Laloo appears to have come to the attention of British India's medical types when he was about 12 years old and shortly after went on exhibition. Sami, on the other hand, was already a show business veteran at that age, having begun his career when still a child.
After appearing in England in 1891, Laloo came to the U.S. about 1892 or '93 and apparently never left, finding that country much to his liking. Lallo made a ton of money and was equally extravagant in his spending habits and perhaps in finding everything he needed there, had no reason to leave.
Sami's first appearance in the States was in 1903 at age 11 and he was seen at the St. Louis Exposition. He never came here to live permanently but always with the intention of returning to his homeland and the end of his contract.
The two men were therefore contemporaries for only the two years from 1903 to 1905 (when Laloo died) but it is never recorded if they ever met or even if their paths ever crossed. In fact, Laloo was more often compared to another contemporary, the Italian double-bodied man Jean Libbera, than to his Indian counterpart.
When you come across an unidentified photo, here are some tips for telling the two apart:
1) Laloo kept his hair short, Sami - long (in his later years)
2) Laloo was always photographed with his twin dressed / Sami would often show the twin naked.
3) I've never seen a photo of Laloo as a boy but there are many of Sami as a child
4) Laloo's twin was joined to him at the twin's neck but Sami's was joined to him below the twins arms
5) Sami's twin appears to "straddle" Sami but Laloo's twin has it's knees bent to Laloo's right
Now look at the photos below and see if you can tell which is which. Mouse over for the answer.
