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Congressional Gold Medal.com |
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Congressional Gold Medal Recipient
Danny Thomas
Danny Thomas Receiving Award
Danny Thomas wipes his eye April 16, 1984, as President Ronald Reagan looks on during a White House ceremony presenting Thomas with the Congressional Gold Medal for his work with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Actress Marlo Thomas looks at her father's medal, (R).
Danny Thomas b. Deerfield, Lenawee, Michigan, 6 January 1914
d. Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 6 February 1991
Tuesday, 29 November 1983
Joint Resolution To provide for the awarding of a special gold medal to Danny Thomas in recognition of his humanitarian efforts and outstanding work as an American. Whereas Danny Thomas founded the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a nonprofit hospital dedicated to helping grievously ill children of all faiths and races, children living and children yet unborn; Whereas Danny Thomas founded ALSAC, Aiding Leukemia Stricken American Children, an organization which annually holds a Teenagers' March to raise the $12 million needed in annual maintenance costs incurred by the hospital; Whereas Pope Paul VI presented Danny Thomas with one of the highest honors he could bestow upon a layman--Knight Commander with Star in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem; Whereas the National Conference of Christians and Jews selected Danny Thomas as their Man of the year; Whereas Danny Thomas was presented by the American Medical Association with its Layman Award, the highest honor it can bestow upon a nonmedical man and only the sixth such award given since 1948; Whereas Danny Thomas has given "command performances" for five Presidents--Presidents Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson; Whereas Danny Thomas gave of his time during World War II to entertain United States troops in North Africa, Italy, and the Philippines; and Whereas Danny Thomas has helped to alleviate the suffering of many children throughout the world and given them hope for a brighter future: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) the President is authorized to present, on behalf of the Congress, to Danny Thomas a gold medal of appropriate design, in recognition of his humanitarian efforts and his outstanding work as an American. (b) For purposes of the presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury shall cause to be struck a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined by the Secretary. (c) Effective October 1, 1983, there are authorized to be appropriated not to exceed $25,000 to carry out the provisions of this section. SEC. 2. (a) The Secretary of the Treasury may cause duplicates in bronze of the medal provided for in the first section to be coined and sold under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, and the gold medal. (b) The appropriation used to carry out the provisions of the first section shall be reimbursed out of the proceeds of such sales. SEC. 3. The medals provided for in this Act are national medals for the purpose of section 5111 of title 31, United States Code. 97 Stat. 1119-1120
Danny Thomas
Danny Thomas and Clergy at St. Jude's Hospital Groundbreaking Ceremony
Memphis: Danny Thomas raises his hands in prayer during groundbreaking ceremonies for St. Jude's Hospital, along with Rabbi James A. Wax, (Left); Rt. Rev. Msgr. J. Harold Shea, and Rev. Donald Henning. Born Muzyad Yakhoob, (Amos Jacob) he began his show biz career in 1932 as a singer at a Detroit radio station; he began performing as an MC-comedian in nightclubs in 1938 and gradually gained popularity and national recognition over the next decade. He debuted onscreen in 1947, going on to a brief film career in corny lead roles or comic supporting parts. He was much more successful on TV, starring in the long-running sitcom Make Room for Daddy (later re-named The Danny Thomas Show); he also starred in a number of specials and made guest appearances on variety shows. In the late '50s Thomas began producing for TV, forming a partnership with Sheldon Leonard and later Aaron Spelling; he produced such series as The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Gomer Pyle, and The Mod Squad. He also starred in several failed TV shows including The Danny Thomas Hour and Make Room for Granddaddy. He founded the
St. Jude's Research Hospital, which is dedicated to finding cures for catastrophic children's diseases. He was the father of actress Marlo Thomas. He authored an autobiography, Make Room for Danny (1990). ~ All Movie Guide
St. Jude Children's Hospital
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