Danny Thomas

It was during his struggling days as an actor that he met Rose Marie Mantell, who was an accomplished singer with her customized show. The two went into the wedlock on January 15, 1936.

The couple was blessed with three children - Margaret, Theresa and Charles Anthony.

During his struggling days, he had vowed to open a shrine someday when he was successful. Keeping up with his promise, he along with his wife inaugurated the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in 1962.

Danny Thomas was born as Amos Muzyad Yakhoob Kairouz to Charles Yakhoob Kairouz and Margaret Taouk in Deerfield Michigan. He was one of the nine children born to the couple.

Raised as a Roman catholic, he attended the Woodward High School before enrolling himself at the University of Toledo. It was while at the university that he became a member of Tau Kappa Epilson fraternity.

In 1932, he began performing on radio on the happy Hour Club at WMBC. It was after moving to Chicago in 1940 that he changed his name to Danny Thomas.

All throughout the 1940s, he worked for various shows including The Bickersons, the music-comedy show ‘Drene Time’ and as ‘Jerry Dingle’ on The Baby Snooks Show. Furthermore, he made appearances on the popular NBC program ‘The Big Show’.

Not limiting himself to radio, he appeared in films as well. He played the character of a songwriter Gus Kahn in the film ‘I'll See You in My Dreams’ opposite Doris Day. Eventually, he was seen in the 1952 film ‘The Jazz Singer’ which was a remake of the original film of 1927 opposite Peggy Lee.

Venturing further, in 1953, he bagged a role in the television show, ‘Make Room For Daddy’. Later known as The Danny Thomas Show, it went on a 13 year stint, until 1965. It was his on and off screen chemistry with junior artist Angela Cartwright that went on to make the television series a big hit.

Meanwhile, in 1959, he starred along with child actors, Angela Cartwright and Rusty Hamer in an episode of NBC’s ‘The Ford Show’.

He was honoured with the title of Knight Commander of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre by Pope Paul VI for his services to the church and the community.

In 1983, he was felicitated by the Congressional Medal of Honor by the then US President Ronald Reagan for his work with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Posthumously, he was bestowed with the 2004 Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.