Costinha was born on February 24, 1891 in Santarem, Portugal as Ernestino Augusto Costa. He was an actor, known for Lisboa em Camisa (1960), O Costa d'África (1954) and A Sapateira Prodigiosa (1968). He was married to Luísa Durão. He died on January 24, 1976 in Lisbon, Portugal.