Medical Pioneer, Philanthropist, Humanitarian. Wife of Actor/Comedian Danny Thomas, mother of Actress Marlo Thomas, and Producer Tony Thomas. Started St. Jude's Children's Hospital along with her famous husband. Mrs. Thomas did so much good for sick children even after the death of her famous husband. Born Rose Marie Cassaniti, Mrs. Thomas had a singing career with her own radio show in Detroit, Michigan, where she met Danny Thomas, then a struggling young comic. They were married on January 15, 1936, and had three children, Marlo, Terre and Tony Thomas. After her husband, Danny Thomas became a successful actor in the early 1950s, she traversed the United States with him, raising money to build his dream- St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. When St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital opened in 1962, the most typical form of childhood cancer, acute lymphocytic leukemia was survived by less than five percent of the children diagnosed with the disease. Mainly because of discoveries and research done at St. Jude, the survival rate is more than 70 percent, today. St. Jude has never turned away a patient because of their inability to pay for treatment. For her work and dedication in raising funds to help support the research and care given at St. Jude, Rose Marie Thomas was named Lady Commander with Star of Knights of the Holy Sepulchre by Pope Paul VI. She received awards from Mt. Sinai Hospital and Clinic, the Fraternal Order of the Eagles, B'nai B'rith and E.S.A. International and has received commendations from the Mayors of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills for her civic accomplishments. Rose Marie Thomas was named St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's "Volunteer of the Decade, 1980-1989" for her efforts for the hospital. She organized a fund-raising dinner that was a highlight of the Los Angeles social scene for many years and is now carried on by her children.
Medical Pioneer, Philanthropist, Humanitarian. Wife of Actor/Comedian Danny Thomas, mother of Actress Marlo Thomas, and Producer Tony Thomas. Started St. Jude's Children's Hospital along with her famous husband. Mrs. Thomas did so much good for sick children even after the death of her famous husband. Born Rose Marie Cassaniti, Mrs. Thomas had a singing career with her own radio show in Detroit, Michigan, where she met Danny Thomas, then a struggling young comic. They were married on January 15, 1936, and had three children, Marlo, Terre and Tony Thomas. After her husband, Danny Thomas became a successful actor in the early 1950s, she traversed the United States with him, raising money to build his dream- St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. When St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital opened in 1962, the most typical form of childhood cancer, acute lymphocytic leukemia was survived by less than five percent of the children diagnosed with the disease. Mainly because of discoveries and research done at St. Jude, the survival rate is more than 70 percent, today. St. Jude has never turned away a patient because of their inability to pay for treatment. For her work and dedication in raising funds to help support the research and care given at St. Jude, Rose Marie Thomas was named Lady Commander with Star of Knights of the Holy Sepulchre by Pope Paul VI. She received awards from Mt. Sinai Hospital and Clinic, the Fraternal Order of the Eagles, B'nai B'rith and E.S.A. International and has received commendations from the Mayors of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills for her civic accomplishments. Rose Marie Thomas was named St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's "Volunteer of the Decade, 1980-1989" for her efforts for the hospital. She organized a fund-raising dinner that was a highlight of the Los Angeles social scene for many years and is now carried on by her children.
