Gene Costentino, 57, who owned X-Ray Productions for 15 years and was known for his production skills as well as for his generosity and concern for others, died Dec. 16 of cancer.
“Gene was one of the best production men in the city,” said his Carmen Trombetta, Mr. Cosentino’s close personal friend of 30 years, beginning when Trombetta owned production company Polycom and hired Mr. Cosentino right out of Columbia College, as an intern.
“Gene was a great, hard-working producer, friendly, with a big heart, who would always share his time, effort and money to help other people with their problems, whether personal or professional,” Trombetta said. “If anyone was having a hard time, he’d give them the shirt off his back.”
Pat Gulotta was one of the recipients of Mr. Cosentino’s big heart. In 1999, he was working for Mr. Cosentino when his mother was ill with cancer. “Gene paid my salary for the entire month so I could stay with her,” he said.
“I was newly married and buying a house, and for an employer to do that ? it meant the world to me. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Gene had taken that money out of his own pocket. But that’s the kind of man he was.”
After several years at Polycom, where he rose to become operations manager, Mr. Cosentino and three partners bought Renaissance, an old-line suburban production company. They moved it to Ohio Street and turned it into a thriving production business.
Although their sale of Renaissance to a marginal film entrepreneur turned out to be disappointing, the partners stuck it out with the company for a few years. Shortly thereafter, they started X-Ray Productions.
Mr. Cosentino, who had become X-Ray’s sole owner, closed the company last winter. “His whole life was his work and the stress of having to shutter the business may have accelerated the cancer,” Trombetta speculated.
“Gene had a master’s degree from Columbia College and after he closed his business, he could have taught at any college. But maybe he knew he had cancer, but didn’t tell anyone.”
Both Trombetta and Gulotta extolled Mr. Cosentino as a kind-hearted man, “who always thought of others first and put his soul into the business,” said Gulotta.
“Gene was an honest, selfless man of integrity,” added Trombetta. “There wasn’t a mean bone in his body, which is why his business was stolen from him. His job and his brothers were all that mattered to him. He really cared. He helped anyone who needed a break.”
Mr. Cosentino is survived by brothers Richard, Joseph and Frank, his sister Karen, and many aunts and uncles.
