Korla Pandit (1922-1998)
Early television entertainer and 50s icon Korla Pandit
Pandit appeared on KGO-TV in 1957, and many older
San Franciscans recall how the camera slowly moved in for
a closeup of his jeweled turban. Many songs ended with a
full-screen shot of his seductive eyebrows and the
diamond- and topaz-like jewels.
His visual works were recorded on early music-video
presentations by film pioneer Louis D. Snader of
Snader Telescriptions (who eventually replaced
Pandit with Liberace, jump-starting the pianist's career).