Danny Thomas (1912 -
1991), a member of Gothic Lodge 270 in Hamilton
Square, New Jersey, was an American night club
entertainer, television Star, producer and the
founder of the St. Jude Children's Research
Hospital. Born Amos Muzyad Yakhoob Kairouz, Brother
Thomas was best known for his role in the television
show Make Room for Daddy. A devout Roman Catholic,
Brother Thomas was also an avid golfer
with a handicap of ten, one of the original owners
of the Miami Dolphins, the sponsor of two PGA tour
tournaments and the first non-Jewish member of
Hillcrest country club in Los Angeles.
In a 1960 episode of his TV show, Thomas was
inadvertently responsible for creating an American
icon. In that episode, a country-bumpkin
sheriff stopped Thomas' character for speeding. The
plot followed Thomas' trials and tribulations while
dealing with the small town sheriff, who was also
the town judge and newspaper editor. That popular
episode turned out to be a pilot for one of TV's
most enduring shows, featuring the exploits of that
country sheriff, played by Andy Griffith. Griffith
was not a Freemason, but held the Fraternity in high
regard and actually got his comedic start playing
summers at the Dare County Shrine Club.
Brother Thomas was also a member of the Scottish
Rite and Al Malaikah Shrine. He received the
Congressional Gold Medal and in 2012, the US Postal
Service honored him by issuing a "Forever" stamp
recognizing his humanitarian accomplishments.