Sabu (actor)

Sabu

Sabu Dastagir (January 27, 1924 – December 2, 1963) was a motion picture actor known by his first name, Sabu.

Born in Mysore, India, he was the son of an Indian mahout (elephant driver) and was discovered by documentary film-maker Robert Flaherty who cast him in the role of an elephant driver in the 1937 British film Elephant Boy, based on "Toomai of the Elephants", a story by Kipling.

Most reference books have his full name as "Sabu Dastigir", but research by journalist Philip Leibfried suggests that was his brother's name, and that Sabu was in fact Selar Shaik Sabu. His brother managed his career.

Sabu is remembered most fondly for his role as Abu in the Hollywood film The Thief of Bagdad. In 1942 he once again played a role based on Kipling, namely Mowgli in Jungle Book directed by Zoltán Korda. But his career went into decline after World War II, with rare gleams of glory, such as his supporting role in the classic film Black Narcissus

Air Force career

After becoming an American citizen in 1944, Sabu joined the U.S Army Air Force as a tail gunner. He flew several dozen missions over the Pacific and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his valor and bravery.

Personal life

In 1948 Sabu married Marilyn Cooper, with whom he had two children. He died in Chatsworth, California of a heart attack at the age of 39 in 1963 in his wife's arms and was interred in the Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery.

• His son Paul Sabu established the rock band Sabu in the 1980s.
• His daughter Jasmine Sabu was an animal trainer on various films. She died in 2001.

Sabu the Elephant Boy was featured in story and song by folk singer John Prine.

Filmography

• A Tiger Walks (1964)
• Rampage (1963)
• Herrin der Welt - Part I (1960)
• Sabu and the Magic Ring (1957)
• Jungle Hell (1956)
• The Black Panther (1956)
• Il Tesoro del Bengala (1954)
• Buongiorno, elefante! (1952)
• Baghdad (1952)
• Savage Drums (1951)
• Song of India (1949)
• Man-Eater of Kumaon (1948)
• The End of the River (1947)
• Black Narcissus (1947)
• Tangier (1946)
• Cobra Woman (1944)
• White Savage (1943)
• Arabian Nights (1942)
• Jungle Book (1942)
• The Thief of Bagdad (1940)
• The Drum (1938)
• Elephant Boy (1937)

References

Obituary

External links

• Sabu at IMDb