Elvis Costello Biography (1954-)

Original name, Declan Patrick McManus (some sources spell the surname MacManus); name legally changed to Elvis Costello, 1977, then to Declan Patrick Aloysius McManus, 1986; born August 24, 1954, in London, England; son of Ross (abandleader and musician) and Mary (maiden name, Costello) McManus; married Mary, 1974 (divorced, c. 1985); married Caitlin O'Rioran (a musician and actress), May 16, 1986 (divorced, 2002); married Diana Krall (a musician), December6, 2003; children: (first marriage) Matthew. Addresses: Agent: Tony Goldring, William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Nationality: British
Gender: Male
Occupation: Musician, songwriter, composer, actor
Birth Details: August 24, 1954; London, United Kingdom

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Appearances
Earl of Manchester, Americathon, United Artists, 1979
Himself, Concert for Kampuchea, Miramax, 1980
Himself, Fundamental Frolics, 1981
Rosco de Ville, No Surrender, 1985
Hives the Butler, Straight to Hell, Island, 1987
Himself, Weird Nightmare, 1993
Himself, Spice World, Columbia/Sony Pictures Entertainment, 1997
Himself, Robert Wyatt: Little Red Robin Hood (documentary), 1998
Himself, 200 Cigarettes, Paramount, 1999
Himself, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (also known as Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Shagged Me), Buena Vista, 1999
Mayor of the Sunset Strip, First Look Pictures Releasing, 2000
Himself, Sans plomb (also known as Unleaded), Mongrel Media, 2000
Public defender and teacher, Prison Song, New Line Cinema, 2001
Himself (in archive footage), If I Should Fall from Grace: The Shane MacGowan Story (documentary), Buena Vista International, 2001
Himself, Freedom Highway: Songs That Shaped a Century (also knownas Freedom Highway), Filmove Studio Barrandov, 2001
Himself, I Love Your Work, Cyan Pictures/Departure Entertainment/Muse Productions/Rice-Walters Productions, 2003
De Lovely, United Artists, 2004
Film Work
Song Performer
(With the Attractions) "Accidents Will Happen," E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Universal, 1982
"Days," Bis ans Ende der Welt (also known as Until the End of the World and Jusqu'au bout du monde), 1991
"Alison," Metroland, Lions Gate Films, 1997
(With the Attractions) "My Mood Swings," The Big Lebowski, Gramercy, 1998
"I Throw My Toys Around," The Rugrats Movie (animated), Paramount,1998
"Mystery Dance," Zero Effect, Columbia/Sony Pictures Entertainment, 1998
"She," Notting Hill, MCA/Universal, 1999
"I Want You," I Want You (also known as Beloved), Gramercy,1999
"You Stole My Bell," The Family Man, Universal, 2000
"Welcome to the Working Week," Loser, Sony Pictures Releasing, 2000
(With the Attractions) "Watching the Detectives," When Brendan Met Trudy, Shooting Gallery, 2001
(With the Attractions) The Shape of Things, Focus Features, 2003
Just One of Those Things, 2003
Television Appearances
Specials
Live Aid, 1985
(In archive footage) Rolling Stone Presents Twenty Years of Rock &Roll (also known as Rolling Stone: The First Twenty Years), 1987
Roy Orbison & Friends: A Black & White Night, Cinemax, 1988
Paul McCartney: Put It There (also known as Put It There),Showtime, 1989
Late Night with David Letterman Eighth Anniversary Special, NBC, 1990
The Best of the Cinemax Sessions, Cinemax, 1990
The 25th Montreaux Music Festival, The Disney Channel, 1992
The Juliet Letters, PBS, 1993
Irish in America ... A Musical Migration, The Disney Channel, 1994
Unplugged: Tony Bennett, 1994
The Music of Kurt Weill: September Songs (also known as September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill), PBS, 1995
Burt Bacharach: This Is Now, PBS, 1997
Bacharach: One Amazing Night, TNT, 1998
Brian Wilson: Imagination, PBS, 1998
Endless Harmony: The Beach Boys and Their Music, VH1, 1998
Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Primetime Special, NBC, 1999
Woodstock 99, Fox, 1999
A History of Britain, History Channel, 2001
(In archive footage) The 100 Greatest TV Ads, Channel 4 (England),2000
The Irish Gala, PBS, 2001
Interviewee, The 100 Greatest Albums of Rock & Roll, VH1, 2001
There's Only One Paul McCartney, BBC (England), 2002
Willie Nelson & Friends: Live and Kickin', USA Network, 2003
Miniseries
Himself, The History of Rock 'N' Roll, Volume 9 (also known as Punk), syndicated, 1995
The Irish in America: Long Journey Home, 1998
Episodic
(With the Attractions) So It Goes, 1977
Saturday Night Live, multiple appearances, 1977-1991
Top of the Pops, multiple appearances, 1977-1999
The Midnight Special, 1979
(With the Attractions) The Kenny Everett Video Show, 1979, 1980
(With the Attractions) Multicoloured Swap Shop, multiple appearances, 1979-1980
(With the Attractions) Tiswas, 1980
(With the Attractions) Jim'll Fix It, 1981
(With the Attractions) The Russell Harty Show, 1981
"Elvis Costello," The South Bank Show, 1981
Stone deaf A & R man, "The Bullshitters: Roll out the Gunbarrel," The Comic Strip Presents, 1984
Guest, Late Night with David Letterman, 1989
MTV Unplugged, MTV, 1989, 1991, 1994
ABC in Concert, ABC, 1991
Himself, "People's Choice," The Larry Sanders Show, HBO, 1994
Guest, Late Show with David Letterman, CBS, multiple appearances,beginning 1994
Guest, Have I Got News for You, 1996
Himself, "Everybody Loves Larry," The Larry Sanders Show, HBO, 1996

Guest, Clive Anderson All Talk, 1997
Sessions at West 54th, PBS, 1997
Voice, "All Aboard the Cat Bus," Comedy Lab, 1999
Guest, TFI Friday, Channel 4 (England), 1999
Guest, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NBC, 1999, 2002, 2003
"Atlantic Crossing," Walk On By: The Story of Popular Song, 2001
Himself, "The Thing That Wouldn't Die: Parts 1 & 2," 3rd Rock fromthe Sun, NBC, 2001
Guest, The South Bank Show, 2001
Guest, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, BBC (England), 2002
Voice, "How I Spent My Strummer Vacation," The Simpsons (animated), Fox, 2002
Guest host, Late Show with David Letterman, CBS, 2003
Ben, "Farewell, Nervosa," Frasier, NBC, 2003
Guest, The Frank Skinner Show, ITV (England), 2003
Guest, Die Harald Schmidt Show, [Germany], 2003
Also appeared in CMT Crossroads, CMT; Popular Song: Soundtrackof the Century, Bravo; and Storytellers, VH1.
Awards Presentations
The 39th Grammy Awards, CBS, 1997
The 26th Annual American Music Awards, ABC, 1999
Presenter, The 45th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 2003
The 2003 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony, VH1, 2003
Television Work
Pilots
Creator and executive producer, The Archangels, The WB, 2001
Specials
Theme song performer, The Long Journey Home, 1987
RECORDINGS
Albums
My Aim Is True, Columbia, 1977
(With the Attractions) This Year's Model, Columbia, 1978
(With the Attractions) Live at El Mocambo, Columbia, 1978
(With the Attractions) Armed Forces, Columbia, 1978
(With the Attractions) Get Happy, Columbia, 1979
(With the Attractions) Taking Liberties, Columbia, 1980
Ten Bloody Marys & Ten How's Your Fathers, F Beat, 1980
(With the Attractions) Trust, Columbia, 1981
(With the Attractions) Almost Blue, Columbia, 1981
(With the Attractions) Imperial Bedroom, Columbia, 1982
(With the Attractions) Punch the Clock, Columbia, 1983
(With the Attractions) Goodbye Cruel World, Columbia, 1984
The Best of Elvis Costello, Telstar, 1985
The Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Columbia, 1985
(With the Confederates) King of America, Columbia, 1986
(With the Attractions) Blood and Chocolate, Columbia, 1986
The Man: The Best of Elvis Costello, Demon, 1986
Out of Our Idiot, Demon, 1987
The Costello Show, Demon, 1987
The Courier (film score), 1988
Girls, Girls, Girls, Columbia, 1989
Spike, Warner Bros., 1988
Mighty Like a Rose, Warner Bros., 1991
(With Richard Harvey) G.B.H.: Original Music from the Channel Four Series, Demon, 1991
2 1/2 Years, four-volume set, Rykodisc, 1993
(With the Brodsky Quartet) The Juliet Letters, Warner Bros., 1993
(With Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas, Bruce Thomas, and Nick Lowe) Brutal Youth, Warner Bros., 1994
G.B.H., Rykodisc, 1994
The Very Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Rykodisc, 1994
Deep Dead Blue, Live at Meltdown, Nonesuch, 1995
Jake's Progress, Demon, 1995
Kojack Variety, Warner Bros., 1995
Original Music from Channel 4 Series, Demon, 1996
All This Useless Beauty, Warner Bros., 1996
Costello and Nieve, Warner Bros., 1996
Terror & Magnificence, PolyGram, 1997
Extreme Honey: The Very Best of the Warner Bros. Years, Warner Bros., 1997
(With Burt Bacharach; includes "I Still Have That Other Girl") Paintedfrom Memory, Mercury, 1998
The Sweetest Punch: The Songs of Elvis Costello, Polygram, 1999
Best of Elvis Costello, Polygram International, 1999
(With Anne Sofie von Otter) For the Stars, Deutsche Grammophon, 2001
When I Was Cruel, Island, 2002
North, 2003
Recorded numerous videos, including Veronica
WRITINGS
Film Composer
(As Declan McManus) The Courier, 1988
End title music, Family, 1994
Songs Featured in Films
"Crawling to the USA," Americathon, United Artists, 1979
"Accidents Will Happen," E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Universal, 1982
"Party Girl" (theme song), Party, Party, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1982
"Seven Day Weekend," Club Paradise, 1986
"Almost Blue," Let's Get Lost, 1988
"Miracle Man," The Godfather: Part III (also known as Mario Puzo's The Godfather: Part III), 1990
"Days," Bis ans Ende der Welt (also known as Until the End of the World and Jusqu'au bout du monde), 1991
"Pump It Up," PCU, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1994
"Almost Blues," Georgia, Miramax, 1995
(With Burt Bacharach) "God Give Me Strength," Grace of My Heart, 1996
"Alison," Metroland, Lions Gate Films, 1997
"My Mood Swings," The Big Lebowski, Gramercy, 1998
"I Throw My Toys Around," The Rugrats Movie (animated), Paramount,1998
Zero Effect, Columbia/Sony Pictures Entertainment, 1998
"Everyday I Write the Book," The Wedding Singer, New Line Cinema,1998
"Oliver's Army," 200 Cigarettes, Paramount, 1999
"I Want You," I Want You (also known as Beloved), Gramercy,1999
"Shipbuilding," High Fidelity, Buena Vista, 2000
Sans plomb (also known as Unleaded), Mongrel Media, 2000
"You Stole My Bell," The Family Man, Universal, 2000
"Welcome to the Working Week," Loser, Sony Pictures Releasing, 2000
"Watching the Detectives," When Brendan Met Trudy, Shooting Gallery, 2001
The Shape of Things, Focus Features, 2003
Just One of Those Things, 2003
Some of these songs have also been featured in other films.
Television Composer
Miniseries
(With others) G.B.H., 1991
Jake's Progress, Channel 4 (England), 1995
(With others) Oliver Twist, PBS, 1999
Series
Scully, 1984
"Let Them All Talk" (theme song), Clive Anderson All Talk, 1996
Television Songs
Specials
Theme song, The Long Journey Home, 1987
The Juliet Letters, PBS, 1993
"My Dark Life," More Secrets of the X-Files, Fox, 1996
Television Pilots
Writer and song composer, The Archangels, The WB, 2001
Books
A Singing Dictionary (lyrics and sheet music), Plangent Visions, 1980
Everyday I Write the Song (Grumbling Appendix to the Singing Dictionary), Plangent Visions, 1983

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

Clayton-Lea, Tony, Elvis Costello: A Biography, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1999
Contemporary Musicians, Volume 40, Gale, 2003
Geoff, Parkyn, Elvis Costello: The Illustrated Disco/Biography, Omnibus Press, 1984
Gouldstone, David, Elvis Costello: God's Comic, St. Martin's Press, 1989
Perone, James E., Elvis Costello: A Bio-Bibliography, Greenwood Publishing Group, 1998

Periodicals

Billboard, October 26, 1996, p. 1; April 26, 1997, p. 10; October25, 1997, p. 9; February 7, 1998, p. 1
Entertainment Weekly, March 11, 1994, p. 55; July 26, 1996, p. 54;October 2, 1998, p. 72; May 17, 2002, p. 43
Hollywood Reporter, June 3, 1999, p. 10
Interview, March, 1997, p. 80
Newsweek, October 5, 1998, pp. 80-81
People Weekly, October 19, 1998, p. 45; March 31, 2003
Q, May, 2002, pp. 66-68
Vanity Fair, November, 2000, pp. 158-64

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