On Sabu Dastagir, the first Indian in Hollywood  Even before IS Johar got his famous grin screen-tested for ‘The Lawrence of Arabia’, and even before David Lean offered Dilip Kumar the role of ‘Ali’ (it was played eventually by Omar Sharif), an Indian had already premiered, ruled and died in Hollywood! Considered by most historians to be the first Indo-Hollywood crossover hero, Sabu Dastagir signed off at the prime of his career. Sabu was born on January 27, 1924, in Mysore, India, into a mahout family. Robert Flaherty, it is said, spotted him at the Mysore Maharaja’s stable and offered him the role of an elephant rider in the 1937 film, 'Elephant Boy', which was based on the Rudyard Kipling read by the same name. Sabu took it up, flew to London, and, from there, to the US of A. He played Mowgli in 'Jungle Book', and also worked with the Italian master, Vittorio de Sica, in 'Buongiorno, Elefante!' (1952). He became a US citizen in 1944, joined the US Air Force and flew missions during World War II. Winner of Flying Cross, Sabu married actress Marilyn Cooper. He died on December 2, 1963, aged 39, following a cardiac arrest. The Dastagir 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) ... read more »