Danny and Marlo Thomas Spit-Takes on Letterman, January 8 & 11, 1991

1. Tuesday, January 8, 1991. With Danny Thomas and Macaulay Culkin.
2. Friday, January 11, 1991. With Marlo Thomas.
Note: Dave addressing David Sanborn as "Sanberg" was a running joke during this period. Similar to Dave calling Hal Gurnee "Gertner" or "Grunwald," or Anton Fig "Antoine Zip," or Laurie Diamond "Rose."
Danny Thomas would die of heart failure four weeks later on February 6. He was 79.

[@prmaninla]

Danny Thomas is simply charming here. The way he interacted with Macaulay is how everyone wants their grandfather to be.

[@rondobson1828]

Sadly Danny Thomas died only four weeks after this appearance. I miss that generation of entertainers. They were so much more well-rounded it seems than today's entertainers.

[@Yobbie72]

they had charisma

[@Pashasmom1]

@@Yobbie72 They had real talent.

[@DTD110865]

His last on screen appearance was the "Empty Nest" episode "The Mentor."

[@phoebewinter4561]

Hilarious fun, seeing Marlo's spit take. She mostly just spit it out toward Dave. LOL Loved seeing Danny too. Thanks for posting this!!!!

[@danfred7127]

+Don Giller Man, you continue to upload absolutely phenomenal clips of old Dave shows. I click on these videos so fast. Thanks for continuing to do it. It is very much appreciated.

[@dongiller]

Thanks, Dan! You're very kind.

[@lostinmyspace4910]

Like Ron Dobson said, Danny Thomas died just a month after appearing on David Latterman's show. You're only on this Earth until the day you aren't. He is dearly missed. A brilliant entertainer and businessman, and fund raiser for St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

[@breckrichardson390]

Fund raiser for St. Jude? He was much more thsn just thst. Danny Thomas was the FOUNDER of St. Jude.

[@khabbad]

@@breckrichardson390One of the founders

[@AgnosticProle]

It was decent of mr Thomas to give young Macaulay some advice.

[@OhSankYouDoktor]

Back when late night talk shows were worth watching. Letterman was always busting their chops at "Live at Five" - was unscripted, original, and totally fun. Nothing mean-spirited or nasty about any of it. Another great upload, Don!

[@colinwilliams553]

1000th RIGHT!!! Back when LATE NIGHT was worth watching LETTERMAN and SHAFFER were the BEST! R.I.P to DANNY THOMAS one of the great entertainers EVER!

[@ExtremeBeatlesArchive]

The spit take is the highest form of art.

[@stephaniestanley8041]

❤😂 exactly 💯. I've waited my whole life to have the opportunity to do a spit take

[@ExtremeBeatlesArchive]

@@stephaniestanley8041 Here's what you do, kid. Just hang out with witty friends and carefully time your sip to the punch line.

[@sdwriter2626]

Danny Thomas wrote an interesting and engaging autobiography. He worked hard to plug it - and died less than a month after this appearance.

[@quad5186]

I remember this well , just referenced it recently. Thanks for posting.

[@Ma_Ba]

The beautiful job he did was adding the incentive of the set up line and Culkin not blowing the timing of the line AND LOVE the director's INSTANT REPLAY showing the superior showering water distribution - man, oh man, I thought he was going to aim it AT the kid, but he was too nice to do that. He spoke to "the kid" with a lot of consideration and shook his hand. I came because the St.Jude fundraising ads are now including his voice. I was thinking Marlo Thomas was putting him into ad campaign for posterity and now I see how close to the anniversary of his death I am viewing this. I was a kid of mid 20th century with a vague memory of Make Room for Daddy and of That Girl. Nice to get a relief from a heavy news week Feb 2020.

[@spuzzlightyeartoo]

God, the Danny Thomas dropping in bit is one of my favorite spots on Letterman. I discovered it thru another clip on KZbin years ago. Yours is way clearer and less edited. The bit with Marlo was a great and wonderful bonus. Thank you!

[@Jadecrest123]

Letterman is the best. Love watching all these vids you post.

[@stephaniestanley8041]

I've waited all my life to have the chance to do a spit take

[@olensoifer9901]

Sad. Danny looked like he was in such good shape here, and then to die less than a month later. Hard to imagine that he had no idea that he had a heart problem.

[@spuzzlightyeartoo]

Not TOO sure what triggered me to search this out, but I did, so I'm happy.

[@victormioduszewski4729]

Danny Thomas....Great guy with great sense of humor...Only on Letterman...👍😊

[@stephaniestanley8041]

Danny died a month later at home of a heart attack on February 6. Phil Donahue told how Marlo was in their bedroom in New York when she took the call getting the news. Phil said he heard a scream from the living room and when he reached the bedroom Marlo was on the floor from the shock.

[@christopherramon-reid9841]

CLASSIC COMEDY!!! YES!!!

[@jv-ep2tc]

let it be known that it is IN FACT the Danny Thomas spit take.

[@victormioduszewski4729]

Also...Thank You Marlo...😊👍

[@TheCMac518]

didnt spend much time interviewing danny. charming man.

[@dongiller]

No time. For both Dave and Danny.

[@jukeboxwiz]

Now you’re just teasing me, Don. Hoping to see Paul’s top 10 comedy takes from 3/3/87!

[@dhpbear2]

I remember that one. It included the 'Benny' and the 'Go-Figure' :)

[@jukeboxwiz]

Please, Don.

[@foleynj86]

Playing Alone by Heart when Macaulay Culkin walks out is brilliant.

[@JacobHarvietheSinger]

That cutaway made me really want a late night lunch box with a paul shaffer thermos

[@johndalton3180]

If I'm not mistaken, there was a third spit take with Phil Donahue.

[@dongiller]

Here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZeveZeFZsqLpLs

[@sdne1959]

. This appearance on Letterman came less than one month before Danny Thomas's death (heart failure) on 2/6/1991 (and very possibly may have been his last appearance on (national) TV). I'm sure if I'm wrong, someone will GLADLY correct me... .

[@dongiller]

Nobody reads my descriptions.

[@sdne1959]

. Sorry......failed to click the "Show More" part of your description !! :-) .

[@mjpk6269]

...and that was Conan O'Brien shaking Mr. Thomas's hand at the end of the clip.

[@dongiller]

Actually, that was then Dave’s Segment Producer Frank Gannon.

[@boredweegie553]

Phil Donahue's father in law?.

[@andyrose5616]

I think Paul was attempting to do Martin Short's version of the Danny Thomas spit take, which he had demonstrated on Carson a couple of years earlier. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYGoioOvjrScp7s

[@davidleedutton]

If Marlo Thomas couldn't do a decent spit-take, there's no hope for the future of comedy.

[@HarryJoiner]

14:59 - money

[@johndalton3180]

I have to admit, I smiled when Paul started Danny Boy. Someone need to tell Marlo you can't be ladylike when doing a spit take.

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

So, so easy to confuse Pat Metheny with David Sanborn. Methenys hair is just bigger and crazier...and he plays guitar. Also, I can't tell you how let down I get when Dave says its time for viewer mail....then the video just ends. Im thinking "Uh, what just happened?",

[@dongiller]

The focus here was, of course, the spit-takes. I've uploaded over 75 Viewer Mail segments. We'll get there.

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

@@dongiller Oh I know Don. I don't blame you, its just a knee-jerk response.

[@richardcontreras3230]

I miss the Top 10, Paul Schaeffer's Music, Biff going across America. Do not miss Dave's Haircut and now he has a beard! Go figure.

[@dongiller]

Shaffer. Paul Shaffer.

[@Norvo82]

Man, that is one cheap lookin' rug... And the studio carpeting's pretty bad too!

[@kevinvanmeter2264]

Liz Smith was a horrible woman.