Biography for
Danny Thomas (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

6 January 1914, Deerfield, Michigan, USA

Date of Death

6 February 1991, Los Angeles, California, USA (heart attack)

Birth Name

Amos Alphonsus Muzyad Yakhoob

Height

5' 7" (1.70 m)

Mini Biography

Known primarily as a TV actor, he starred as a nightclub singer on the popular "The Danny Thomas Show" (1953).

He also served TV behind the cameras partnering with Sheldon Leonard and Aaron Spelling to create such shows as Dick Van Dyke's show, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961), "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960) and "Mod Squad" (1968).

He was also dedicated to building the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, which he founded in 1962.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Ray Hamel

Spouse

Rose Marie Mantell Thomas

(15 January 1936 - 6 February 1991) (his death) 3 children

Trade Mark

His bulbous nose

He, Sheldon Leonard and son Tony Thomas each produced several long-running sitcoms and/or dramas.

Trivia

Father of Tony Thomas, Marlo Thomas, and Terre Thomas.

He took his stage name from his eldest brother Thomas and his youngest brother Danny. Most of his friends called him "Jake."

Though he was a spokesman for Sanka brand Decaffeinated Coffee, he later confessed that he never drank it. He claimed he could drink cup after cup of Maxwell House Coffee and still fall asleep mere minutes later.

Child of Lebanese immigrants.

Danny Thomas was a founding minority owner of the NFL team "Miami Dolphins."

Co-starred on NBC Radio's "Drene Time" (1946-1947).

Danny Williams, Thomas's character on "The Danny Thomas Show" (1953), was ranked #5 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" [20 June 2004 issue].

Founded St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Guest speaker at the 1973 National Boy Scout Jamboree in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Was offered the lead role in The Jolson Story (1946) after James Cagney turned it down. He also turned it down.

Godmother of his daughter Marlo Thomas was Loretta Young.

According to ex-"The Danny Thomas Show" (1953) co-star, Angela Cartwright, she said in an interview about her future TV boss, Irwin Allen, who in turn was a huge fan of Thomas' show, who also got her to audition for a brand new show, that eventually wound up to be "Lost in Space" (1965), which was based on the novel, The Swiss Family Robinson.

Actress Angela Cartwright's parrot was named after him.

Father-in-law of Phil Donahue.

Was best/good friends with: Milton Berle, Jack Benny, Sheldon Leonard, Mary Wickes, Hans Conried and Peter Lawford.

Best remembered by the public for his starring role as nightclub singer - Danny Williams on "The Danny Thomas Show" (1953).

Before he was a successful actor, he was a radio actor.

Met his future wife, Rose Marie Mantell Thomas, at a Happy Hour Club in Detroit, Michigan, when he was 23.

Before he was a successful actor, he used to work at a nightclub in Chicago, Illinois.

After his brother's Raymond's marriage in 1931, young Danny hitchhiked to Detroit, Michigan.

His daughter, Margaret Julia (A.K.A. Marlo Thomas), was named after his mother. She followed in her father's footsteps, being an actress.

Survived by his wife, Rosie Marie, of 55 years, and 3 children, Marlo Thomas, Terre Thomas and Tony Thomas.

Graduated from Woodward High School in Toledo, Ohio, in 1931.

Was the first actor to legally change his name, twice, before Jane Wyman and Robert Fuller.

He and his brother, Raymond, were a Vaudeville team, as children.

His ancestry includes: Italian, German, Russian, Jewish and Irish.

Before he was a successful comedian and producer, he sold candy with his brother, Raymond, in the Vaudeville house, called the Continuous Burlesque.

By the time his mother, Margaret Christen, reached 30, she had 12 pregnancies, but 10 children.

Brother of Tom Jacobs.

His entire family moved to Toledo, Ohio, after his birth, until times were better.

Has a street named after him in Memphis, Tennessee.

Was also a friend of the late Telly Savalas. Thomas guest-starred with Savalas on the last episode of "Kojak" (1973).

His mother-in-law, Marie "Mary" Cassaniti, died in 1972.

Remained good friends with Angela Cartwright, during and after "The Danny Thomas Show" (1953).

Billboard and Variety Magazines named him Best Newcomer in Radio in 1945, but was eventually fired.

Before his death, his final guest-starring appearance was on "Empty Nest" (1988), which was produced by his son's, Tony Thomas's, production company.

Was one of the original principal owners of the Miami Dolphins who used to own a small piece of the pro-football franchise.

Was a Republican.

Son-in-law of Marie "Mary" Cassaniti.

His uncle Tenoose and aunt Julia were originally from Detroit, Michigan.

Was drafted into the United States Army.

Was a heavy smoker at an early age.

His father, Charles Yakhoob, was a horsefarmer, and his mother, Margaret Christen, was a housewife and devoted mother to her other four children.

Enjoyed singing, dancing, golfing, spending time with family, helping terminally ill children, dining, smoking, traveling and reading.

With the encouragement of himself, and after graduating from Toledo's Woodward High School, which was Thomas's alma mater, Jamie Farr had decided to become an actor.

Had a lot of relatives who grew up on the same street of Toledo, Ohio.

Was raised in the same city as Jamie Farr, who learned a lot from him, growing up.

His "The Danny Thomas Show" (1953) character was Lebanese, as was Thomas, in real-life.

His father, Charles Yakhoob, died in 1953.

His first radio show was called "The Happy Hour Club," where he used the antidote, penning his gift for acting the characters and making faces.

In 1944, he volunteered to go overseas with Marlene Dietrich's USO Troop.

When he was only 3, Aunt Julia became a surrogate mother to him.

Was the only actor to appear in every episode of "The Danny Thomas Show" (1953).

Was responsible for recruiting a young, new actress, Mary Tyler Moore, by co-starring with Dick Van Dyke, which successfully he did.

Had always wanted to do a television series, but it took a longtime for him and Sheldon Leonard to develop the pilot of "The Danny Thomas Show" (1953), due to Thomas's busy schedule.

Current actor and future 40th president Ronald Reagan used to play basketball in Thomas's backyard with the neighborhood kids.

Was associated with his "The Danny Thomas Show" (1953) co-star's, Angela Cartwright's family, whose sister, Veronica Cartwright, appeared with him on 2 episodes.

Was a good friend of the late Sammy Davis Jr., who appeared at every one of Thomas's St. Jude's benefits.

When Rose gave birth to their last child, Tony Thomas, at one point, he was going to name him: Charles Anthony, in honor of his father and uncle.

Almost like Danny himself, his mother moved to Toledo, Ohio, with her family, when Margaret was only 10.

Was a spokesperson for Post cereals and Dodge automobiles in the 1950s.

His father couldn't run the farm alone and his mother was too weak, hence, she turned to his uncle, Tenoose, for help.

His aunt, Julia, died in a car crash in 1932, his uncle, Tenoose, died the following year after his wife.

Personal Quotes

Success has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others.

Then a fellow whose wife had just been cured of cancer of the womb came into this little night club where I was playing and told me about St. Jude, the patron of the hopeless. So I went around to church and told him.

[In 1957]: I understand you're the patron of the hopeless. Well, that's me. I want to know whether I should stay in showbusiness. If I shouldn't, please make me a sign. If I do stay and if I make good in a big way, I'll build you a shrine.

[When he moved to Chicago, where he worked at a small night club, where he was paid $50 a week, before he made $500]: I got through my act at 4:30 A.M. and I went to a 5 A.M. mass to thank God. As I knelt, I saw in the pew in front of me a huge pamphlet with St. Jude's picture mentioning a novena in honor of a national shrine. I remembered the vow I'd made and I saw why I come there. This was St. Jude's hometown.

[When in 1945 his career began to escalate]: By 1946, I could have built an altar and fulfilled my obligation. By 1948, I could have built a small chapel. By 1950, I could have built a larger one.

[In 1957]: It's the difference between having your merchandise in the basement or having it in the street window.

[About "The Danny Thomas Show" (1953) being a ratings bonanza]: By all rights, I should have been off the air by now. Every law of television would dictate that I was through. And I could have done very well financially if I had quit. I then could have released our four-year backlog for reruns and made a lot of money. But everything in me revolted against quitting that way.

[About art]: So, the success we've had is truly 'art for art's sake.'

[When asked if he thought "The Danny Thomas Show" (1953) did much better during the 1957 season]: I don't see how I can say that it is, except that in our fifth year we should be working even better as a team. But I don't think that we have ever had a really bad show; at least that's what people tell me.

Certainly we couldn't have asked for more awards or critical raves than we got in our first three years. And we got up to a good rating too. But last year, we came right in the middle of 'Climax' and we couldn't do a thing.

[When asked as to how long he could continue starring as Danny Williams]: I have options for two more years after this one. I'd like to do at least one more year in deference to the sponsors. Then I'd like to slow down and let the reruns work for me.

[on the hospital he was promoting]: It is my belief that St. Jude Hospital will one day announce to the world the great tidings of a cure for leukemia or cancer or even both. I am proud to beg for this project.

[In 1961]: Situation comedy! I hate the term. There's all that talk about giving the public education on TV. We haven't yet educated the public to appreciate what it is getting now.

Why should all shows be lumped into the category of 'situation comedy?' They should be called 'life shows,' because they reflect life. Do you know why they have the tragic and the comic masks in the theater?

[Of his ex-partner Sheldon Leonard developing another TV series]: Sheldon Leonard [his director] and I sometimes discuss it. We think we are tired and have no place to go. But then we say, 'What we would do if we quit? Start another series?' We could never find another cast and crew as congenial as this one. We love each other. We see more of each other than we do of our own families. Should we give this up?

[Who said in 1962 about thanking people who contributed to his hospital]: It took a rabble-rousing, hook-nosed comedian to get your attention, but it took your heart, your loving minds, your generous souls to make this dream come true.

[Who said in 1964 about the character of St. Joseph]: It's a story that has never been told before.

Nobody has anything to be ashamed of regarding his national origins - and by golly, I'm trying to prove it.

I'll do Yiddish, Greek, Arabic, Negro, Italian and Irish vernaculars, and to heck with the squawks.

[In 1959]: Dialect jokes are the best weapons available to fight prejudice. People who complain about dialect bits cause more bigotry than they prevent. Afterall, everybody in this country belongs to some kind of minority group.

[Said about the dialect jokes are a forgotten art, thanks to over-sensitive groups and individuals]: From now on, I'm going to us as much dialect material as possible in my guest appearances. I can't use dialect stuff on my own show because it doesn't fit in.

Semi-retired? I've been working like crazy for the past three years.

[Who rhapsodized on his stand-up's role]: It's the epitome of entertainers: to stand alone and hold an audience. There aren't many who can do it. You either fight the bull or you conduct the symphony ... If the audience resists you, then you are like the matador in the so-called fight. Or you can be the conductor, calling for pianissimo or fortissimo-as you lead the symphony.

[Who responded in 1986 about his legs that are rebelling after a lifetime as a stand-up comedian]: Oh, no, that's different. A stand-up comedian doesn't have to wait for other people. Out there, it's only God, the audience and you.

[When his son Tony Thomas promised his father he shouldn't have to work, everyday]: That's the only promise Tony's ever broken.

[In 1964]: All our shows have a preoccupation with trouble. Nothing is shared by so many people.

[on the death of Lucille Ball in 1989]: She was the best female clown that ever lived, no question .... Lucy did everything - jumping in a barrel of cement, light her nose, eat candy off the conveyor belt.

[When asked if he was tempted by the gorgeous Vegas chorus girls]: Not in 36 years of marriage. However, the first woman who helps me cheat gets $400.

[In 1988]: Once in a while, I used to consider cheating. Then I would think of my Sicilian wife and a Sicilian funeral.

[In 1989]: Today, they've got no place to stink. I played the beer gardens when 3.2 beer first came out. Nobody listened. When men wanted to go to the bathroom, they didn't walk around you. They walked right in front of you and didn't care. But that was OK, because we were bad then.

If I were starting out today. I wouldn't make it.

[About to read the Academy Awards voting rules] For you people watching at home, this might be a good time to make some dip.