Danny Thomas
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Born Name:
Amos Muzyad Yaqoob Kairouz
Born Date: January 6, 1912
Born Place: Deerfield, Michigan
Died Date: February 6, 1991
Died Place: Los Angeles, California
Occupations: Actor, comedian, producer, singer
Brief Biography: Danny Thomas was known for creating and starring in the groundbreaking sitcom Make Room for Daddy (later The Danny Thomas Show). Beyond his successful entertainment career, he was a devoted philanthropist who founded St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in 1962.
Early Career:
Thomas began his entertainment career in the early 1930s performing as a singer and comedian on Detroit radio stations. He soon transitioned to a successful career as a nightclub MC and comedian, rising to national prominence while performing at the 5100 Club in Chicago in the early 1940s. He Anglicized his birth name to Amos Jacobs early in his career, before eventually adopting the stage name "Danny Thomas," named after two of his brothers.
Television Success:
The Danny Thomas Show: From 1953 to 1964, he starred as Danny Williams in Make Room for Daddy (renamed The Danny Thomas Show in its later seasons). The hit show pioneered the three-camera filming technique and set a template for mid-century family sitcoms.
Production Empire: Partnering with Sheldon Leonard and later Aaron Spelling, Thomas formed T &L Productions. His production company was responsible for television classics like The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and The Mod Squad.
Philanthropy and Legacy:
Thomas was a deeply devout man who, as a struggling performer, prayed to St. Jude Thaddeus (the patron saint of hopeless causes) for career guidance. After achieving fame and success, he fulfilled a vow he made to the saint by founding St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Today, St. Jude is a globally renowned facility dedicated to curing childhood cancers and other life-threatening diseases, operating on the founding promise that no family ever pays for treatment. He was the father of three children, including the prominent actress and activist Marlo Thomas, who actively continues his legacy with the hospital.
Born Date: January 6, 1912
Born Place: Deerfield, Michigan
Died Date: February 6, 1991
Died Place: Los Angeles, California
Occupations: Actor, comedian, producer, singer
Brief Biography: Danny Thomas was known for creating and starring in the groundbreaking sitcom Make Room for Daddy (later The Danny Thomas Show). Beyond his successful entertainment career, he was a devoted philanthropist who founded St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in 1962.
Early Career:
Thomas began his entertainment career in the early 1930s performing as a singer and comedian on Detroit radio stations. He soon transitioned to a successful career as a nightclub MC and comedian, rising to national prominence while performing at the 5100 Club in Chicago in the early 1940s. He Anglicized his birth name to Amos Jacobs early in his career, before eventually adopting the stage name "Danny Thomas," named after two of his brothers.
Television Success:
The Danny Thomas Show: From 1953 to 1964, he starred as Danny Williams in Make Room for Daddy (renamed The Danny Thomas Show in its later seasons). The hit show pioneered the three-camera filming technique and set a template for mid-century family sitcoms.
Production Empire: Partnering with Sheldon Leonard and later Aaron Spelling, Thomas formed T &L Productions. His production company was responsible for television classics like The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and The Mod Squad.
Philanthropy and Legacy:
Thomas was a deeply devout man who, as a struggling performer, prayed to St. Jude Thaddeus (the patron saint of hopeless causes) for career guidance. After achieving fame and success, he fulfilled a vow he made to the saint by founding St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Today, St. Jude is a globally renowned facility dedicated to curing childhood cancers and other life-threatening diseases, operating on the founding promise that no family ever pays for treatment. He was the father of three children, including the prominent actress and activist Marlo Thomas, who actively continues his legacy with the hospital.