1 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Daily Variety, your daily dose of news and 2 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: analysis for entertainment industry insiders. It's November twenty seventh, twenty 3 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: twenty five. I'm your host, Cynthia Lyttleton. I am co 4 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: editor in chief of Variety alongside Ramin Setuda. I'm in 5 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: la He's in New York, and Variety has reporters around 6 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 1: the world covering the business of entertainment. Today is Thanksgiving Day, 7 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: and so this is a special episode of Daily Variety. 8 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 1: We have a conversation with Marlo Thomas about one of 9 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 1: the greatest philanthropic efforts that ever came from the entertainment industry, 10 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 1: Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital. It's based in Memphis, and 11 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:48,840 Speaker 1: it was the brainchild of one Danny Thomas, Marlow's father. 12 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: Danny Thomas was basically Tim Allen and Chuck Lorie combined. 13 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: In his heyday in the fifties, sixties, and seventies, he 14 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 1: was the star of a hit domestic comedy, The Danny 15 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: Thomas Show, that ran for more than ten years on 16 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 1: ABC and later on CBS. Danny Thomas partnered with producer 17 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:10,399 Speaker 1: Sheldon Leonard to build a TV series empire that included 18 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,959 Speaker 1: the Andy Griffiths Show, Gomer Pyle MC, The Dick Van 19 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 1: Dyke Show, and the fabulous and influential drama series I Spy. 20 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: But for all of Danny Thomas's professional success, his greatest 21 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:27,040 Speaker 1: legacy is Saint Jude. Hands down. Marlow Thomas explains why 22 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:30,320 Speaker 1: in this conversation. Marlowe, of course, has enjoyed her own 23 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: long career as a TV star, producer, author and activist. 24 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: Two words that girl. This is the first time in 25 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: more than four months of hosting this podcast that an 26 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 1: interview brought me to tears. Marlowe and her siblings Tony 27 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: and Terry are devoted to the institution that her father 28 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: spent most of his life building. It's absolutely touching. Our 29 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: conversation is heavy at times and also inspiring. And after 30 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: all that, we take a vintage Variety trip back in 31 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: time to look at how the Saint Jude story played 32 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: out in the pages of Variety. Our own coverage, day 33 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: by day, year by year, proves that Saint Jude was 34 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: not a cause for Danny Thomas. It was a mission. 35 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 1: Marlo Thomas, what a treat. Thank you so much for 36 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:19,920 Speaker 1: joining me. I'm thrilled to be here. Cynthia Well as 37 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: I just told you at length, I am a big 38 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 1: fan of Saint Jude. I'm a supporter of Saint Jude, 39 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 1: and I just love the Origin store. This came purely 40 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: out of the entertainment industry and your father's desire to 41 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: do good and help the children of the world. Marlowe, 42 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: tell us where Saint Jude is right now, what are 43 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:39,960 Speaker 1: some of your fundraising priorities as you look ahead to 44 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 1: twenty twenty six. 45 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 2: Well, right now, we're in our Thanks and Giving campaign, 46 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:46,119 Speaker 2: which is its twenty second year, and it's a time 47 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 2: of yew. We ask people to give thanks for the 48 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 2: healthy kids in your life and give to those who 49 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 2: are not. I mean, we have several wonderful partners like 50 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 2: best buy and Williams Sonoma and Kay Jewelers, and so 51 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 2: many wonderful companies that will ask their consumer, would you 52 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 2: like to leave a little something for the children of 53 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 2: Saint Jude and you can just add it on to 54 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 2: your to your bill. Every dollar counts. My dad used 55 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 2: to say he'd rather get one dollar from a million 56 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:16,800 Speaker 2: people than a million dollars from one person, because that 57 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:20,799 Speaker 2: means that everybody's involved in being part of the community. 58 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: Especially for the own families that didn't have the background 59 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 1: to pay for expensive medical care. I know people at 60 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: Saint Jude are always in fundraising mode and this is 61 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:31,080 Speaker 1: the time of year, so it's a great time of year. 62 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:33,920 Speaker 1: My sister and brother and I created this twenty two 63 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 1: years ago. We've raised a billion dollars so far on 64 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: this program, which we're very excited about, and we've brought 65 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: it up to one hundred million dollar a year program now, 66 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: and you know, it's very much needed. As you said, 67 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: nobody pays at Saint Jude. Nobody pays for anything. They 68 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: don't pay for treatment or travel or housing or food. 69 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 1: We pay for all of that and it's our honor 70 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 1: and privilege to do that because when my dad was 71 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: growing up in Toledo, Ohio, as part of an immigrant neighborhood, 72 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 1: his parents were from Lebanon. He's a first generation American, 73 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 1: and little kids in his neighborhood died of things like 74 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: appendicitis and influenza. Those are illnesses that should be curable, 75 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: but because their parents couldn't afford a doctor, they didn't 76 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: see a doctor and so they didn't make it. And 77 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 1: that really imprinted on my dad, and that's why he 78 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,919 Speaker 1: thought if he ever was successful, he was going to 79 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 1: build a hospital for children of all religions and all races, 80 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 1: and that nobody would have to pay and they'd all 81 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:38,279 Speaker 1: get the same, first class care. And that's something that 82 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:40,839 Speaker 1: my family and all of us had said. Jud have 83 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 1: taken very seriously. The focus on healthcare was so prescient. 84 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,480 Speaker 1: This country is still debating to this day in terms 85 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:49,719 Speaker 1: of the best way to make healthcare a human right. 86 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 1: You must have been a teenager. What do you remember 87 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 1: about that period when your dad just made the decision 88 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:56,160 Speaker 1: I'm going to go for it. 89 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 2: Well, I'll tell you the truth, Cynthia. It was a 90 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:02,720 Speaker 2: great sacrifice on our family's part. My dad was on 91 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 2: the road all the time for Saint Jude. He didn't 92 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:08,279 Speaker 2: make it to my college graduation because he was in 93 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 2: New Orleans at a big fundraiser. I'll never forget that. 94 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 2: And my sisdroom brother also have those kind of memories 95 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:19,040 Speaker 2: of Saint Jude came first, and so our family was 96 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 2: very much involved in the giving to Saint Jude Children's 97 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 2: Research Hospital. So it was a very strong family feature tradition, 98 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 2: kind of like Christmas and Thanksgiving and the opening of 99 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:36,040 Speaker 2: Saint Jude was a very big deal in nineteen sixty two. 100 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:38,359 Speaker 2: We all just fell in love with the place. We 101 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:40,600 Speaker 2: fell in love with the children. We fell in love 102 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 2: with their strength, their bravery, and their parents. You know, 103 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 2: one of the first time that I went to Saint 104 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 2: Jude after my father died, I was sitting in the 105 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 2: car crying for a little while. I was afraid to 106 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 2: go in. And then I went in and there was 107 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 2: this party going on, and there were all these little 108 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 2: kids running around in paper hats, and there was ice 109 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 2: cream and cake and balloons, all the stuff. And I 110 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 2: said to the nurse, whose birthday is it? And she said, oh, 111 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 2: it's not a birthday party. It's an off chemo party. 112 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:11,839 Speaker 2: And I was so touched by that that these little 113 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:15,119 Speaker 2: children were all celebrating one child's turn for the better. 114 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 2: And the moms and the dads and the grandparents were 115 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 2: standing nearby with tears in their eyes. If this little 116 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:24,599 Speaker 2: kid could make it, maybe their precious child would too. 117 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 2: And I really felt what my dad must have felt 118 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:31,799 Speaker 2: all those years in knowing what he was really doing 119 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:33,280 Speaker 2: with this institution. 120 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 1: And Marlow tell listeners, why your father chose Memphis as 121 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 1: the location for Saint. 122 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:41,279 Speaker 2: Jude well, a lot of people wanted him to put 123 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 2: it in Boston or Saint Louis, where there are really 124 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 2: fine medical communities, medical universities to be able to recruit from. 125 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 2: But my dad had read an article in a paper 126 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:57,280 Speaker 2: about a black child eight years old who was hit 127 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 2: by a car. The kid was on his bike and 128 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 2: the man who hit him was a white man, and 129 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 2: he stopped and tried to get the kid. It was Mississippi, 130 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 2: and he took the little boy to a couple of 131 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 2: emergency rooms and nobody would take him because he was black, 132 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 2: and he died. And my father read that and he said, Okay, 133 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 2: I'm putting the hospital in the South. There's enough hospitals 134 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 2: for kids in the East and the Northeast and so forth. 135 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 2: I'm just going to put it in the South where 136 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 2: every child will have a chance. So he chose Memphis 137 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 2: for all kinds of reasons, but he wanted to put 138 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 2: it in the South. 139 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 1: And all of this, Marlowe is done from private donations. 140 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: How has Saint Jude been able to keep it going 141 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 1: and growing at the rate that you have? Not only 142 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 1: is it treatment, but Saint Jude is funding a lot 143 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 1: of research and incredible breakthrough research on children's. 144 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 2: And what's exciting to me is we're in a big 145 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 2: expansion right now. We're in a twelve billion dollar expansion 146 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 2: and buildings are going up, one by one by one, madly, 147 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 2: and because those buildings hold the researchers and the scientists 148 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 2: and the doctors who come from all over the world 149 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 2: to do their best work to create trials and treatments 150 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 2: that will help the children of America and the children 151 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 2: around the world. And I don't know if you know this, 152 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 2: but every child that Saint Jude has both a doctor 153 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 2: and a scientist on their team. So if that child's 154 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 2: fever spikes in the middle of the night, there's a 155 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 2: scientist to call and say, what's happening, Why is this happening. 156 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 2: That's why we have such a wonderful cure rate and 157 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 2: survival rate, because there are great minds saving this one child. 158 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 2: And I find that so exciting, so strong, so moving 159 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 2: that as long as I have breath, I'm going to 160 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:45,680 Speaker 2: be on the road to raise money for Saint Jude 161 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:49,839 Speaker 2: Children's Research Hospital. You know, our protocols are everywhere, and 162 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 2: we're collaborating a great daml which is a deadly blood 163 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:59,439 Speaker 2: cancer leukemia. We've had great success with all acute lymp 164 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 2: oblastic leukemia. It was four percent when my father opened 165 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 2: the hospital. It's a ninety four percent survival rate today. 166 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 2: And I've held a dying child in my arms. I 167 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 2: never thought I'd be able to bear such a thing. 168 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 2: I was in the parking lot and a father of 169 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 2: a child came over to me and said, would you 170 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 2: come say goodbye to Douglas? And Douglas had been in 171 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 2: a commercial with me, so I knew him, and I said, yeah, sure. 172 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 2: And I thought to myself, Am I saying goodbye because 173 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 2: they're going home? Am I saying goodbye because he's not 174 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 2: going to make it? You know what kind of goodbye 175 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 2: is this going to be? But I just followed the 176 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 2: father to the room and there he was seven years old, dying. 177 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 2: So I held Douglas in my arms and I talked 178 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:41,960 Speaker 2: to him. I told him how proud I was of him, 179 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 2: what a brave fighter he was, and I said, you're 180 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 2: going to go to heaven. When you go to heaven, 181 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:49,959 Speaker 2: would give my daddy a hug for me, and talking 182 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 2: on and on to him about his courage, and I said, Douglas, 183 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 2: if you can hear me squeeze my hand, and of 184 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 2: course he didn't squeeze my hand, so I thought, well, 185 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 2: he's gone already, and then a little tiny tap from 186 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 2: his finger to my finger. He that's as much strength 187 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 2: as he had. He couldn't squeeze my hand, but he 188 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 2: certainly wanted to communicate with me, and he touched my 189 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 2: finger with his little finger. And it makes me cry 190 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 2: still today. But we did communicate it that last moment, 191 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:26,560 Speaker 2: and he did pass away. And I'm surprised that I 192 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 2: could do that. You know, people always come up and 193 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 2: say thank you for saving my child, and I said, 194 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,200 Speaker 2: I didn't do anything. I'm just a wheelbarrow. I just 195 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:35,079 Speaker 2: bring money. 196 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 1: Because I gather myself. I can tell you listeners that 197 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 1: this is a cause for the children of the world. 198 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:42,839 Speaker 1: I know how committed you and your siblings are to 199 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 1: what your father built. Your father is in fact buried 200 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:47,720 Speaker 1: on the grounds of Saint Hues if I'm not mistaken. 201 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:50,319 Speaker 2: Both of my parents are, my mom and dad are. 202 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 2: And you know, when you say legacy, I have to 203 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 2: tell you that my brother and sister have children, and 204 00:10:56,440 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 2: their children and the grandchildren are all involved with saying Jude. 205 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:06,120 Speaker 2: They have their school sports donates money from their sporting events. 206 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 1: St Jude has been so savvy about recruiting influencers, et 207 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 1: sports stars, just people that resonate with gen Z and 208 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:19,200 Speaker 1: j Alfa and beyond. You and Drew Barrymore are hosting 209 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 1: what sounds like a great event. 210 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:24,320 Speaker 2: It'll be fun. But this Serry Maura is a wonderful 211 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:27,679 Speaker 2: young woman actress and talk show hosts. But she's got 212 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:30,680 Speaker 2: a great heart and she's one of our ambassadors. She 213 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 2: makes television spots for Saint Jude and she and I 214 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 2: are going to be hosting this media event for influencers 215 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 2: and other people that are in the media like you, Cynthia, 216 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 2: and I'm looking forward to We've never done it together before, 217 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:50,440 Speaker 2: but she's such a darling and she's very committed human being. 218 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 1: Marlo, once again, thank you so much for joining me. 219 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 2: Thank you, Cynthia. 220 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 1: Saint Jude stands tall as an example of the philanthropic 221 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:06,840 Speaker 1: ambition that was a hallmark of industry heavyweights in the 222 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: fifties and sixties. It was even competitive among the biggest stars. 223 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 1: Danny Thomas was really successful as a performer and as 224 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:18,559 Speaker 1: a producer. As Marlow Thomas explained, her father was driven 225 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 1: by his deep faith and the work ethic of a 226 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:25,439 Speaker 1: first generation immigrant family. And he also got a lot 227 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 1: of help from his Hollywood pals. Danny Thomas was rat 228 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:32,760 Speaker 1: pack adjacent in his career. Frank and Sammy and Dean 229 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:35,880 Speaker 1: and Shirley hitched in and to help raise bucks for 230 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 1: Saint Jude. The very first mention of Saint Jude in 231 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:42,439 Speaker 1: Brighty's pages came in a short item date Line Chicago 232 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: from the December fifth, nineteen fifty one edition. It notes 233 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 1: that Thomas went out of his way to stage the 234 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 1: premiere of his Warner Brothers movie I'll See You in 235 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:54,120 Speaker 1: My Dreams as a fundraiser for Saint Jude. It's a 236 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 1: rom com co starring Doris Day. The event was held 237 00:12:57,240 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 1: December twenty seventh, nineteen fifty one, at the Chicago Theater. 238 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 1: It was chaired and blessed by none other than the 239 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 1: Archbishop of Chicago, Samuel Cardinal Stretch. Here's the full two 240 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 1: sentence item. 241 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 3: Danny Thomas in for five days to lay plans for 242 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 3: memorial hospital for Saint Jude. Police League tied him with 243 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 3: this new pick, I'll See You in My Dreams, skedded 244 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 3: for the Chicago Theater December twenty seventh receipts to the hospital. 245 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:25,839 Speaker 1: I'm going to speculate that the reference to Saint Jude 246 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 1: being a police hospital was a mistake on the part 247 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:31,959 Speaker 1: of our reporter, because that item ran in the New 248 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 1: York based edition of Variety. The very next day, a 249 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 1: report by a different reporter in the Hollywood based Daily 250 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 1: Variety had a little more detail on the plan for 251 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 1: the premiere and no mention of it being a police hospital. 252 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 1: And now here's a representative example of a story about 253 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:52,560 Speaker 1: one of the hundreds of Chicken dinner fundraisers that Danny 254 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:55,439 Speaker 1: Thomas held for years to raise the money to break 255 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 1: ground on Saint Jude. Before his success in movies and TV, 256 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:02,040 Speaker 1: Thomas had two word for years as a nightclub comic. 257 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 1: He knew the highways and byways, and he worked them. 258 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:08,960 Speaker 1: Variety pitched in by writing about his Saint Jude campaign 259 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 1: a lot. This item ran in the June twenty eighth, 260 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty seven edition of Daily Variety. 261 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 3: Stars in Memphis for benefit show. Arthur Godfrey, Jane Russell, 262 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 3: Susan Hayward, Lucastello, and Ferland Husky have arrived in Memphis 263 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:27,080 Speaker 3: to entertain at Danny Thomas's Saint Jude Hospital benefit show tonight. 264 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 3: Jane Russell volunteered to do the show when Betty Hutton 265 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 3: bowed out because of other commitments. Thomas will mc the show, 266 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 3: which is being held in the Russwood Baseball Park. Admitting 267 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 3: to the event is by donation only, performing or donating 268 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 3: their services to help Thomas build a two million dollar 269 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:46,240 Speaker 3: hospital here for needy children. 270 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 1: Now we'll let Danny Thomas himself have the last word 271 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: on why he birthed Saint Jude. 272 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 4: They said it couldn't be done. They said that it 273 00:14:55,720 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 4: was a task which would break my heart. They said 274 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:04,760 Speaker 4: it was impossible. At this very moment, in the city 275 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 4: of Memphis, Tennessee, there is being constructed a hospital in 276 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 4: the form of a star. 277 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 5: There it is in concrete, glass and steel, to offer 278 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 5: help to all the children of the world, regardless of race, creed, 279 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 5: or economic status. 280 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 6: You and I have vowed that we will do everything 281 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 6: in our power, spiritually, physically, mentally, and financially to bring 282 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 6: about the defeat of these catastrophic diseases. 283 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 1: Happy Thanksgiving listeners, we hope you've been inspired by this 284 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 1: true tale of what one showbiz legend was able to 285 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 1: accomplish in the name of the patron Saint of lost causes, 286 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 1: Danny Thomas for the win. Thanks for listening. 287 00:15:56,960 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 7: Please leave us a review at the podcast platform of 288 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 7: your choice, and please drop us a line at podcasts 289 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 7: at Variety dot com. 290 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 1: We love to hear from listeners. 291 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 7: We'll be back Monday with another episode of Daily Variety.