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Marilyn Cooper 1934 - 2009

Marilyn Cooper was born on December 14, 1934 in New York, Bronx County, New York United States. She was married to Sabu Dastagir in 1949, and they were together until Sabu's death in December 1963. She had children Jasmine Sabu and Paul Sabu. Marilyn Cooper died at age 74 years old on April 22, 2009 at Englewood, NJ, USA in Englewood, Bergen County, NJ, and was buried at Mount Judah Cemetery in Ridgewood, Queens County, NY.

Marilyn Cooper

December 14, 1934

New York, Bronx County, New York, United States

April 22, 2009

Englewood, NJ, USA in Englewood, Bergen County, New Jersey, 07631, United States

Female

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Marilyn Cooper Marilyn Cooper (1934 - 2009)

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Marilyn Cooper's History: 1934 - 2009

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Introduction

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.
12/14

1934

Birthday

December 14, 1934

Birthdate

New York, Bronx County, New York United States

Birthplace

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Ethnicity & Family History

Marilyn was Caucasian.
Nationality & Locations

A native of Bronx, New York, Marilyn lived in Hollywood and worked in films. She also appeared on Broadway in New York. She died in Englewood, New Jersey.
Professional Career

Marilyn Cooper Was In Bye Bye Birdie (1991) Won a Tony Award & Dram Desk Award for "Woman of the Year" Marilyn Cooper (December 14, 1934 – April 22, 2009) was an American actress known primarily for her work on the Broadway stage. Born in New York City, Cooper made her Broadway debut in 1956 in the chorus of "Mr. Wonderful." Next she was in the chorus of a revival of "Brigadoon." In 1957, she played Rosalia, a Sharks girl who wants to go back to Puerto Rico ("Puerto Rico, you lovely island"), in the original Broadway production of "West Side Story." In 1959, she went on to create the ensemble role of Agnes, the leader of the Hollywood Blondes, in the original Broadway production "Gypsy." Before leaving the show, she briefly understudied the title role of Louise and played the part for one performance without having had an opportunity to rehearse Act 2. In 1962, she graduated to a leading role, playing the ingenue in "I Can Get It for You Wholesale" opposite Elliott Gould and Sheree North (the show marked Barbra Streisand's Broadway debut at age 19). Cooper enjoyed a long career in New York, appearing on Broadway in "Hallelujah, Baby!"; "Golden Rainbow" (understudying and going on for Edie Gorme); "Mame" (succeeding Jane Connell as Agnes Gooch towards the end of the original Broadway run); "Two by Two" starring Danny Kaye and Madeline Kahn; the 1971 revival of "On the Town" as Lucy Schmeeler, the blind date; and in Michael Bennett's "Ballroom" starring Dorothy Loudon. In 1981, Cooper created the supporting role of Jan Donovan, Sam Craig's ex-wife, in the Lauren Bacall vehicle "Woman of the Year." Although she sang only one song, she effectively stole the show and won critical and popular acclaim, a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for performance by a featured actress in a musical. Cooper toured the United States with Bacall in the national tour of Woman of the Year that followed its successful Broadway run. She also reprised her role of Jan Donovan in the national touring production of "Woman of the Year," starring Barbara Eden, from April 3, 1984 until September 16, 1984. In 1985, Cooper appeared in Neil Simon's female version of "The Odd Couple." The following season she had a memorable vocal cameo as a radio actress in Simon's Broadway Bound. Cooper can be heard on the original Broadway cast recordings of West Side Story, I Can Get It for You Wholesale, Two by Two, and Woman of the Year. Additionally she appeared in Fiorello!, One Touch of Venus, and Do Re Mi at New York City Center's "Encores!" series. Cooper's television appearances include Alice, where she was reunited with Linda Lavin (singing "It's All in the Game"), Kate and Allie, Cheers, Law & Order, The Nanny and Caroline in the City. She also had a featured role with Tony Roberts and Kelly Bishop in the short-lived television series, The Thorns.
Personal Life & Family

She was married to famous actor Sabu Dastagir who died very young. She raised a daughter Jasmine (deceased) and a son, Paul Sabu, who is a musician. Marilyn never married again.
04/22

2009

Death

April 22, 2009

Death date

Fall.

Cause of death

Englewood, NJ, USA in Englewood, Bergen County, New Jersey 07631, United States
Death location

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Gravesite & Burial

mm/dd/yyyy
Funeral date
Mount Judah Cemetery in Ridgewood, Queens County, NY
Burial location
Obituary

Marilyn Cooper, 74, Actress And Tony Award Winner By PATRICK HEALY Published: April 25, 2009 NEW YORK TIMES OBITUARY Marilyn Cooper, a longtime Broadway character actress who won a Tony in 1981 for just a few minutes of showstopping hilarity in the musical ''Woman of the Year,'' died on Wednesday night in Englewood, N.J. She was 74. Her death was confirmed by Virginia Seidel, a friend and fellow actress. Ms. Cooper was born in the Bronx and lived almost all her life in New York City, Ms. Seidel said. She had been living in the Actors Fund Home in Englewood. Ms. Cooper spent 25 years as a chorus girl, ensemble member, understudy and leading lady on and off Broadway before she was cast in the small but vital role of Jan Donovan in the John Kander-Fred Ebb musical ''Woman of the Year,'' based on the 1942 Katharine Hepburn-Spencer Tracy movie. Late in Act II the musical's star, Lauren Bacall, visited Ms. Cooper, playing the wife of the Bacall character's first husband, to compare notes about marriage. They shared a number, ''The Grass Is Always Greener,'' that reliably brought down the house. Frank Rich, reviewing the production in The New York Times, described Ms. Cooper as ''hilariously frumpy.'' She won Tony and Drama Desk Awards as best featured actress for her performance. ''She had a super voice and super comedic timing, and appearing in just a single number in 'Woman of the Year' she became one of the great memories of that show,'' Ms. Seidel said. Ms. Cooper was inspired to train for the stage by watching one of her aunts, the singer Belle Baker, perform. She made her Broadway debut in 1956 as a member of the chorus in the musical ''Mr. Wonderful''; seven weeks after it closed, in 1957, she was in the chorus for opening night of the Broadway revival of ''Brigadoon.'' That fall she was a member of the original cast of ''West Side Story'' as Rosalia, one of the Sharks girls. ''For her audition for the original 'West Side Story,' she sang 'The Lady Is a Tramp,' '' Arthur Laurents, who wrote the musical's book, said in an e-mail message on Friday. ''I wanted that earthy balance and worked to get her cast.'' In another musical with a book by Mr. Laurents, ''Gypsy,'' Ms. Cooper created the ensemble role of Agnes. She also had roles in ''Hallelujah, Baby!'' in 1967, ''Golden Rainbow'' in 1968 and ''Two by Two'' in 1970. Later in her career Ms. Cooper played Vera in an all-female production of Neil Simon's ''Odd Couple'' and provided a radio voice in Mr. Simon's long-running ''Broadway Bound.'' She was also featured in "I Can Get It For You Wholesale" with Barbra Streisand and Elliot Gould. She is survived by her son, Paul Sabu, a songwriter and musician and singer in California.

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Marilyn Cooper lived 2 years longer than the average family member when died at the age of 74.

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25 Memories, Stories & Photos about Marilyn

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.7k+ favorites

07/18/2017

Marilyn Cooper and Raquel Welch.

A photo of Marilyn Cooper doing a duet with Raquel Welch. They appeared together in Woman of the Year.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Kathy Pinna

32.7k+ favorites

03/31/2023

Find A Grave Memorial

The following memorial was written by Bob Hufford for Find A Grave:

Actress. Known primarily for comedic character roles, she appeared on Broadway for nearly 40 years, and won a Tony Award in 1981. Raised in New York City, Cooper was inspired to pursue a career in show business by her aunt, singer Belle Baker, and made her Broadway debut in the chorus of the 1956 "Mr. Wonderful." After appearing in a revival of "Brigadoon," she was chosen for the part of Rosalia, a Sharks girl desiring to return to Puerto Rico in Leonard Bernstein's 1957 "West Side Story." (She can be heard in the original cast recording singing the line "Puerto Rico, you lovely island.") She was an original cast member of the 1959 "Gypsy," the 1961 "I Can Get It For You Wholesale," "Mame" (1969), and "Two by Two" (1970). Her big moment came as Jan Donovan in 1981's "Woman of the Year" the duet with Lauren Bacall, "The Grass is Always Greener," proved an every night show-stopper, and won her both a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for 1981. Cooper was to take part in two Neil Simon productions, a 1985 female version of "The Odd Couple," and the 1986 "Broadway Bound." Her final Broadway credit was a 1994 revival of "Grease." On television, she had roles in "Alice," "Cheers," "Kate and Allie," "Law & Order," and "The Nanny." In addition to "West Side Story," she took part in the original cast recordings of "I Can Get It For You Wholesale," "Two by Two," and "Woman of the Year." Cooper died in a New Jersey nursing home after a long illness.

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Kathy Pinna

32.7k+ favorites

03/31/2023

About the movie "The Song of India" (1949)

Once more set in a jungle, the film nevertheless had modern-day notions: when Sabu, as the leader of a tribe, comes into conflict with the maharajah (played by Turhan Bey, another actor who performed Asian roles) over capturing animals for zoos. After the movie, Sabu and Marilyn Cooper soon married, and remained a couple till Sabu’s early death in 1963.

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'Elephant Boy' Sabu Dastagir Succumbs at 39

Daniel Pinna

10.5k+ favorites

03/07/2023

'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

Date & Place: December 3, 1963 in Roanoke, Virginia United States