The Danny Thomas Show

The Danny Thomas Show (known as Make Room for Daddy during the first three seasons) was a sitcom which ran from 1953 to 1957 on ABC and from 1957 to 1964 on CBS. Danny Thomas played Danny Williams, a successful comedian and nightclub entertainer. Jean Hagen was his wife Margaret, Sherry Jackson their daughter Terry, and Rusty Hamer their son Rusty.

Louise Beavers played the maid Louise. In 1955, Beavers left and was replaced in the role by Amanda Randolph.

In 1956, Jean Hagen quit the show, and the producers had her character written out as having died, making the character the first to be "killed off" in a sitcom. The following season, Thomas's character dated several women, with the help of his children. At the end of the season, he met widowed Kathy O'Hara, played by Marjorie Lord, who had a young daughter, Linda, played by Angela Cartwright. No wedding was ever shown, but when the show returned in 1957 with the new title, Danny and Kathy were married, and Linda was adopted by Danny, and the show's ratings dramatically increased.

Hans Conried had frequent guest appearances as Danny's eccentric Lebanese "Uncle Tonoose". (In real life, Thomas was Lebanese, Conried was not.) Other frequent guests included Bill Dana as "Jose Jimenez", Annette Funicello, Pat Harrington, Jr. (as "Pat Hannigan"), Sheldon Leonard, the show's producer [as Danny's agent, "Phil Brokaw"], and Thomas protegee Italian teenaged singer Piccola Pupa.

The supporting cast included Sid Melton as Charlie Halper, the proprietor of the Copa Club where Danny performed; and Pat Carroll as his wife Bunny Halper.

In 1958, the character of Terry was written out (Danny felt Sherry Jackson had "outgrown" her part). Her absence was explained away as the character being away at school. The character returned the following year and recast with actress Penny Parker. She, too, was written out when the character married and left the show.
From: Wikipedia.org

The Danny Thomas Show opening

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