The Songs of Danny Thomas

If you’re a fan of the 1970s, you’re probably familiar with the songs of Danny Thomas. In fact, you may even be familiar with ‘Singing in the Rain’ and ‘Make Room for Daddy’. These songs are among the most popular of all time and are known around the world.

‘Make Room for Daddy’

Make Room for Daddy is an American television sitcom starring Danny Thomas. It was originally aired on ABC from 1953 to 1957 and then moved to CBS. In syndication it became known as The Danny Thomas Show. During its eleven-year run the show was one of the most popular television shows in the country.

The cast included Danny Williams, his wife Margaret, his son Rusty, and his daughter Linda. They were a family of musicians and nightclub entertainers. Their comedy grew out of the misadventures they encountered in their daily lives.

In 1957 Danny’s girlfriend, Margjorie Lord, joined the cast of the show. She was a society woman. Her role was reduced in later seasons.

Danny’s manager Charlie Halper also made a appearance. He cared for Rusty and Linda. Eventually, Rusty battled alcoholism and depression. His suicide came in 1990.

Danny and Kathy O’Hara fell in love quickly. During the tenth season, Danny and Kathy traveled throughout Europe. This was the first television reunion. A two-hour reunion special aired on NBC.

The show was also followed by a spin-off series, The Bill Dana Show. After a short stint on NBC, Danny Thomas returned to the show in 1970. Some of his guests included Lucille Ball, Frank Sinatra, and Bob Hope.

‘Singing in the Rain’

A spoof of Hollywood musicals, Singing in the Rain is a film from the 1950s, and a satirical look at the corruptive nature of the film industry. Starring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, Jean Hagen and Cyd Charisse, it is a reimagining of the film industry of the 1920s.

The movie was co-directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen, and the music was scored by Roger Edens. It features the song “Singing in the Rain” by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown, which was written in 1929.

During the filming of the movie, Kelly had a high fever. He was a 40-year-old actor when he made this film. His assistant Pat O’Connor, an athletic dancer, supervised the choreography. In fact, he was often called upon to do so.

Danny Thomas’s career was not as steady as he might have hoped. After a move to Chicago in 1940, his employment was not as constant as it had been earlier. As a result, he was constantly updating his material. Eventually, he became a successful television and radio character actor.

Thomas also worked for charities. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1980. In 1985, he received the Congressional Medal of Honor.

When he died, he left behind a number of charities. One of his charitable projects was to build a shrine for St. Jude Thaddeus. Eventually, the profits from the sale of his Miami Dolphins football team went to St. Jude’s.

‘The Danny Thomas Show’

Danny Thomas was a working comedy actor. He appeared on the TV series The Danny Thomas Show.

The show ran from 1953 to 1957 on ABC and then on CBS. It was one of the most popular sitcoms of the time. Many of the cast members had guest roles on other shows. Some of the most famous guest stars included Bob Hope, Max Baer, and Lucille Ball.

It was the first show to have a two-hour reunion special. The series also had a few spinoffs. One of these spinoffs was The Bill Dana Show.

There were other popular series produced by Thomas-Leonard Productions. They were based on the Desilu lot. Another popular series was I Spy.

The Danny Thomas show had many award winning episodes. It was known for its incorporation of singing talents.

The show featured a variety program that was used during the “nightclub engagements”. The Danny Thomas Show became a household name and won several awards. You can watch the show on Pluto TV, Classix, fuboTV, Crackle, Pure Flix, and Amazon Prime Video.

“The Danny Thomas Show” was created by Tony Thomas, who was an accomplished television producer. He formed Witt/Thomas Productions in 1975. Later, he joined Aaron Spelling to create the Mod Squad.

Danny Thomas died in 2003. His wife, Jean Hagen, died in 1956.