A longtime Morongo Basin literary and theatrical icon has passed away. Ben Costello died of natural causes last night (February 9, 2021) at his home in Joshua Tree. He was 60 years old. Born in Upland on February 3rd, 1961, he moved to Yucca Valley in 1974. Ben Costello loved movies and TV from a young age. He was an avid collector of Hollywood memorabilia and an accomplished author. Most notably, he published “Gunsmoke: An American Institution,” a biography on the actors and characters on the TV series “Gunsmoke.” Costello traveled the country doing signings and interviews with tons of celebrities and writers. His son Eddie told Z107.7 News he loved Hollywood and show business. Costello wrote, directed, and performed in the immensely popular “Company B” series of musical reviews starting out at the Hi-Desert Playhouse, later in Las Vegas and Laughlin, with the final show at Theatre 29 in 2020. Ben Costello is survived by his son Eddie Costello, his siblings, and many nieces and nephews. Services for Ben Costello are pending and will be announced when the details are available.
