Daniel Pinna
'Elephant Boy' Sabu Dastagir Succumbs at 39
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (AP) - Sabu Datagir, the movies' elephant boy, died of a heart attack Monday in his home at nearby Chatsworth. He was 39. The Indian-born actor-whose career began when he was spotted by the late producer Sir Alexander Korda - recently completed a Warner Bros. picture and other films for Walt Disney.
Services will be conducted Thursday at 3 p.m. at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood. He leaves his widow, former actress Marilyn Cooper; a son, Paul; and a daughter, Jasmine.
Sabu played in such jungle epics as "Elephant Boy," "Jungle Book," "Song of India" and "Savage Drums." He began his movie career in 1937.
He was a sergeant in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II, and won the Distinguished Flying Cross. Part of his service was as a glider pilot.
Sabu was born in Karapur jungle, 45 miles from Mysore City, India. He became a screen actor at the age of 12. A British film, "Drums," brought him to America on an exploitation trip in 1938.
He returned to England for "The Thief of Baghdad," but the film was finished in Hollywood because of the German blitz. Sabu remained here.
During the war he also served as a gunner in the South Pacific, where he completed 42 missions.
- The Roanoke Times Tuesday December 3rd 1963
Services will be conducted Thursday at 3 p.m. at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood. He leaves his widow, former actress Marilyn Cooper; a son, Paul; and a daughter, Jasmine.
Sabu played in such jungle epics as "Elephant Boy," "Jungle Book," "Song of India" and "Savage Drums." He began his movie career in 1937.
He was a sergeant in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II, and won the Distinguished Flying Cross. Part of his service was as a glider pilot.
Sabu was born in Karapur jungle, 45 miles from Mysore City, India. He became a screen actor at the age of 12. A British film, "Drums," brought him to America on an exploitation trip in 1938.
He returned to England for "The Thief of Baghdad," but the film was finished in Hollywood because of the German blitz. Sabu remained here.
During the war he also served as a gunner in the South Pacific, where he completed 42 missions.
- The Roanoke Times Tuesday December 3rd 1963
Date & Place:
in Roanoke, Virginia United States
Amanda S. Stevenson 
