 25, 1954 (age 72)
- Birthplace
- Paddington, London, England, UK
Biography
Referencing prodigies of rock lyricism may not bring Elvis Costello to mind for some, but he does deserve consideration. Through the course of over four decades, the former computer programmer has maintained a career as a singer-songwriter, giving the likes of Bob Dylan himself a reckoning. He was born Declan MacManus in London, England, on August 25, 1954. He took the moniker Elvis Costello in 1977, adopting his first name from Elvis Presley and the last part from the maiden name of his mother. Also in '77, Costello's debut album My Aim Is True was released, drawing connections to the new wave and punk movement while showing musical variance. That year, Costello's band The Attractions was assembled. The group released a number of albums, including This Year's Model, Armed Forces, and Trust. 1986's Blood and Chocolate produced memorable, literate gems, such as "Tokyo Storm Warning" and "I Want You." After the Attractions' final show in 1996, caused by conflict between Costello and the band's bassist Bruce Thomas, two of the group's other members would become part of his new backing band, The Imposters. Costello has released over 30 albums.
Known For
Filmography
Life Is a Carnival: A Musical Celebration of Robbie Robertson
Movie · as Self
Little Red Robin Hood
Movie · as Self
Elvis Costello & the Attractions live in Boston & Detroit 1978
Movie
McCartney: The Hunt for the Lost Bass
Movie · as Self
The Voice Still Carries: The Aimee Mann Story
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Movie · as Self
Elvis Costello & WDR Big Band @ Leverkusener Jazztage 2025
Movie
Alma Naidu @ Levekusener Jazztage 2025
Movie
Words + Music
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Record On: The Specials - A Message to You
Movie · as Self
Sounds of Liverpool at the BBC
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Roy Orbison Forever
Movie · as Self
Lindisfarne's Geordie Genius: The Alan Hull Story
Movie · as Self
This Is Pop
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
Ringo Starr’s Big Birthday Show
Movie · as Self - Performer
Johnny Cash: The Man in Black in Britain
Movie · as Self
Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration
Movie · as Self
Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen
Movie · as Self - Performer
Ex Libris: The New York Public Library
Movie · as Self
Roy Orbison: Black and White Night 30
Movie · as Self
Pete the Cat
TV · as Pete's Dad (voice) · 78 eps
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years
Movie · as Self
Elvis Costello - Detour Live at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Movie · as Self
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
TV · as Self, Self - Musical Guest, Self - Guest · 3 eps
Lost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued
Movie · as Self
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
TV · as Self - Musical Guest · 1 ep
Elvis Costello: Mystery Dance
Movie · as Self
Experience Montreux
Movie · as Self
Elvis Costello & The Imposters: The Return Of The Spectacular Spinning Songbook
Movie · as Self - Performer
A MusiCares Tribute to Neil Young
Movie · as Self
I Was There: When the Beatles Played the Cavern
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Hamburg Journal
TV · as self · 1 ep
Love Shines
Movie · as Self
Hard Rock Calling 2010
Movie · as Self
A Prairie Home Companion Live in HD!
Movie · as Self - Singer
Treme
TV · as Elvis Costello · 2 eps
Live From Bonnaroo 2009
Movie · as Self
Live from the Artists Den
TV · as Self · 1 ep
A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!
Movie · as Self
Memento Mori
Movie · as Self
Spectacle: Elvis Costello with...
TV · as Self · 20 eps
Delirious
Movie · as Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello: Live: A Case for Song
Movie · as Self - Vocals, Guitar
If It Ain't Stiff: The Stiff Records Story
Movie · as Self
Tony Bennett: Duets - The Making of an American Classic
Movie · as Self
The Old, Weird America: Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music
Movie · as Self
The Graham Norton Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Movie · as Elvis Costello
Putting the River in Reverse
Movie · as Self
Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint: Hot as a Pistol, Keen as a Blade
Movie · as Self
From the Big Apple to the Big Easy: The Concert for New Orleans
Movie · as Self
Grand Ole Opry Live
Movie · as Self
Before the Music Dies
Movie · as Self - Musician
The Harry Smith Project Live
Movie · as Self
The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder: Punk & New Wave
Movie · as Self
Elvis Costello & Friends
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
30 Rock
TV · as Elvis Costello · 1 ep
Legends
TV · as Self · 2 eps
The Pretenders: No Turn Left Unstoned
Movie · as Self
Elvis Costello: The Right Spectacle - The Very Best of Elvis Costello
Movie · as Self - Performer
Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today
Movie · as Self
Off The Beaten Path: A Road Trip With Elvis & Pete
Movie · as Self
Johnny Vegas: 18 Stone of Idiot - Unseen and Uncut
Movie · as Guest
The Colbert Report
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Elvis Costello & The Imposters: Club Date - Live in Memphis
Movie · as Self
Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile
Movie · as Self
De-Lovely
Movie · as Musical Performer - "Let's Misbehave"
Live Aid
Movie · as Self
Johnny Cash: The Last Great American
Movie · as Self
Willie Nelson & Friends: Live and Kickin'
Movie · as Self
Elvis Costello: North
Movie · as Self
Freedom Beat
Movie · as Self
I Love Your Work
Movie · as Self
Emmylou Harris: From a Deeper Well
Movie · as Self
Two and a Half Men
TV · as Elvis Costello · 1 ep
Real Time with Bill Maher
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
TV · as Self - Musical Guest · 2 eps
There's Only One Paul McCartney
Movie · as Self
CMT Crossroads
TV · as Self · 1 ep
A Tribute To Burt Bacharach & Hal David
Movie · as Self
Prison Song
Movie · as Public Defender / Teacher
Unleaded
Movie · as Elvis Costello
In Dreams: The Roy Orbison Story
Movie · as Self
Here, There and Everywhere: A Concert for Linda
Movie · as Self
200 Cigarettes
Movie · as Self
Classic Albums: U2 - The Joshua Tree
Movie · as Self
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Movie · as Elvis Costello
Behind the Scenes of 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me'
Movie · as Self
Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Special
Movie · as Self
Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach: Sessions at West 54th
Movie · as Self
Brian Wilson’s Imagination
Movie · as Self
Burt Bacharach: One Amazing Night
Movie · as Self
Spice World
Movie · as Elvis Costello
Classic Albums
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Tony Bennett's New York
Movie · as Self
The Daily Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
3rd Rock from the Sun
TV · as Elvis Costello · 1 ep
TFI Friday
TV · 5 eps
The Frank Skinner Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Die Harald Schmidt Show
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Lo + plus
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Tony Bennett: MTV Unplugged
Movie · as Self
September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill
Movie · as Self
Philip K Dick: A Day in the Afterlife
Movie · as Self - Interviewee
Dusty
Movie · as Self - Interviewee
Weird Nightmare
Movie · as Self
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
TV · as Self - Guest, Self - Musical Guest
Frasier
TV · as Ben · 1 ep
Late Show with David Letterman
TV · as Self - Musical Guest · 4 eps
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
TV · as Self - Musical Guest · 1 ep
The Larry Sanders Show
TV · as Elvis Costello · 2 eps
Later... with Jools Holland
TV · 6 eps
Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet - The Juliet Letters
Movie · as Self
Have I Got News for You
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Paul McCartney: Put It There
Movie · as Self
Elvis Costello & Friends Live at Sweetwater
Movie
The Simpsons
TV · as Elvis Costello (voice) · 1 ep
MTV Unplugged
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night
Movie · as Self - Guitar/Electric Organ/Harmonica
Straight to Hell
Movie · as Hives The Butler
Red Shoes In the Land of the Midnight Sun: Elvis Costello & The Confederates Live in Tokyo
Movie · as Self - Performer
Chet Baker Live at Ronnie Scott's
Movie · as Self
The Way They Were: Punk and the New Wave 1976-1978
Movie · as Self
Live Aid
Movie · as Self
No Surrender
Movie · as Rosco De Ville
The Bullshitters: Roll Out the Gunbarrel
Movie · as Stone Deaf A & R Man
Scully
TV · as Henry Scully · 7 eps
Champs-Elysées
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Comic Strip Presents...
TV · as Stone Deaf A & R Man
George Jones: With a Little Help from His Friends
Movie · as Self
Concerts for the People of Kampuchea
Movie · as Self
Elvis Costello & The Attractions Live in Montreaux
Movie · as Self - Performer
Americathon
Movie · as The Earl of Manchester
If It Ain't Stiff, It Ain't Worth a Fuck
Movie · as Self
Elvis Costello and The Attractions: Live at The Capitol Theatre
Movie · as Self
The Kenny Everett Video Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The South Bank Show
TV · 2 eps
Austin City Limits
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Saturday Night Live
TV · as Self - Musical Guest · 3 eps
Top of the Pops
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
The Oscars
TV · as Self · 1 ep