Sabu Dastagir

Career Sabu served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. When he was 13, Sabu was discovered by documentary filmmaker Robert Flaherty, who cast him in the role of an elephant driver in the 1937 British film Elephant Boy. This was adapted from "Toomai of the Elephants", a story by Rudyard Kipling. In 1938 producer Alexander Korda commissioned A. E. W. Mason to write The Drum as a starring vehicle for the young actor. Sabu is perhaps best known for his role as Abu in the 1940 fantasy adventure film The Thief of Bagdad. Director Michael Powell said that Sabu had a "wonderful grace" about him. In 1942, Sabu played another role based on a Kipling story, namely Mowgli in Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book, directed by Zoltan Korda, which was shot entirely in California. He starred alongside Maria Montez and Jon Hall in three films for Universal Pictures: Arabian Nights (1942), White Savage (1943) and Cobra Woman (1944).

Military service After becoming an American citizen in 1944, Sabu joined the U.S. Army Air Forces and served as a tail gunner and ball-turret gunner on B-24 Liberators. He flew several dozen missions with the 370th Bombardment Squadron of the 307th Bomb Group in the Pacific, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his valor and bravery.

Post-war career His career declined after World War II. He was unable to secure equivalent roles in Hollywood that British films had offered. He occasionally did gain significant parts, such as roles in the British films Black Narcissus and The End of the River (both 1947). Through most of the 1950s he starred in largely unsuccessful European films. In 1952, he starred in the Harringay Circus with an elephant act.

He was considered for the role of Birju in Mehboob Khan's 1957 film Mother India, which would have marked his debut in Hindi films, but was denied a work permit and the role ended up going to Sunil Dutt. Sabu never got to appear in a film made in his native country. In 1963, he made a comeback to Hollywood with a supporting role in Rampage opposite Robert Mitchum. He played another supporting role alongside Brian Keith in the Disney film A Tiger Walks. This would turn out to be his final role. He died three months before the film was released on March 12, 1964.

Personal life On 19 October 1948, Sabu married little-known actress Marilyn Cooper (whose only film part, as Princess Tara in Song of India in 1949, was not credited), with whom he had two children. Their marriage lasted until his death. Their son, Paul Sabu, established the rock band Sabu in the 1980s. Their daughter, Jasmine Sabu (died 2001), was an animal trainer for the motion picture industry.

Sabu was the subject of a paternity suit. A dancer with whom he had appeared in Black Narcissus, Brenda Marian Julier, alleged that he was the father of her daughter Michaela, born in 1948. At the time of the trial, in October 1950, Julier had married Frank Ernst. The jury found in favor of Sabu by a vote of 9 to 3. However, in March 1952, an appeals court reversed the verdict and ordered a new trial, finding the trial judge's jury instructions were erroneous and prejudicial, and that Sabu's attorney had effectively put Julier on trial. The day the second trial was scheduled to begin, in July 1953, the actor settled the case without admitting paternity. He agreed to defray Julier's costs, set up a trust fund, and pay monthly support until the child reached 21. At that time, Ernst stated his intent to adopt the girl.

In November 1950, a fire destroyed the second storey of his Los Angeles home. Arthur E. Wall and Andre Perez were arrested for arson shortly afterward; Perez pleaded guilty in July 1951. He revealed that he was asked to set the fire by Wall, Sabu's friend, who told him the actor needed the insurance money. Sabu's insurer, Northwestern Mutual, had originally paid out his claim, but sued him in November 1952 after learning about the purported arson.

Sabu's brother, known as Shaik Dastagir, managed his career. In 1960, Shaik was shot dead at his home during a botched robbery. The perpetrator, 18-year-old Jimmy E. Shields, was a former employee at the brothers' furniture store. He was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 1 to 10 years in prison.

Death On 2 December 1963, Sabu died suddenly in Chatsworth, California, of a heart attack, age 39. He is interred at the Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills Cemetery.

Legacy During the peak of his career, Sabu was one of the few Indian-born film actors to gain an international profile. The British Film Institute's Screenonline described him as "Britain's first above-the-title film star of Indian origin - indeed, for many years India's only truly international star."

Singer-songwriter John Prine wrote a song about Sabu, imagining his culture shock touring America on a promotional trip in winter, "Sabu Visits the Twin Cities Alone," recorded for his 1978 album Bruised Orange. The chorus goes, "Hey look, Ma, here comes the elephant boy / Bundled all up in his corduroy / Headed down south towards Illinois / From the jungles of East St. Paul." Prine called it the strangest song he wrote.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes 1937 Elephant Boy Toomai 1938 The Drum Prince Azim 1940 The Thief of Bagdad Abu 1942 Jungle Book Mowgli Arabian Nights Ali Ben Ali 1943 White Savage Orano 1944 Cobra Woman Kado 1946 Tangier Pepe 1947 Black Narcissus The Young General The End of the River Manoel 1948 Man-Eater of Kumaon Narain 1949 Song of India Ramdar 1951 Savage Drums Tipo Tairu 1952 Hello Elephant Sultan of Nagore Bagdad 1954 The Treasure of Bengal Ainur 1956 Jaguar Juano Jungle Hell Sabu the Jungle Boy The Black Panther Short 1957 Sabu and the Magic Ring 1960 Mistress of the World Dr. Lin-Chor 1963 Rampage Talib 1964 A Tiger Walks Ram Singh Posthumously release