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Sabu Dastagir (or Selar Shaik Sabu, depending on your resource) was born on January 27, 1924, in the little town of Mysore, India, which is nestled in the jungles of Karapur. The son of an elephant driver (mahout) in service for the Maharajah of his town, the young stable boy learned responsibility early in life when, at age 9, his father died and Sabu immediately became the ward of the royal elephant stables. As with many Hollywood success stories, good timing, and dumb luck allowed the impoverished youth a chance for a better life. By sheer chance the timid 12-year-old orphan was discovered by a British location crew while searching for a youth to play the title role (an elephant driver!) in their upcoming feature Elephant Boy (1937). Quite taken aback by his earnest looks, engaging naturalness and adaptability to wild animals and their natural habitat, the studio handed the boy a film career on a sterling silver platter and was placed under exclusive contract by the mogul Alexander Korda himself.

Sabu and his older brother (as guardian) were whisked away to England to complete the picture and became subsequent wards of the British government. They were given excellent schooling in the process and Sabu quickly learned the English language in preparation for his upcoming films. Elephant Boy (1937) was an unqualified hit and the young actor was promptly placed front and center once again in the film The Drum (1938) surrounded by an impressive British cast that included Raymond Massey and Valerie Hobson. With the parallel success of the Tarzan jungle movies in America, Hollywood starting taking a keen look at this refreshingly new boy talent when he first arrived in the U.S. for a publicity tour of the film. Again, his second film was given rave reviews, proving that Sabu would not be just a one-hit wonder.

His third film for Korda is considered one of the great true classics. In the Arabian fantasy-adventure The Thief of Bagdad (1940), Sabu plays Abu the Thief and is not only surrounded by superb actors -- notably June Duprez, John Justin, Rex Ingram (as the genie) and Conrad Veidt (as the evil Grand Vizier) -- but exceptional writing and incredible special effects. Sabu's name began stirring international ears. His last pairing with Korda was the excellent adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's classic book The Jungle Book (1942) playing Mowgli, the boy raised by wolves, who must adapt to the ways of mankind after being returned to his mother. The movie was directed by Alexander's brother Zoltan Korda.

Following this triumph, Sabu officially became the exotic commodity of Universal Pictures and he settled in America. Although initially rewarding monetarily, it proved to be undoing. Unfortunately (and too often typical), a haphazard assembly-line of empty-minded features were developed that hardly compared to the quality pictures in England under Korda. Saddled alongside the unexceptional Maria Montez and Jon Hall, his vehicles Arabian Nights (1942), White Savage (1943) and Cobra Woman (1944) were, for the most part, drivel but certainly did fit the bill as colorful, mindless entertainment.

Almost 20 years old by the time he became a citizen of the U.S. in 1944, he enlisted in the Army Air Force and earned WWII distinction in combat missions (Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, among others) as a tail gunner. By the time Sabu returned to Universal and filming, the charm of his youth had worn off and the boyish stereotype impossible to escape.

Post-war audiences developed new tastes, but Sabu had no choice but to trudge on with retreads of his former glory. Films such as Tangier (1946) again opposite Ms. Montez, Man-Eater of Kumaon (1948) and Song of India (1949) opposite lovely princess Gail Russell did little to advance his career. While filming the last-mentioned movie, Sabu met and married actress Marilyn Cooper who temporarily filled in for an ailing Ms. Russell on the set. The couple went on to have two children.

Sabu actually fared better back in England during the late 40s, starring in the crime drama The End of the River (1947) and appearing fourth-billed as a native general in the exquisitely photographed Black Narcissus (1947). Daring in subject matter, the film had Deborah Kerr heading up a group of Anglican nuns who battle crude traditions, unexpected passions and stark raving madness while setting up a Himalayan order. By the mid-50s Sabu's career was rapidly approaching extinction, seeking work wherever he could find it - in low-budget Europe productions, public appearances, etc. An attempt to conjure up a TV series for himself failed. His life was further aggravated by unpleasant civil and paternity suits brought about against him. His last two pictures were supporting roles in Rampage (1963), which starred Robert Mitchum, and A Tiger Walks (1964), a thoroughly routine Disney picture which was released posthumously.

Sabu died unexpectedly at age 39 of a heart attack on December 2, 1963, at his home in Southern California and was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills. Son Paul Sabu developed into an accomplished songwriter and even formed a rock band called Sabu; daughter Jasmine Sabu, who died in 2001, was a noted horse trainer whose skill was utilized occasionally for films. Although he went the way of too many of our former stars, Sabu continues to enchant and excite newer generations with his unmatched athletic skills and magnetic charm in those early adventure fantasies of yesteryear.

Kelton Garwood was born in Columbus, Ohio on May 21, 1928. He went to Ohio State University, and appeared in plays and worked as a magician. He studied acting at American Theatre Wing in New York. Later he took riding lessons so that he could work in Westerns. He appeared in a few films including Miracle of the Hills (1959), Story of Ruth (1960), The Sandpiper (1966), and his last film, Return to Snowy River(1988). Unfortunately, all his roles were small and he is most known for his memorable performance as "The Hobo" in The Twilight Zone Episode: "Five Characters In Search Of An Exit".

Janet Warren was born on 3 October 1921 in Santa Ana, California, USA. She was an actress, known for Moonlight in Hawaii (1941), Hello, Sucker (1941) and Winter Wonderland (1946). She was married to John W. Dobson and Barton Yarborough. She died on 6 January 2008 in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Jack Blessing was born and raised in suburban Baltimore. He began his professional career as a member of Boston's seminal improvisational company "The Proposition". It was in his last year at "The Proposition" that a Paramount casting director spotted him and put him in the Emmy award- winning television film The Defection of Simas Kudirka (1978) with Alan Arkin. Soon, Jack moved to New York City, but didn't stay long. After another TV movie, Women at West Point (1979) with Linda Purl, Jack moved to Los Angeles.

After two years of episodic television, a Roger Corman film, and the infamous Heaven's Gate (1980), Jack landed his first television series. It was a half-hour from Disney TV for CBS called Small & Frye (1983). Darren McGavin played "Nick Small" and Jack played "Chip Frye". Besides Small & Frye (1983), Jack has starred in several other series. With George C. Scott, Jack starred in the Fox series Mr. President (1987) and in what is probably his most visible role, Jack played "MacGillicuddy" in the last two seasons of the television classic Moonlighting (1985). Jack also played "Mr. Donner" in the Téa Leoni series The Naked Truth (1995) and "Jack Powers" on George Lopez (2002). His roles in episodic TV number more than 100 and have included performances in some of television's landmark shows, including M*A*S*H (1972), China Beach (1988), Thirtysomething (1987), Roseanne (1988), Northern Exposure (1990), NYPD Blue (1993), the The X-Files (1993) and "CSI" (2010)_. Jack has starred in numerous films for TV including LBJ: The Early Years (1987) with Randy Quaid, Amos (1985) with Kirk Douglas, Joshua's Heart (1990) with Melissa Gilbert, and the HBO film The Last of His Tribe (1992) with Graham Green and Jon Voight.

Besides his on camera work, Jack has lent his voice to over 3000 movies and television shows.

He lives in Chatsworth, California, with his wife Lora. They have two sons, Ian and Christopher.

Betty Lou Keim was born, in 1938, in Malden, Massachusetts. She made her debut as Peggy Allison in the television series, My Son Jeep (1953). She later appeared on The Philco Television Playhouse (1948) and The Alcoa Hour (1955). Two movie roles followed in 1956, those being These Wilder Years (1956) and Teenage Rebel (1956). Betty's best performance was in Some Came Running (1958). In this fine film, she played Dawn Hirsh, the pretty, out of control daughter of a small town jeweler and his wife, played by Arthur Kennedy and Leora Dana. After appearing in the TV series The Deputy (1959) as Fran McCord in 1959, Betty married Warren Berlinger in 1960 and left show business. They have four children.

Balancing both an early interest in science and the arts, Lee Paul grew up in Brooklyn, New York, went to college in Marietta, Ohio, worked for an oil company in Williston, North Dakota, and was an Air Force officer in King Salmon, Alaska. Working in Equity shows around the country, he found his own personal "Yellow Brick Road" which led him to Hollywood. With over 25 years of performing, 30 plus commercials, and more than 75 on-camera appearances, his career also includes published writing and photography. Lee's current book will be available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. in the next few months.

The child of a teenage rape victim, Ethel Waters grew up in the slums of Philadelphia and neighboring cities, seldom living anywhere for more than a few weeks at a time. "No one raised me, " she recollected, "I just ran wild." She excelled not only at looking after herself, but also at singing and dancing; she began performing at church functions, and as a teenager was locally renowned for her "hip shimmy shake". In 1917 she made her debut on the black vaudeville circuit; billed as "Sweet Mama Stringbean" for her tall, lithe build, she broke through with her rendition of "St. Louis Blues", which Waters performed in a softer and subtler style than her rivals, Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith. Beginning with her appearances in Harlem nightclubs in the late 1920s, then on the lucrative "white time" vaudeville circuit, she became one of America's most celebrated and highest-paid entertainers. At the Cotton Club, she introduced "Stormy Weather", composed for her by Harold Arlen: she wrote of her performance, "I was singing the story of my misery and confusion, the story of the wrongs and outrages done to me by people I had loved and trusted". Impressed by this performance, Irving Berlin wrote "Supper Time", a song about a lyncing, for Waters to perform in a Broadway revue. She later became the first African-American star of a national radio show. In middle age, first on Broadway and then in the movies, she successfully recast herself as a dramatic actress. Devoutly religious but famously difficult to get along with, Waters found few roles worthy of her talents in her later years.

Whitney Rydbeck was born on 13 March 1945 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986), 1941 (1979) and Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987). He died on 15 July 2024 in Chatsworth, California, USA.

Cece Whitney was born on 22 December 1929 in Shawnee, Oklahoma, USA. She was an actress, known for Bullet for a Badman (1964), Ben Casey (1961) and The Third Man (1959). She was married to Bernie Kopell and Jimmy Zito. She died on 5 October 2013 in Chatsworth, California, USA.

Chuck Traynor was born on 21 August 1937 in Mount Vernon, New York, USA. He was an actor and director. He was married to Marilyn Chambers, Linda Lovelace, Cindy Lee, Mary Fowler, Eula Joiner and Crissa "Bo" Bozlee. He died on 22 July 2002 in Chatsworth, California, USA.

James Beck was born on 19 February 1935 in Hale County, Texas, USA. He was an actor, known for Rescue 8 (1958), 40 Guns to Apache Pass (1967) and Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955). He died on 6 January 2009 in Chatsworth, California, USA.

Richard Hall was born on 15 September 1934 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Shadow of the Thin Man (1941), Born to Sing (1942) and Rationing (1944). He died on 19 May 2024 in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Freddie Perren was born on 15 May 1943 in Englewood, New Jersey, USA. She was a composer, known for Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Men in Black II (2002) and Repo Men (2010). She was married to Christine Yarian. She died on 16 December 2004 in Chatsworth, California, USA.

Hugh Harman was one of the pioneers of animation. While not a great animator, (compared to co-worker, Rudolf Ising) he was present during the early days. He began his work with Walt Disney in 1922, working on Disney's early Laugh-o-Gram toons. When that company went bankrupt, Harman and partner Rudolf Ising tried to start a new series based on the Arabian Nights, but were unable to obtain funding. Disney called them back when he began work for Charles Mintz, producing the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. After a dispute over pricing, Mintz forced out Disney and kept Harman and Ising on for another year, when they in turn were forced out (and replaced by a young Walter Lantz). Harman, Ising, and a few other ex-Disney animators put together a pilot short, "Bosko the Talkink Kid", which was used by producer Leon Schlesinger to obtain a contract with Warner Brothers' studios to produce animated cartoons. Harman and Ising started the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons, and produced them for several years. After another argument over money (this time with Schlesinger), Harman and Ising left Warner Brothers for MGM in 1933. They produced quite a few "Happy Harmonies" for MGM until yet again they left over another financial arrangement. After MGM, Harman & Ising formed their own studio, but was not successful. MGM hired them back, but by this time their faux-Disney style of animation was out of fashion, and they found themselves eclipsed by the works of William Hanna & Joseph Barbera (whom they had hired) & Fred Tex Avery. In the 40s and 50s, both men did some work for Walter Lantz Studios.

Walter Scott Bradley was a legendary composer for animated cartoons, namely from the 1920s to the 1950s. He was born on November 26, 1891 in Russellville, Arkansas. Piano was his specialty. Bradley noted that he started out performing a theaters and conductions in Houston, Texas. In 1926, he moved to Los Angeles to practice music even more!

Bradley was very busy during this time; as a staff musician for Walt Disney (1929), Ub Iwerks (1930-1934), and Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising (1934-1938)! His most notable success during this time was 1938's Cartoonia. In 1937, when MGM's new cartoon studio was established, Bradley was permanently hired and remained with the department for 20 years. At first, Bradley composed popular and anonymous music, but by the mid 1940s, his music conduction started to become more original and complex, namely the "twelve tone technique". This began with the 1944 Tom and Jerry short "Puttin' On the Dog. Many people criticized Bradley's composition, with one even saying that he is going to break fingers!

Bradley worked a lot with Tom and Jerry's co-creator William Hanna, because both worked on timing. In 1954, MGM terminated it's weekly contract with Bradley but still paid him $1000 per film. This theme remained evident until the cartoon studio closed it's doors in 1958, after the point which Bradley retired after having spent about 45 years in music.

He died on April 27, 1977 in Chatsworth, California at the age of 85. He lived in Chatsworth for over 40 years! Bradley is still best known for scoring almost all the MGM cartoons. Many of his conductions have been performed in the concert hall, just like what Bradley had done before.

Mary Jane Barrett was born on 30 May 1912 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. She was an actress, known for Only the Brave (1935), Ladies Love Hats (1935) and The Light Fantastic (1935). She was married to Allan Sanders Lassner, Thomas Edward Chambers, Warren Phineas Newmark, Ernest Truex and Michael Alfred Durso. She died on 7 December 1994 in Chatsworth, California, USA.

Leon Selznick was born on 4 June 1917. He was an actor and producer, known for The Phantom Planet (1961), Space Probe Taurus (1965) and World Wide Adventures: Annabel Lee (1969). He died on 18 April 1991 in Chatsworth, California, USA.

Willetta Leonard was born on 26 November 1925 in Tahoka, Texas, USA. Willetta was a producer, known for Naked City (1958), Route 66 (1960) and The Perils of Pauline (1967). Willetta was married to Herbert B. Leonard. Willetta died on 20 September 2001 in Chatsworth, California, USA.

Sheila Bartold was born on 19 September 1929 in the USA. She was an actress, known for Project X (1968), Something Evil (1972) and The Carol Burnett Show (1967). She was married to William Heatley and Norman Bartold. She died on 24 August 2023 in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Kelton Crawford was born on 21 May 1928 in Columbus, Ohio, USA. He was an actor, known for Panic in Year Zero! (1962). He died on 28 July 1991 in Chatsworth, California, USA.

Pamela Immel was born on 17 November 1955 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She was an actress, known for Rise of the Zombies (2012), Counterpunch (2013) and Zombies Vs. Strippers (2012). She died on 8 September 2014 in Chatsworth, California, USA.

S. Lee Pogostin was born on 8 March 1927 in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. He was a writer and director, known for Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963), Hard Contract (1969) and Golden Needles (1974). He was married to Buday, Betty. He died on 7 March 2014 in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Carroll Timothy O'Meara was born on 22 April 1943 in Sherman Oaks, California, USA. He was an editor, known for Hoosiers (1986), The Last Starfighter (1984) and The Arrival (1996). He died on 16 May 2007 in Chatsworth, California, USA.

Robert E. Blair was born on 11 October 1924 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Noah's Ark (1956), My Three Sons (1960) and The Lucy Show (1962). He died on 25 July 2018 in Chatsworth, California, USA.

Gene Weed was born on 12 April 1935 in Dallas, Texas, USA. He was a director and producer, known for The 50th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1993), The 43rd Annual Golden Globe Awards 1986 (1986) and The 41st Annual Golden Globe Awards (1984). He was married to Toni. He died on 5 August 1999 in Chatsworth, California, USA.