Spoiler : Born in Lenigrad, Russia 12/22/1901; died 1/14/1980 of a heart attack while suffering from pneumonia while on vacation in Portau-Prince, Haiti. Married and divorced to singer Lily Pons (1938-1958); medical technician Sara Gene Orcutt (1960-1969). He was educated at The St. Petersburg Conservatory in Russia. His family fled Russia in 1917 to escape from the revolution. He stayed behind, trying to save his family's real estate, but with no success, in 1922, he joined his family in America. He became a citizen in 1928.

Spoiler : Radio debut on The Atwater-Kent Hour for WEAF-New York in the middle 1920's. Joined CBS-Radio as an arranger/conductor for their staff orchestra in 1929. Provided music for CBS-Radio programs including Snowdrift Melodies (?); Threads Of Happiness (?); Manhattan Soap Show (1931); American Chain And Cable Show (1931-1932); Southern Cotton Oil Show (1931-1932); Spool Cotton Show (1932-1933); The Pontiac Program Starring Stoopnagle And Bud (1932-1933); The Buick Program (1933-1934); The Chesterfield Hour and Chesterfield Presents (1934-1938); The Walter O'Keefe Show (1938); Tune Up Time (1939-1940); The Pause That Refreshes On the Air (1940-1949). Kostelanetz became a guest conductor for the New York Philharmonic (1952-1980 his death).