Celebrities have always played a large part in the history of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and we're not just talking about the health-care charity's ubiquitous ads featuring Jennifer Aniston and Robin Williams.
Celebrity is actually in the charity's DNA. The organization, which treats children with cancer regardless of a family's ability to pay, was founded in 1962 by film and television actor Danny Thomas and recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with a glitzy gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. St. Jude estimates the evening raised over $1 million.
"Without Hollywood, there would be no St. Jude's," Tony Thomas, the event's co-chairman and Danny Thomas's son, told the crowd on Saturday night, which included the likes of Mila Kunis, Jason Bateman, William Shatner and a large contingent from the AMC drama "Mad Men." He noted how, in his father's day, entertainers like Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. helped shine a "hot light" on St. Jude's and that his father would be pleased to see the new generation of stars turning out to support the hospital.
Overall, Mr. Thomas said that the benefit, which also celebrated what would have been his father's 100th birthday, was a "throwback to one of the old-fashioned parties that mom and dad used to throw." It featured a mini-concert by Tony Bennett and a self-described "very old stand-up" set by Ray Romano. Chocolate cigars wrapped in gold foil, a play on Danny Thomas's trademark cigar habit, also greeted each guest at their place settings.
Keeping things in the family, the event was hosted by former talk show host Phil Donahue, who is married to Mr. Thomas's sister Marlo. (Ms. Thomas was unable to attend in person, as she is currently performing on Broadway, but sent a pre-taped message.)
Mr. Donahue joked that while his father-in-law was knighted by two popes, he had recently been honored by the group the Transvestites of America, and spent the evening playfully needling his brother-in-law both at their dinner table and on-stage.
Also seated at Mr. Thomas and Mr. Donahue's table were Mr. Shatner, who told the table he had spent his morning racing his horses, and figure skater and cancer survivor Scott Hamilton and his wife Tracie. Mr. Hamilton said that he had both close personal and professional ties to St. Jude. Given his "unique hobby of picking up life-threatening diseases," he said, he frequently visits the research hospital and used to donate part of the proceeds of his traveling skating shows to the charity.
Rounding out the Thomas's table was the chief executive of St. Jude, Dr. William Evans, who told us prior to dinner he had run into "Mad Men" actor John Slattery. Mr. Slattery had told him while he didn't know where the St. Jude hospital was (it's in Memphis, Tenn.), he knew the charity did good work.
The presence of Mr. Slattery, as well as his "Mad Men" co-stars, was largely courtesy of the show's star Jon Hamm. Mr. Hamm said his L.A.-based aunt, who sat by his side, and uncle were long-time friends of Tony's and introduced Mr. Hamm to the charity. To support St. Jude, Mr. Hamm said he set up a collection among the cast and crew, and before he knew it, the gang had filled up two tables at the event.
Write to Michelle Kung at michelle.kung@wsj.com
