Friday, June 1, 2012

Sabu Doll by Mollye Dolls


Posted by PicasaSabu Doll.
 Do you remember in the 1940's attending the movies based
on Rudyard Kipling's tales from the Jungle Book or The Arabian Nights
adventure movies? If you do, you will remember Sabu Dastagir
or "Sabu" as he was called. Born in India in 1924, he was discovered
by director Robert Flaherty when he was twelve years old. He was
cast in the Alexander Korda film "Elephant Boy" from Rudyard
Kipling's tales from the Jungle Book.
The movie released in 1937, was a great success in both the US and
England. Sabu became an international star that specialized in
playing the role of an Indian boy. He became a ward of the English
Government who over saw his education.
Sabu was brought by Korda to the US in 1942 to star as Mogli, a
character from Kipling's Jungle Book about a boy raised by wolves.
As a young adult Sabu played in a series of Arabian Nights adventure
films such as: The Thief of Baghdad, Cobra Woman and Tangier. His
last feature was Walt Disney's, A Tiger Walks, released in 1964, a
year after the death of Sabu.
During World War 11, Sabu enlisted in the Army Air Force and became a
tail gunner on a bomber. He completed 42 missions in the South
Pacific and was honorably discharged in 1945, after being awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross, The Air Medal With Four Clusters and a
Presidential Citation. After the war, Sabu returned to the movies
until his death in 1963 of a heart attack at age 39. His wife, a son
Paul, and a daughter Jasmine survived him.
Mollye Goldman, whose dolls were tagged "Molly-es" manufactured a
Thief of Baghdad Sabu Doll. This film released in 1940 would date
the release of this doll to about that time.
The Sabu doll is made of composition and is fully jointed, fifteen
inches tall with painted black eyes and brown skin tones. His head
turban and pants were silk, the jacket pink velvet and his shoes were
gold. There is s jewel attached to the center front of the turban.
There are no markings on the doll. Attached was a cardboard tag that
had "Sabu" hand written in pencil. Sabu is an unusual doll in that
it used Asian Modeling for the facial features. These dolls are
rarely seen and are considered rare.  It was hard even finding a picture 
of the Subu doll.  Sabu Dastagir was a movie star, and a war hero.  

2 comments:

  1. A bit before my time, but I love Rudyard Kipling! And this doll definitely makes me think of The Jungle Book. Awesome!

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  2. Hello from Spain: I really like the turban of this doll. You're right doll which is typical of Arab films or Jungle Book. Congratulations on having it in your collection. Keep in touch

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