Danny Thomas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Danny Thomas
Thomas in 1957
Born	Amos Muzyad Yaqoob Kairouz (later Americanized to Amos Jacobs Kairouz) (1912-01-06)January 6, 1912 Deerfield, Michigan, U.S.
Died	February 6, 1991(1991-02-06) (aged 79) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other names	Amos Jacobs
Years active	1932–1991
Spouse(s)	Rose Marie Mantell Thomas ​ (m. 1936)​
Children	3, including Tony and Marlo Thomas

Danny Thomas (born Amos Muzyad Yaqoob Kairouz; January 6, 1912 – February 6, 1991) was a famous American actor, singer, and comedian. He was also a producer and a very generous person who helped others.

Danny Thomas created and starred in The Danny Thomas Show, a popular TV show. He also appeared as a guest on many other comedy and talk shows. One of his biggest achievements was founding St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. This hospital is a top center for helping children with serious illnesses, especially pediatric cancer. St. Jude now has many connected hospitals across the U.S.

Danny Thomas started his film career in 1947. He starred with child actress Margaret O'Brien in movies like The Unfinished Dance (1947). From 1953 to 1964, he played Danny Williams in the TV show Make Room for Daddy, which later became The Danny Thomas Show. He was the father of Marlo Thomas, Terre Thomas, and Tony Thomas, who also became involved in entertainment.

Early Life

As "Amos Jacobs" at WMBC radio in Detroit

Danny Thomas was born Amos Muzyad Yaqoob Kairouz on January 6, 1912. He was one of 10 children. His parents were immigrants from Lebanon. Danny grew up in Toledo, Ohio. He went to Woodward High School and the University of Toledo.

In 1932, Danny started performing on radio in Detroit. He first used his birth name, "Amos Jacobs Kairouz." Later, when he moved to Chicago in 1940, he started working in clubs for better pay. He didn't want his family to know, so he chose the stage name "Danny Thomas." He picked "Danny" and "Thomas" after two of his brothers.

His Career

Danny Thomas had a long and successful career in many areas of entertainment.

Radio

Danny Thomas first became known to many people on network radio in the 1940s. He played a character named Amos in The Bickersons. He also played Jerry Dingle the postman on Fanny Brice's The Baby Snooks Show.

Danny Thomas also had his own radio show, The Danny Thomas Show. This show was on ABC from 1942 to 1943 and on CBS from 1947 to 1948.

Films

After his first two films, Danny Thomas appeared in the musical Call Me Mister (1951). He also starred in The Jazz Singer (1952), a remake of an older movie. He played songwriter Gus Kahn in the 1951 film I'll See You in My Dreams.

Music

In 1952, Danny Thomas recorded some Arabic folk songs. He did this to help raise money for the Saint Jude Hospital Foundation. He also recorded several vocal albums of his own between 1952 and 1974.

Television Career

Danny Thomas is most famous for his work in television.

Make Room for Daddy

Danny Thomas had a very successful TV show called Make Room for Daddy. It ran for 11 years, from 1953 to 1964. Later, it was known as The Danny Thomas Show.

Danny plays house with television daughter Linda (Angela Cartwright)

His first TV family included Jean Hagen, Sherry Jackson, and Rusty Hamer. Later, Marjorie Lord joined the cast, and Angela Cartwright played Danny's stepdaughter. The show was filmed at Desilu Studios, where I Love Lucy was also made.

Many guest stars on Make Room for Daddy went on to have their own successful shows. These included Andy Griffith (who starred in The Andy Griffith Show) and Joey Bishop. Angela Cartwright, who played his TV daughter, said that Danny was "hilarious" and always made her laugh. She also shared how gracious he was when she wanted to leave the show to be in the movie The Sound of Music.

In 1970, the show was brought back for one season as Make Room for Granddaddy.

Other TV Shows

In 1965 and 1966, Danny Thomas hosted The Wonderful World of Burlesque. This show featured many famous stars like Lucille Ball and Jerry Lewis. He also had his own show called The Danny Thomas Hour in 1967-1968.

Producer

Danny Thomas became a very successful television producer. He worked with partners like Sheldon Leonard. Together, they produced many popular shows. These included The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Andy Griffith Show, That Girl, and The Mod Squad.

Danny Thomas often made short appearances in the shows he produced. He even helped Mary Tyler Moore get her first big acting role. He recommended her for The Dick Van Dyke Show in 1961.

Thomas, Jack Benny, and Bob Hope in a March 1968 Jack Benny special

Later TV Appearances

In the early 1970s, Danny Thomas brought back most of his Make Room for Daddy cast for Make Room for Granddaddy. This show was about Danny and his wife taking care of their grandson.

Danny Thomas also starred in other TV series later in his career. These included The Practice (1976-1977) and I'm a Big Girl Now (1980-1981). His son, Tony, became a TV producer and helped with these shows.

His last main TV series was One Big Family in 1986-1987. In this show, he played a retired comedian whose grandchildren came to live with him after their parents died.

Commercials

Danny Thomas also appeared in commercials for products like Maxwell House coffee. He also made public service announcements. These were very important for raising money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Helping Others

Danny Thomas made a promise when he was a struggling actor. He vowed that if he became successful, he would build a shrine to St. Jude Thaddeus. St. Jude is known as the patron saint of hopeless causes.

After he became famous, his wife joined him in traveling the U.S. to raise money. They wanted to build St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Danny strongly believed that "no child should die in the dawn of life."

With help from friends, Danny Thomas founded St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1962. Since then, St. Jude has treated children from all over the world. Its goal is to find cures and save children's lives. A scientist from St. Jude's, Dr. Peter C. Doherty, even won a Nobel Prize in 1996 for his discoveries about the immune system.

St. Jude's has grown a lot. It now has eight connected hospitals across the U.S. It is a non-profit organization that relies on donations. The World Health Organization has also named St. Jude's as its first "Collaborating Center for Childhood Cancer." This partnership aims to greatly increase survival rates for rare childhood cancers by 2030.

Personal Life

Daughters Terre and Marlo Thomas on a 1969 episode of That Girl

Danny Thomas met Rose Marie Mantell (born Rose Marie Cassaniti) when he was a young comedian. She was a singer with her own radio show. They got married on January 15, 1936. They had three children: Margaret Julia (known as "Marlo"), Theresa ("Terre"), and Charles Anthony ("Tony").

All of their children followed their parents into entertainment. Marlo became a famous actress and producer. Tony became a successful television producer. Terre became a talented singer-songwriter.

Danny Thomas was a very religious person. He was honored by Pope Paul VI for his service to the church and community. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan gave him a Congressional Gold Medal. This award recognized his amazing work with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Danny Thomas was also one of the first owners of the Miami Dolphins football team. He loved to play golf and was very good at it. In 1990, Danny Thomas was honored by being inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.

Death

Monument at Danny Thomas Park in Toledo, Ohio

Danny Thomas passed away on February 6, 1991, after a heart attack at his home. Just two days before, he had celebrated St. Jude Hospital's 29th anniversary. He was buried in a special building on the grounds of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, next to his wife.

Awards and Honors

• A park in Toledo, Ohio, is named after Danny Thomas. It also has a monument in his honor.
• A road in Memphis is known as Danny Thomas Boulevard. It passes by the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
• In February 1960, Danny Thomas received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is located at 6901 Hollywood Boulevard.
• In 2004, he was given the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award after his death.
• On February 16, 2012, the United States Postal Service released a special stamp honoring Danny Thomas. The stamp shows him and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Filmography

Images for kids

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  Thomas and Cartwright

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  Thomas as Jerry Dingle, 1945

See also

In Spanish: Danny Thomas para niños