Series synopsis
The Danny Thomas Show is an American comedy television series that premiered on ABC on September 29, 1953. It ended on April 27, 1964. It was created by Melville Shavelson. It stars Danny Thomas, Marjorie Lord, Jean Hagen and Sherry Jackson.
Danny Thomas, an entertainer, tries to balance his home life with the needs of his career, with hilarious results.
Premise
Danny Thomas, an entertainer, tries to balance his home life with the needs of his career, with hilarious results.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Danny Thomas as Danny Williams
- Marjorie Lord as Kathy Williams
- Jean Hagen as Margaret Williams
- Sherry Jackson as Terry Williams
- Rusty Hamer as Rusty Williams
- Angela Cartwright as Linda Williams
- Penny Parker as Terry Williams
- Mike Steen as Security Guard
Supporting cast
- Andy Griffith as Andy Taylor
- Ron Howard as Opie Taylor
- Frances Bavier as Henrietta Perkins
- Ray Lanier
- Pat Close
- Amanda Randolph as Louise
- Louise Beavers as Louise
- Kevin O'Neal as Marvin
- Elvia Allman as Maid
- Marc Sutherland as Hal
- Rhys Williams as Jerry Harris
- Walter Gatlett as Mr. Gunther
Guest cast
- Mike Steen as Security Guard
- Andy Griffith as Andy Taylor
- Ron Howard as Opie Taylor
- Frances Bavier as Henrietta Perkins
- Ray Lanier
- Pat Close
- Amanda Randolph as Louise
- Louise Beavers as Louise
- Kevin O'Neal as Marvin
- Elvia Allman as Maid
- Marc Sutherland as Hal
- Rhys Williams as Jerry Harris
Episodes
This series spans 12 seasons with 345 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 3 | February 14, 1965 | September 14, 1969 |
| Season 1 | 30 | September 29, 1953 | April 20, 1954 |
| Season 2 | 30 | September 28, 1954 | April 26, 1955 |
| Season 3 | 30 | September 13, 1955 | April 17, 1956 |
| Season 4 | 30 | October 1, 1956 | April 25, 1957 |
| Season 5 | 33 | October 7, 1957 | May 26, 1958 |
| Season 6 | 32 | October 6, 1958 | May 25, 1959 |
| Season 7 | 33 | October 5, 1959 | May 16, 1960 |
| Season 8 | 31 | October 3, 1960 | May 22, 1961 |
| Season 9 | 31 | October 2, 1961 | June 6, 1962 |
| Season 10 | 32 | October 1, 1962 | May 6, 1963 |
| Season 11 | 30 | September 30, 1963 | April 27, 1964 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Danny Thomas TV Family Reunion | February 14, 1965 |
| 2 | Make More Room For Daddy | November 6, 1967 |
| 3 |
Make Room for Granddaddy The Danny Williams clan welcomes the first grandchild. |
September 14, 1969 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uncle Daddy | September 29, 1953 |
| 2 |
Party Dress Danny buys a new doll for Terry and brings it home, expecting her to be happy about it, but instead finds that Margaret is making her a new dress for a school dance—and Terry, at age eleven, is too old for dolls. |
October 6, 1953 |
| 3 |
Second Honeymoon Margaret finally gets her second honeymoon with Danny, but a friend needs him to open for him in Atlantic City, the same place where the honeymoon is taking place. A flashback occurs which tells what happened on their first honeymoon in 1941. In the end, the Williams' get their honeymoon. |
October 13, 1953 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Family Trouble Danny loses his confidence, so Margaret enlists the kids to help restore it. |
September 28, 1954 |
| 2 | Tonsillectomy | October 5, 1954 |
| 3 |
Terry Takes Charge Margaret is away from home on jury duty, Louise is out with a cold, and Danny is having back issues, so Terry wants to take over her mother’s role in the house—but Danny thinks she’s still too young. |
October 12, 1954 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Davy Crockett | September 13, 1955 |
| 2 |
Little League Rusty plans to try out for Little League—Danny decides he wants to coach. Danny gets the job, but later has a tough decision to make. |
September 20, 1955 |
| 3 | Margaret Goes Home to Mother | September 27, 1955 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Boarding School Danny decides that the kids have become too unruly without their mother to help parent them. So, he decides to send them to boarding school to help give them the proper guidance they need. |
October 1, 1956 |
| 2 |
The Nelson Eddy Show Danny and Jesse search for a performer to replace him in the club while he’s stuck at home with a broken leg. Danny settles on Nelson Eddy. |
October 8, 1956 |
| 3 |
Problem Father Terry is dating a new, popular, wealthy, cultured boy, and this makes her hyper-sensitive, and insecure, about her father. |
October 15, 1956 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Lose Me in Las Vegas Danny's popularity disrupt Danny and Kathy's honeymoon. |
October 7, 1957 |
| 2 |
Terry vs. Kathy Danny finds himself in the middle of a family controversy when daughter Terry begins to resent her new stepmother. Now that Kathy does all the things for Danny that Terry used to do, the teenager feels left out and unwanted by the family. |
October 14, 1957 |
| 3 |
Kathy Is Approved When Danny learns that his Uncle Tonoose is about to visit, he's afraid that the family patriarch might not approve of his bride Kathy. |
October 21, 1957 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Bob Hope Show | October 6, 1958 |
| 2 |
Rusty, the Ward-Heeler Kathy thinks Danny is sending the wrong message to Rusty, who is running for Class President and is using his father's suggestion to throw a rally, replete with lots of ice cream and Danny's telling jokes, to 'buy' votes for Rusty. |
October 13, 1958 |
| 3 |
First Anniversary When Danny and Kathy disagree and argue about who proposed to whom, Mr. Daly urges Danny not to apologize to his daughter. |
October 20, 1958 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Terry Comes Home | October 5, 1959 |
| 2 | Rusty's Day in Court | October 12, 1959 |
| 3 | The Chinese Doll | October 19, 1959 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kathy Delivers the Mail | October 3, 1960 |
| 2 | The Report Card | October 10, 1960 |
| 3 | Danny and the Actor's School | October 17, 1960 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | For Every Man There's a Woman | October 2, 1961 |
| 2 | Linda Runs Away | October 9, 1961 |
| 3 | Love Letters | October 16, 1961 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Baby Hates Charley | October 1, 1962 |
| 2 | Danny's Replacement | October 8, 1962 |
| 3 | What Are Friends For? | October 15, 1962 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Country Squires | September 30, 1963 |
| 2 | The Perfect Crime | October 7, 1963 |
| 3 | Here's The $50 Back | October 14, 1963 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | ABC |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 29, 1953 |
| Last aired | April 27, 1964 |
| Runtime | 30 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Monday |