He feared disappointing Bob and the team so he just quit lifting. He never informed Bob of his reasons for leaving and as a result, Bob and J’Tone never communicated again. When Bob died, it left many wounds (both physical and friendship) unhealed. “Through my years of ego and stubbornness, the urge to move on has caused more heartaches between myself and all the people I loved and admired. To the many I’ve disappointed including my father, mother, aunts and uncles, children, girlfriends, previous wives, and friends Derek, Bob Hoffman, Johnny Cash and others who’ve passed away before I had the sense and caring to say sorry, I’ll say it now on this written page. To all that I’ve offended I am sincerely sorry. May the Lord forgive all my many transgressions.”
 
In Philadelphia, J’Tone joined Southwark Theatre School, at the Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia, and Hedgerow where he later met the great Shakespearean actor Richard Basehart. There he studied under Lou Lippa, Doloris Tanner, Rose Schulman and Charlie Walnut, who cast J’Tone in his first starring role as Alfieri in “View From the Bridge.” At Peoples Light and Theatre J’Tone performed in and received top reviews as Lenny in “Of Mice and Men”, as the Duke of Venice/Lodovico in “Othello“; and as Fabrice in Noel Cowards “Nude With Violin”.
 
On stage at the Philadelphia Company, a subsidiary of the Shubert Theater Enterprises, J’Tone played Shamreyev in “The Seagull” then as the bar tender in “They Used to Be Stars”. Eventually, J’Tone, continued to be casted in leading stage roles along with fine reviews in more than 87 productions nationwide, while waiting in the wings adjacent future great performers, Morgan Freeman, Judd Hirsch and Danny DeVito. In particular, J’Tone felt that “these three fine actors were destined for success.” Once he drove Judd to Reedman’s Auto. At the time Judd could only afford a car he bought for $175. “He and I fixed its broken seat.” J’Tone was inspired to compose two screen plays in which he hoped to cast these three. Back then, Morgan closely resembled Jimmy Hendricks and also played guitar. This inspired the screenplay “Guitar Man”. The second play concerned many of our mentally disturbed buddies returning totally transformed from Vietnam. Thus “Welcome Home, Eddie” was born. After noticing how successful the three actors became, J’Tone lost confidence in approaching them because he felt his plays were inadequate. Morgan suggested he try out for the Children’s Work Shop with him, but he already had agreed to accompany John Bos, the producer at TLA, to the grand opening of the Zellerbach Theater at the University of Penn. There he was cast in 8 different roles in “St. Joan of the Sock Yard“, written by Breick. Soon after J’Tone was cast as one of the prisoners in “Papillion”.
 
J’Tone resumed his acting career yet never gave up writing screen plays and poems. His poems are recognized worldwide. Several early poems were first published in 1951 in pamphlet form by Trinity University Press, Dublin. His first complete volume of verse “My City in Portrait and Song” was copyright in 1965 by Dorrance and Co., Philadelphia under an earlier pen name of Joe Costa. During his three years as a fire-fighter at Engine 27’s (a very active, heavy duty outfit), J’Tone often ran shotgun on Rescue I. His observations there provided the material for the poem, “Rescue Call.” In 1986 and again in 1988 J‘Anthon DaCosta (J’Tone) became the recipient of the coveted Golden Poet Award by World Book of Poetry. “The Gilded Cage” an early screen play is based in part on J’Tone’s childhood and coming of age in South Philly.
 
While working as a script researcher for Pan American Films Incorporated, in Media, PA, J’Tone documented the background to a film for a Paraguayan Pro Patriot and oil heir named Philip de Bourbon. Senior de Bourbon sponsored research into the Chaco War. J’Tone was sent to Asuncion, Paraguay to meet with the sponsor of the upcoming historic film. During J’Tone’s stay in an Guarani Ache village he was introduced to missionaries working with these very gentle and poetic people. To them each creature in the forest is considered an ancestor. The missionaries spoke of the inhumane treatment they suffered at the hands of the government under the then dictatorship of presidente Alfredo Stroessner Matiauda. On returning to the States, J’Tone joined the International League for the Rights of Man and worked as an investigative reporter under Dr. Richard Arens, professor of law at Temple University in Philadelphia. Eventually, Dr. Arens commission reported their findings to our representatives in Washington. They in turn were to make inquires through their ambassador in Paraguay. A final report from Congress came back lying as to the terrible mistreatment of the innocent Ache natives stating that they were well treated, and Congress ignored the obvious. While performing the role of Marco in “View from the Bridge” at Rutgers Camden, J’Tone met Geraldo Rivera and presented him with a copy of Prof. Arens “Genocide in Paraguay” along with a brief commentary as to the inhuman treatment of the Aches. He waited and disappointment came when again nothing was done to help the Aches. After all of the leagues efforts to stop the killing, maiming, raping, pillaging and murder, J’Tone realized that the leaders of his own government and many dictatorships were bedfellows.
 
Having failed in all his social endeavors, J’Tone gave up this cause and resumed his acting and writing career, where he had been formerly successful. J’Tone starred in many theatrical productions with the Ambassadors on Tour: “My Fair Lady”, “Phantom of the Opera”, “Annie”, “Man of La Mancha”, and “The Sound of Music” to name a few of the starring roles. As a long standing member of the Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA he became a regular character actor in TV and in Films. Along with other war heroes, J’Tone researched Frank K. Binder, a former OSS member of the underground fighting the Nazi’s in Czechoslovakia. Near the end of World War II, Frank was captured by the Nazi’s and brought to the commander to be tortured for information and then was to be executed. But through a course of events Frank saved his life, and became a hero and mediator by offering the commandant the opportunity to surrender to the allies. Sensibly, the Nazi officer willingly surrounded his command to Frank.
 
A compilation of J’Tone’s research and experience in regards to wars and human rights issues are the basis for two upcoming epic novels “Where The River Shannon Flows” and “The Reunion”. On his second visit to the UK since 1951, J’Tone began the novel and screenplay based on the stupidity of  wars with close neighbors such as in Ulster, Northern Ireland and the eternal struggle in the Holy Land. The outline was completed following his participation in the annual Joints in Motion Marathon in Dublin, Ireland. Flashbacks of Nazi occupation as recalled by the members of the allied forces, the OSS and workers at the Skoda plant in Plzen and finally peasants from the village of Leitche, where the crew of a B-17 bomber were shot down, tortured and brutally murdered by the Nazi’s are the living characters in “The Reunion”.
 
J’Tone is a father of fourteen legal children and a grandfather to twenty-seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild, so far. One of his children, Joe Costa Jr., competed and won in the Ohio State - Buckeye Classic Strongman Challenge in 2007. J’Tone’s son, Joe Jr. (the younger) was a missionary in China and delivered Bibles on street corners and was locked up for doing so. Upon his release he returned to the same corners and continued until he was had given out all his Bibles. The same two soldiers that had arrested him earlier passed him several times but now paid his illegal Bible distributing no mind. Joe Jr. also was a volunteer during the Katrina Disaster helping those who had survived.
 
Brian, another son of J’Tone by a former marriage, followed his footsteps but as a film maker. Brian is the CEO of Bag1Entertainment, a subsidiary of Briarwood Films. They are in the process of producing a new NBC show called “Tour of The Shore” where Executive and star of the show Chef Guy Mitchell visits local restaurants, area attractions, wineries, brew pubs, competitions, jazz festivals and all important
happenings at the shore and in the future has hopes to expand to shore points worldwide. Brian is also planning to produce his father’s family friendly films. His dream is to cast, like American Idol, from everyday people by setting up auditions in theaters, auditoriums and churches nationwide.
 
In conclusion I have found J’Tone to have lived an interesting and vibrant life. From actor, weight lifter, author and researcher he has done it all. His life has taken him to many places and his experiences have given him the knowledge that has made him who he is. I can only wonder how he has touched so many lives through his concern for others. Throughout the time that I have interviewed him, listened to his adventures and seen with my own eyes the concern and emotion for those he has come in contact with, I have grown to admire him for who he is. J’Tone is very proud of all his family, but I believe that the backbone of his accomplishments is due to the love and support of his lovely wife of over 40 years, Doreen Costa. 
 

Written by,
Angelina Louise