DANNY THOMAS

January 6, 1912

Danny Thomas was born Amos Muzyad Yakhoob Kairouz in Deerfield, Michigan and raised in Toledo, Ohio. His parents were from Lebanon. He attended Catholic schools and the University of Toledo. 

Initially, Thomas performed in nightclubs, but reached a wider audience on radio in such shows as “The Bickersons” and “The Baby Snooks Show”.  

His screen career began in 1947 but he was most famous for appearing on television in the long-running show “Make Room for Daddy” (1953-64), which was shot at Desilu Studios and was later known as “The Danny Thomas Show.”  

When the series moved from ABC to CBS in 1957, Thomas and the cast starred in a rare TV cross-over with “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” titled “Lucy Makes Room for Danny.”  

In return for this appearance on “The Comedy Hour,” Lucy and Desi appeared as the Ricardos on “Make Room for Daddy” just a few weeks later (January 5, 1959).

In December 1959, Danny Thomas was one of many stars on the lot who appeared in “The Desilu Revue” – a holiday show-within-a-show featuring the young actors of Lucille’s Desilu Playhouse workshop.

Lucy (4) and Danny (5) both appeared on a September 1963 TV season preview called “General Foods Opening Night”.

In 1965 Lucille Ball guest starred on “Danny Thomas’ Wonderful World of Burlesque” on NBC, doing an aerial ballet!  

In addition, a few weeks later, Thomas played himself on a 1965 episode of “The Lucy Show.” 

In 1971, Lucy and Danny did yet another cross-over when Lucy Carter of “Here’s Lucy” appeared on “Make Room for Granddaddy.”  

In 1973, Thomas played an eccentric Italian artist on the sixth season premiere of “Here’s Lucy”.

In 1976, Thomas talked about Lucy’s song and dance skills in “CBS Salutes Lucille Ball: The First 25 Years”.

That same year, Lucy played an eccentric hypochondriac on the second season premiere of Thomas’s sitcom “The Practice” (S2;E1).

In 1976, Lucille Ball paid tribute to her friend on “The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Danny Thomas” (S4;E2).

When CBS marked their 50th Anniversary with a week-long tribute in late March 1978, Lucille Ball and Danny Thomas were present to represent Monday nights.

After Ball’s death, Danny Thomas was part of 1989′s “Bob Hope’s Love Affair with Lucy” on NBC.

In addition to his performing career, Thomas is fondly remembered for founding St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 

In 1936, he married Rose Marie Martell and they had three children, including actress Marlo Thomas. He died in 1999 a month after his 79th birthday.