Thomas said he chose the South after hearing the story of a black teen-ager who was denied treatment at several Southern hospitals after being struck by a motorcycle. A short time later, he achieved his first big break as a comic at the 5100 Club in Chicago. Thomas vowed to build a shrine to the saint if Thomas found success. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of lost causes. Thomas said when his career stalled in the late 1930s, he prayed to St. It was Thomas's faith that led to the creation of St. He was married to Rose Marie Cassaniti for 55 years, and the couple has three children, Theresa, Tony and Marlo Thomas. Offscreen, Thomas was a proud promoter of his Lebanese heritage, a devout Catholic and a devoted family man. Many people seem to know that I once vowed to Saint Jude that I’d build a shrine in his name if he’d help me through a difficult time in my life. Nobody joked about that physical characteristic more than Thomas. In this story from May 1981, actor and comedian Danny Thomas recalls how an answered prayer led him to found Saint Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Thomas was noted for his trademark cigar and his prominent nose. In 1985, President Reagan gave Thomas a congressional medal for his achievements. He also produced such popular and critically acclaimed programs as The Andy Griffith Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show. He starred in the situation comedy Make Room for Daddy, later called The Danny Thomas Show, from 1953 to 1964 on ABC and CBS. Thomas created his stage name in 1940 by merging the first names of his oldest and youngest brothers. His lengthy career began on a Detroit radio program in 1932 and took off after years of struggle in nightclubs in Detroit and Chicago. He grew up with eight brothers and one sister largely in Toledo, Ohio, and dropped out of high school in his freshman year with a dream to make it in show business. (Many references list the year of his birth as 1914, but a family spokesman said Wednesday it was actually 1912.)Īt birth he was named Muzyad Yakhoob, but his parents later Americanized the name to Amos Jacobs. Danny’s dream was 'No child should die in the daw. 6, 1912, on a horse farm in Deerfield, Mich., the son of Lebanese immigrants. Jude Childrens Research Hospital opened in Memphis, founded by Toledoan Danny Thomas. 'Don't tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon.' -Artwork by St. Success followed Danny’s plea, and soon after, he set about fulfilling his vow to St. Danny Thomas prepares to unveil the statue of St. He wove an illusion on the stage with no props, all by himself."ĭanny Thomas was born on Jan. when we are together, we can make things happen.' -Stephanie, mom of St. Danny asked the saint to help me find my way in life, and I will build you a shrine. He would hold an audience for an unprecedented length of time in the imagery of the story he was telling, and suddenly would come the punch line, and the ceiling would crack with laughter. Phil Donahue, the television talk-show host who is married to Thomas' daughter Marlo, said: "He hit the long ball for such a long time. "Danny was one of the giants of the industry," Bob Hope said. He will be buried beneath a pavilion at St. Thomas had flown home Tuesday from Memphis, where he signed copies of his autobiography.
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