Craig Castaldo, known worldwide as Radioman, is a true New York City original — a street legend who became an unlikely staple of Hollywood filmmaking. For more than 30 years, Radioman has been a familiar sight on film sets across the city, instantly recognizable by the oversized radio perpetually hanging around his neck and his ability to find productions long before social media or set maps existed.

Radioman’s story is one of resilience, humor, and the strange magic of New York. After struggling with homelessness in the 1980s, he stumbled into movie culture when he met film crews working on the streets of Manhattan. His one-of-a-kind personality and quick wit earned him the affection of cast and crew members, eventually leading to over three-hundred cameo appearances in major films and TV shows — including The Departed, Elf, The Bourne Ultimatum, Spider-Man, Gangs of New York, Night at the Museum, 30 Rock, and more.

Over time, Radioman built friendships with some of the industry’s biggest stars. Robin Williams famously championed him, while others — from George Clooney to Meryl Streep — welcomed him as part of NYC’s filmmaking tapestry. Despite his underground celebrity, he remains exactly who he has always been: sharp-tongued, hilarious, unpredictable, and deeply connected to the city’s streets.

Today, with The Real Radioman series, audiences finally get to see the man behind the myth. The series reveals Radioman not only as a beloved movie-set fixture, but as a survivor with a remarkable past, a complicated present, and a perspective on fame and filmmaking that only a THIS New York original could have.