Danny Thomas

Danny Thomas Born January 6, 1912 in Deerfield, Michigan, USA Died February 6, 1991 in Los Angeles, California, USA (heart attack) Birth Name Amos Alphonsus Muzyad Yakhoob Nicknames Muzzy Jake Height 5' 11" (1.8 m) Mini Bio (1) Known primarily as a TV actor, he starred as a nightclub singer on the popular The Danny Thomas Show (1953). He also served TV behind the cameras partnering with Sheldon Leonard and Aaron Spelling to create such shows as Dick Van Dyke's show, The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961), The Andy Griffith Show (1960) and Mod Squad (1968). He was also dedicated to building the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, which he founded in 1962. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Ray Hamel Spouse (1) Rose Marie Mantell Thomas (15 January 1936 - 6 February 1991) ( his death) ( 3 children) Trade Mark (5) His bulbous nose He, Sheldon Leonard, and son Tony Thomas, each produced several long-running sitcoms and/or dramas. A couple of his characters were entertainment performers. Frequently played characters that were gruff in tone His loud, nasal voice Trivia (93) Took his stage name from his eldest brother Thomas and his youngest brother Danny. Most of his friends called him "Jake". 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 minutes later. Child of Lebanese immigrants. Was a founding minority owner of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins. Danny Williams, his character on The Danny Thomas Show (1953), was ranked #5 in "TV Guide'"s list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" in its 20 June 2004 issue. Founded St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Guest speaker at the 1973 National Boy Scout Jamboree in Butler, PA. Was offered the lead role in The Jolson Story (1946) after James Cagney turned it down. He also turned it down. Godmother of his daughter Marlo Thomas was Loretta Young. His The Danny Thomas Show (1953) co-star, Angela Cartwright, said in an interview that TV producer Irwin Allen was a huge fan of Thomas' show, and asked her to audition for a sci-fi series he was producing that eventually wound up to be Lost in Space (1965), which was loosely based on the novel, "The Swiss Family Robinson". Angela Cartwright's parrot was named after him. Father-in-law of Phil Donahue. Best remembered by the public for his starring role as nightclub entertainer Danny Williams on The Danny Thomas Show (1953). Before he was a successful TV actor, he was a radio actor. Met his future wife, Rose Marie Mantell Thomas, at a Happy Hour Club in Detroit, MI, when he was 23. Before he was a successful actor, he used to work at a nightclub in Chicago, IL. His daughter, Margaret Julia--better known as Marlo Thomas)--was named after his mother. Survived by his wife, Rosie Marie, of 55 years and three children: Marlo Thomas, Terre Thomas and Tony Thomas. Graduated from Woodward High School in Toledo, OH, in 1931. Was the first actor to legally change his name, twice, before Jane Wyman and Robert Fuller.