Danny Thomas

Danny Thomas
Thomas in 1957
Born	Amos Muzyad Yaqoob 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.[1]
Other names	Amos Jacobs Kairouz, Amos Jacobs "Eggs"
Years active	1932–1991
Spouse	Rose Marie Cassaniti ​ ​ (m. 1936)​
Children	3, including Tony and Marlo Thomas

Danny Thomas (born Amos Muzyad Yaqoob Kairouz; January 6, 1912 – February 6, 1991) was an American actor, singer, nightclub comedian, producer, and philanthropist. He created and starred in The Danny Thomas Show. In addition to guest roles on many of the comedy, talk, and musical variety programs of his time, his legacy includes a lifelong dedication to fundraising for charity. Most notably, he was the founder of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, a leading center in pediatrics with a focus on pediatric cancer. St. Jude now has affiliate hospitals in eight other American cities as of early 2020.

Already a successful entertainer, Thomas began his film career in 1947, playing opposite child actress Margaret O'Brien in The Unfinished Dance (1947) and Big City (1948). He then starred in the long-running television sitcom Make Room for Daddy (later, The Danny Thomas Show from the fourth season onwards) from 1953 to 1964, in which he played the lead role of Danny Williams. He was the father of Marlo Thomas, Terre Thomas, and Tony Thomas.^[2]