---
title: "Danny Thomas: Stand-Up Comedian, TV Roles | D.O.C."
description: "Danny Thomas was an American nightclub comedian, singer and actor from Deerfield, Michigan. He was the son of Maronite Catholic immigrants from Lebanon."
url: https://disciplesofcomedy.com/comedian-danny-thomas.html
updated: 2026-11-11
---

Stand-up comedian · 1912–1991

# Danny Thomas

Also known as Amos Jacobs

## Who Danny Thomas is

Danny Thomas was an American nightclub comedian, singer and actor from Deerfield, Michigan. He first reached large audiences on network radio in the 1940s, playing Amos in The Bickersons, which began as sketches on Drene Time, and Jerry Dingle the postman on Fanny Brice's The Baby Snooks Show. His film career began in 1947; he played Gus Kahn in I'll See You in My Dreams (1951) and starred in the 1952 remake of The Jazz Singer.

On television he starred as Danny Williams in Make Room for Daddy, later The Danny Thomas Show, won the Emmy for Best Actor Starring in a Regular Series in 1955, and was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1991. He was the son of Maronite Catholic immigrants from Lebanon.

## Vote in My D.O.C. Legends

Put them in My D.O.C. Legends: your twelve for their era, counted with every reader’s on [the Legends page](https://disciplesofcomedy.com/greatest-comedians.html).

## At a glance

**Born**

1912

**Died**

1991

**From**

Deerfield, Michigan

**On screen**

The Bickersons, The Baby Snooks Show, I'll See You in My Dreams and 3 more

## Specials, shows and podcasts

### On screen

- **The Bickersons** radio, on Drene Time, 1940s
- **The Baby Snooks Show** radio, as Jerry Dingle
- **I'll See You in My Dreams** film, 1951
- **The Jazz Singer** film, 1952
- **Make Room for Daddy** television, ABC; Emmy for Best Actor Starring in a Regular Series, 1955
- **The Danny Thomas Show** television, ABC and CBS; Emmy nominations 1958 and 1959

## Career timeline

1. **1912** Born
2. **1951** I'll See You in My Dreams (film, 1951) On screen
3. **1952** The Jazz Singer (film, 1952) On screen
4. **1955** Make Room for Daddy (television, ABC; Emmy for Best Actor Starring in a Regular Series, 1955) On screen
5. **1958** The Danny Thomas Show (television, ABC and CBS; Emmy nominations 1958 and 1959) On screen
6. **1991** Died

## Questions and answers

### What TV shows and films is Danny Thomas in?

The Bickersons (radio, on Drene Time, 1940s), The Baby Snooks Show (radio, as Jerry Dingle), I'll See You in My Dreams (film, 1951), The Jazz Singer (film, 1952), Make Room for Daddy (television, ABC; Emmy for Best Actor Starring in a Regular Series, 1955) and The Danny Thomas Show (television, ABC and CBS; Emmy nominations 1958 and 1959).

### Where are they from?

From Deerfield, Michigan.

### How old were they?

They were born in 1912 and died in 1991.

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## The full SUCDb record

The full record — the career in order, the specials and credits, and the sources for each — is on SUCDb, with a button to vote them into My D.O.C. Legends.

[Their SUCDb record →](https://disciplesofcomedy.com/comedian-danny-thomas.html)

### Sources

- [Television Academy — Danny Thomas biography and Emmy history ↗](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/danny-thomas) Born 6 January 1912 in Deerfield, Michigan; an American nightclub comedian, singer, actor and producer; film career began in 1947; Danny Williams in Make…
- [Hollywood Walk of Fame — Danny Thomas star page ↗](https://walkoffame.com/danny-thomas/) An American nightclub comedian and television and film actor; first performed as Amos Jacobs; parents Maronite Catholic immigrants from Lebanon; network…
- [Wikipedia ↗](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Thomas) died 6 February 1991

Updated 11 November 2026 · the record checked 10 November 2026