Danny Thomas
and
St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital
Born on Jan. 6, 1912, during a blizzard in Deerfield, Mich., Amos Jacobs was the son of Lebanese immigrants Charles and Margaret Jacobs. Years later, Amos would adopt the name Danny Thomas, and he would become an internationally famous entertainer.
Growing up in Toledo, Ohio, Amos was one of nine children. He began to help support the family at age 10 by selling newspapers and at 11 he worked in a burlesque theater selling candy and soda, a job he held for seven years.
As a young man, Amos saved enough from money to buy a couple of suits and several pairs of shoes so he could go to Detroit, Mich., to look for a job in show business. (He first performed as Amos Jacobs, before settling on the stage name, Danny Thomas, the first names of two of his brothers). One of his first jobs in Detroit was that of a singer on a radio show called "The Happy Hour Club." On the same program was a pretty, dark-haired Italian girl named Rose Marie Mantell. He escorted her home on the streetcar for three years before he proposed marriage to her.
When Rose Marie was about to give birth to their first child, Margaret (later Marlo), the Thomases were leading an unstable life with Danny trying to establish himself as an entertainer. He was torn between his allegiance to his work and his loyalty to his wife and baby. Distressed, he sought relief in prayer. He knelt before the statue of St. Jude, the patron saint of the hopeless and begged for a sign: should he or should he not remain in show business? On impulse, he promised to erect a shrine to St. Jude if the saint would show him his way in life.
In less than a year, Danny was earning $500 a week at the 5100 Club in Chicago, Ill., and Abe Lastfogel, head of the William Morris Agency, took over as his personal manager. Thomas went on to become one of the best-loved entertainers of his time, starring in shows in New York and Chicago, Hollywood movies and in the television series "Make Room for Daddy," (ABC-TV), which evolved into one of the most successful and honored family comedy shows in television history, “The Danny Thomas Show”.
The series, which was in reality based on 14 years of Thomas' own life, portrayed the comedian as an entertainer whose main problem was spending as much time as possible with his family. The series won many awards, including five Emmys. After 11 seasons, and with his show still among the top 10 in ratings, Danny voluntarily ended the series.
Throughout his successes, he never forgot his promise to St. Jude. He told his close friend and mentor, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Chicago, Samuel Cardinal Stritch, about his pledge to build a shrine to the saint. During their conversation, an idea began to take shape. The shrine would be a hospital for needy children, a place where they would be cared for regardless of race, religion or ability to pay - a hospital where no suffering child would be turned away.
Never one to stand back and let others do the work, Danny gave of himself wholeheartedly in the effort to realize his dream, contributing his talents, time and money. From his pledge that hospital care would be accessible to all children, regardless of their ability to pay, grew ALSAC, one of the most successful fund-raising organizations in American history. Danny’s three children carry on his legacy with commitments to support St. Jude and its fundraising efforts.
The eldest child, Marlo Thomas, proudly serves as the National Outreach Director of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® and hosts "A Place of Hope," the hour-long television special that documents the lifesaving work of St. Jude.
Terre, the second daughter, is an accomplished singer-songwriter. She made her professional debut at The Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev., played Harrah's Club in Lake Tahoe, Nev., sang on "The Tonight Show" and made a series of television commercials. Ms. Thomas appears across the country for the Country Cares for St. Jude Kids® radiothons, a fundraising program started by Randy Owen of the country music sensation Alabama. (Read about Randy Owen from our Summer 2009 issue online at www.brunswickcountytoday.com)
Tony, the only son, is a member of the ALSAC/St. Jude Boards of Directors and Governors and is actively involved in fundraising efforts for St. Jude. He represents St. Jude each year at the St. Jude Classic, one of the longest running events on the PGA Tour. Tony, Marlo and Terre also host the annual Runway for Life® Celebrity Fashion Show in Hollywood, which raises $1 million a year for St. Jude and attracts many of Hollywood’s brightest stars.
To help St. Jude continue its work
to cure childhood cancer
Click on the link or image below
or call 1-800-805-5856.
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