Marilyn Cooper

Marilyn H. Cooper was born to Benjamin Cooper (born 1907) and Edna "Ettie" Becker (1907 - 1982), and was an only child. She married Sabu Dastagir, an actor from India, in May of 1948 in Encino, California. Sabu and Marilyn met on the set of "Song of India" (1949), where Marilyn filled in for the actual lead, Gail Russell, and played "Princess Tara," in an uncredited role. Read about the movie at About the movie "The Song of India" (1949). And see a more detailed account of her storied career at Marilyn Cooper: Professions. Sabu and Marilyn had two children together: Jasmine Sabu and Paul Sabu. After Sabu's death in 1963, Marilyn never remarried, saying she had no need to since she had been married to a wonderful man like Sabu. Marilyn had appeared mainly on Broadway, performing in shows such as "Mame", "Two by Two", "The Odd Couple", and "West Side Story". For more information on Marilyn Cooper, see Marilyn Cooper: Obituary and Find A Grave Memorial.

Sabu Dastagir was an Indian actor who rose to fame in Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s. He was born on January 27, 1924, in Mysore, India. Sabu was the son of an Indian mahout,who worked with elephants, and grew up in poverty. His parents were Shaik and Mohom Peri Dastagir. He had a brother, Sheik Dastagir (1913 - 1960). Sabu had little formal education and instead learned how to care for and ride elephants, skills that would later serve him well in his acting career. Sabu was discovered by the British film producer Alexander Korda while working as an elephant driver for a Maharaja in India. In 1937, he made his film debut in Korda's production of "The Elephant Boy," which was a critical and commercial success. The film was based on a Rudyard Kipling story and Sabu played the lead role of Toomai, a young boy who befriends an elephant. This role made Sabu an international star and he went on to star in several Hollywood films, including "The Thief of Bagdad" (1940) and "Jungle Book" (1942). Sabu Dastagir married American actress Marilyn Cooper (1934 - 2009) and they had two children: Jasmine Sabu (1957 - 2001) and Paul Sabu (born 1960). Both children were involved in show business in some form. Despite his success in Hollywood, Sabu never forgot his roots and remained connected to India throughout his life. He was an advocate for Indian independence and even donated a portion of his earnings to the Indian National Army during World War II. Sabu died on December 2, 1963, at the age of 39, suffering a heart attack while filming a movie in Germany. His legacy as one of the first Indian actors to achieve success in Hollywood continues to inspire actors around the world.