Danny Thomas

Amos Jacobs was born on January 6, 1914, in Deerfield, Michigan of Lebanese immigrants. Thomas took his stage name from his eldest brother Thomas and his youngest brother Danny but most of his friends called him "Jake." He married Rose Marie Cassaniti on January 15, 1936 who remained his wife until he died. He is the father of Tony and Marlo.

Though he was a spokesman for Sanka 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.

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

Known primarily as a TV actor, he starred as a nightclub singer on the popular "Make Room For Daddy". He also served TV behind the cameras partnering with Sheldon Leonard and Aaron Spelling to create such shows as "The Dick Van Dyke Show", "The Andy Griffith Show" and "The Mod Squad". He was also dedicated to building the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, which he founded in 1962.

Thomas was the first entertainer to open two Las Vegas resorts, Sands in 1952, and Landmark in 1969. (Since then, Barbara Eden opened the MGM Grand in 1973, and the new Aladdin in 2000 but was not the opening entertainment at the resorts.) Thomas is also the only one to open a Vegas showroom twice - Sands Copa Room in 1952 and 1982.

In 1955, his brother Thomas died while on route to see his brother play at the Sands. Frank Sinatra flew in to take Thomas' place the first two days and Billy Gray for the remainder of that particular tenure.

In 1956, it was reported that a child attending one of Thomas' shows at the Sands had a movie camera and wanted a "moving picture" of herself and Thomas. Thomas picked her up during his performance and allowed the "movie" to be filmed for the girl's memories.

As everyone knows, Thomas' pet project was the St. Jude Hospital. In 1958 he wrote this article which also is a mini-bio - a true work of art:

"I Made A Vow
In a stove-heated, cold-water flat over a pool-room, my family lay sleeping. Father, mother, nine boys and a girl, all under God's anesthetic, dreaming of better days to come.
It was four am, February, 1926, in the neighborhood of Canton Avenue and State street in Toledo, Ohio, and the night's eerie symphony was under way. A creaking cart clicked over a cobblestone street; an alley cat cursed its rival; a hungry dog nuzzled the cover off a garbage can. Then suddenly - a pulse-stopping scream!
The scream came from inside our flat, from the front room where the infant of our family, a boy of six months, lay in his crib.
My dad was the first into the front room. He switched on the light, a rat, the poison-infested scourge of the slums, had bitten my baby brother's hand. In those days before the miracle of drugs, this was almost a death sentence.
Quickly mother wrapped her baby in a blanket, and a neighbor drove them to the nearest hospital. In a few hours, infection had spread through my brother's little body and there was little hope for his life. Mother stayed with her baby, mopping his feverish brow - and with a very gentle stroke she whispered a prayer. She had faith, my mom. She always prayed to God, through the Blessed Virgin Mary, and she was always heard. Her faith was her greatest strength.
By noon the next day, the doctors had given up hope for my baby brother. There was nothing more medical science could do. Mother fell to her knees and prayed. 'Spare my baby, dear God, and I vow I'll beg pennies for the poor, door to door, for a whole year.' She was heard . . . God spared her child. For a year, like a beggar, she trudged from door to door, pleading for pennies for the needy. She, who was the poorest of the poor, was begging for others. In my memory I can see her lovely face and hear her gentle voice, as she begged. 'Please help me to help the poor. I made a vow."
It took my mother a year to settle her account, after her fashion. I am her son and I, too, have an account to settle. I don't know how long it will take.
This is how it came about. In the early days of my married life, which were also the early days of my theatrical career, there came a time when things looked very dark for me . . . . But I was endowed with my mother's faith. And so I prayed to the patron of the hopeless, St. Jude Thaddeus, the apostle. I vowed that if I made good in show business, I would build a shrine in his honor.
I made good. Now it is my turn to follow in my mother's footsteps, to beg for others. Beg I must, and most proudly I shall, that I may build the shrine. The shrine is to be a hospital for under-privileged children . . . to be located in Memphis, Tenn . . . serving a large area of the South . . . free . . . non-sectarian.
I am begging all who read this to please send one dollar . . . just one dollar . . . to St. Jude Hospital . . . Memphis, Tenn.
Please help me to help the poor. I made a vow." - Danny Thomas, June 1958

When Thomas performed at the Sands in May of 1960, the patrons cheered him on to stay and entertain until 2:00am. Even after the show ended a few hours later then originally scheduled, Thomas was seen later in the lounge with his wife Rosemary, and Red Skelton and his wife, watching the shows.

On April 30, 1961 the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, hosted the Jewish Theatrical Guild of America, sponsoring an "Entertainment Industry Tribute to Danny Thomas."

"This great star has earned the admiration of everyone in show business, and has won the hearts of people everywhere - it couldn't happen to a nicer guy." - Jack Cortez, 1961

In November of 1969, Thomas gave an interview on the differences of Vegas when he appeared at the opening of Sands in 1952 versus 1969:

"There's a lot less sand. When I started working there 17 years ago, they offered me all kinds of desert land around the Sands at bargain prices. But I was too "smart" for those sharpies! Who could have guessed in those days that Howard Hughes someday would pick Las Vegas to start a new world? But if I had bought that land, I could have financed my St. Jude Children's Research Hospital with profits . . . and kept a lot of teenagers off the streets.
Las Vegas was easier for young comedians in the old days at that. Maybe not in the top clubs, but in some of the lesser spots. They could bomb with new material and nobody would know it. But the young comedians today. Where can they go to fail? It was a lot easier in my day." - Danny Thomas, November, 1969

He appeared at the following Strip resorts: Caesars - 1988, Dunes - 1974; Flamingo - 1947; Landmark - 1969; Sahara - 1980; Sands - 1955, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971-1974;

Thomas died on February 6, 1991 at Los Angeles, California of a heart attack. He is buried at Crypt at St. Jude's Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.

His Credits include Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Song (2000) as himself; Side by Side (1988); One Big Family (1986) as Jake Hatton; I'm a Big Girl Now (1980) as Dr. Benjamin Douglass; Three on a Date (1978) Man in airport; CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years (1976) as himself; The Practice (1976) as Dr. Jules Bedford (1976-77); Journey Back to Oz (1971) (voice) of The Tin Man; Make Room for Granddaddy (1970) as Danny Williams; Danny Thomas Hour (1967) as Host; Don't Worry, We'll Think of a Title (1966) Cameo appearance; Looking for Love (1964) as himself; Screen Snapshots: Playtime in Hollywood (1956) as himself; Dateline: Disneyland (1955) as himself; Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Stars on Parade (1954) as himself; Make Room for Daddy (aka The Danny Thomas Show) (1953) as Danny Williams; The Jazz Singer (1952) as Jerry Golding; I'll See You in My Dreams (1951) as Gus Kahn; Call Me Mister (1951) as Stanley; Four Star Revue (aka All Star Revue) (1950) as Alternate Host (1950-1952); Big City (1948) as Mr. Feldman the cantor; and The Unfinished Dance (1947) as Mr. Paneros.

His credits as producer include Featherstone's Nest (1979) (TV) (executive producer); Samurai (1978) (TV) (executive producer); Three on a Date (1978) (TV) (executive producer); Remember When (1974) (TV) (executive producer); Second Chance (1971) (TV) (executive producer); Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again (1970) (TV) (executive producer); Carter's Army (aka Black Brigade) (1969) (TV) (producer); Ballad of Andy Crocker (1969) (TV) (producer); The Pigeon (1969) (TV) (executive producer); The Monk (1969) (TV) (executive producer); Wake Me When the War Is Over (1969) (TV) (executive producer); The Over-the-Hill Gang (1969) (TV) (executive producer); The Mod Squad (1968) TV Series (executive producer); The Guns of Will Sonnett (1967) TV Series (executive producer); The Bill Dana Show (1963) TV Series (producer); The Dick Van Dyke Show (aka Head of the Family for pilot) (1961) TV Series (executive producer); The Joey Bishop Show (1961) TV Series (executive producer); The Andy Griffith Show (aka Andy of Mayberry) (1960) TV Series (executive producer); (1960); and The Real McCoys (aka The McCoys) (1957) (executive producer).

His guest appearances include Empty Nest (1988) as Dr. Leo Brewster; It's a Living (1985) as Angel of Death, and The Doctor Danny Show (1986); Benson (1979) as Charlie; Kojak (1973) as Assistant Chief Howard Brocore; Happy Days (1974) as Sean Cunningham; McCloud (1971) as Marcus Rubin; Here's Lucy (1968) as Danny Gallupi; The Andy Williams Show (1969); That Girl (1966) as Priest; What's It All About, World? (1969) as Himself; Get Smart (1965) as Man on Street; The Lucille Ball Show (1962); The Joey Bishop Show (1961) as himself; Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) as Kolac; Zane Grey Theater (1956); The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour (1957) as Danny Williams; The Tonight Show (1954); and The Milton Berle Show (1948).