Creating An American Icon

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.