Full House, then and now
Full House is an American sitcom that aired for eight seasons on ABC, premiering Sept. 22, 1987 and ending May 23, 1995. Though the show never garnered much critical acclaim, it was a hit with audiences and even more so in syndicated reruns.
The series followed the Tanner family and their San Francisco life. After Danny Tanner’s (Bob Saget) wife was killed in a car wreck, the news anchor enlisted his brother-in-law, Jesse Katsopolis (John Stamos), and his best friend, Joey Gladstone (Dave Coulier), to help him raise his three daughters, D.J. (Candace Cameron Bure), Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin), and Michelle (Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen). It didn’t take long for dad Danny, rock musician Jesse, stand-up comedian Joey, and the girls to become a tight-knit group. In season 2, Danny began working with Nebraska-born Rebecca “Becky” Donaldson (Lori Loughlin). Soon enough, she met Jesse, and the two fell for one another. The couple married in season 4 and became parents to twin boys the following year.
The theme song “Everywhere You Look” by Jesse Frederick went through various instrumental versions in the closing credits. When ABC Family acquired the show in 2003, it was the first television network to play a longer version of the theme song (for seasons 1 through 5) since the show’s initial run on ABC had featured it in just a handful of episodes.
The cast has reunited in various forms over the years. In 2012, the show celebrated its 25th anniversary and eight of the Full House cast members gathered in L.A. for a mini-reunion. The Olsens were not present.
In 2014, Saget, Stamos, and Coulier made an appearance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon in which they each played their Full House characters. Jimmy Fallon played a version of the Olsen twins’ character, Michelle. The actors recited some of their best-known catchphrases from the show and even sang “The Teddy Bear” song.
Then, in February 2016, Netflix premiered a sequel to the series called Fuller House. The new series mirrors the story line of the original, with D.J. now a widowed mother of three. Her sister Stephanie and best friend Kimmy (Andrea Barber) move in to help raise her three sons. (Michelle is nowhere to be seen, however, as neither Olsen twin reprised the role.) Carly Rae Jepsen and Butch Walker recreated the beloved Full House theme song, “Everywhere You Look” for the new series’ opening credits.
Here’s what the main cast members have been up to in the years since Full House.
Bob Saget (Danny Tanner)
Danny wasn’t exactly a cool dad on Full House. Though he considered himself the “raddest, baddest” father ever, his daughters did not agree. At times, Danny tried to act as cool as his rock star buddy Jesse but mostly just embarrassed his daughters. He also happened to be extremely into cleaning — in one episode he made a “Clipboard of Fun” for his family — and his motto was: “Clean is good, dirt is bad.”
The Tanner patriarch was also highly protective of his three daughters — understandable given the unexpected passing of his wife. He tended to go too far at times and even spied on D.J. This often led to arguments which, in turn, led to D.J. locking herself in her room. When it came to his youngest daughter, Michelle, Danny could be guilty of spoiling her. Nonetheless, the girls respected their father and were afraid of disappointing him. Despite his air of authority, he stayed calm with his daughters and discussed matters with them so they always understood his reasoning.
After ending his initial run as Danny Tanner, Saget appeared on similar sitcoms like Raising Dad and Grandfathered. He then moved on to slightly darker and less family-friendly projects such as Entourage, in which he played a parody of himself. He finished his run as host of America’s Funniest Home Videos in 1997, a role he had held since 1989. He also voiced older Ted Mosby on CBS’ sitcom How I Met Your Mother, which aired from 2005 to 2014.
Saget also worked consistently in standup comedy. In May 2014, he toured Australia for the first time, with an adults-only stand-up show called Bob Saget Live: The Dirty Daddy Tour. He also released a book titled Dirty Daddy, which discusses his career, comedy influences, and experiences with life and death. The actor took on a recurring role on Fuller House from 2016 to 2020. Saget died unexpectedly in January 2022 at age 65 after suffering blunt head trauma.
John Stamos (Uncle Jesse)
As a motorcycle aficionado whose role model was Elvis Presley, it’s not surprising that Jesse was the cool uncle to Danny’s not-so-cool dad — he also made a mean fried chicken. In contrast to Danny, Jesse let the girls get away with things like staying up late and eating ice cream, but he also tried to counsel them and was known for his little chats with Michelle. His rebellious ways were somewhat tamed by his marriage to Becky and the birth of their children.
Jesse was big into the rock and roll scene. Throughout the series, he fronted a band named Jesse and the Rippers and was the lead vocalist and guitarist. The band scored a record deal after the success of their hit single “Forever” (a Beach Boys cover). They then toured the country in local clubs during the summer. Later, Jesse was kicked out of the band after a fight with his fellow bandmates over his lack of commitment. He, nonetheless, continued to make royalties of hundreds of dollars.
Jesse’s famous catchphrase throughout the series was “Have mercy!” but also “Watch the hair!” due to his obsession with his mane.
Since completing work on Full House, Stamos enjoyed roles on shows such as ER, Glee, and Scream Queens, and a recurring role on Fuller House. He is also widely known for being the face of Dannon’s Greek yogurt brand Oikos from 2012 to 2014, with his first Super Bowl commercial airing during Super Bowl XLVI. He has taken on additional TV shows like Netflix’s You and Disney+’s Big Shot.
Dave Coulier (Joey)
The childhood best friend of Danny, Joey tried to be a stand-up comedian. His act included imitations of cartoon characters like Popeye and Pepe LePew. Joey started off sleeping in Danny’s living room but eventually ended up in the basement garage.
Joey acted as an uncle to Danny’s daughters, handling the day-to-day raising of the children such as helping with homework and after-school activities. He bought D.J. her first car for her 16th birthday.
In addition to his gig as a comedian, Joey had various other forms of employment. Joey and Jesse ran an advertising business for a short spell, composing jingles for products and TV and radio commercials. The two friends were also partners at an afternoon radio show called “Rush Hour Renegades.” One of Joey’s more successful jobs was his role as Ranger Joe on a children’s variety television show.
After Full House’s conclusion, Coulier hosted America’s Funniest People and Opportunity Knocks. He is also a successful voice actor with roles in Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the Spruce Goose and The Real Ghostbusters. In 2000, Coulier founded his own children’s entertainment company, F3 Entertainment. In 2006, he appeared on Fox’s reality show Skating With Celebrities. He was partnered with Olympic medalist Nancy Kerrigan and they were eliminated in the fourth episode.
Between 2005 and 2008, Coulier also voiced a number of characters on the stop-motion sketch comedy show Robot Chicken. After reprising his role as Joey on Fuller House, he competed on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America. He continues to tour the country as a stand-up comedian.
Candace Cameron Bure (D.J. Tanner)
D.J. was Danny’s firstborn daughter and sometimes went by the nickname “Deej.” As the oldest, it wasn’t surprising that, at times, there was tension between Danny and D.J. He would often pry into her business and she would end up acting out or snapping at him as a form of rebellion, but, in the end, a valuable lesson was always learned. D.J. was an honor student.
At times, D.J. acted as a maternal figure to her younger sisters, like when she took care of Michelle when Jesse, Joey, and Stephanie all had chicken pox. Often, Stephanie and D.J. got into fights when D.J. felt her little sister was snooping. However, as they grew older, their fighting dissipated and they learned to comfort one another in the moments they missed their mother the most.
After Full House ended in 1995, Bure had guest-starring roles on both Cybill and Boy Meets World. She then took a hiatus from acting while she raised her children, returning in 2006 when she guest-starred on That’s So Raven and then the Christian drama The Wager in 2007. Between 2009 and 2012, she played a part on Make It or Break It, a show about Olympic gymnasts.
In 2014, Bure competed on season 18 of Dancing With the Stars, partnered with professional dancer Mark Ballas. The couple made it to the finals but ended the competition in third place.
In August 2015, Bure was announced as a cohost of ABC’s The View. She revealed in December 2016 that she was leaving the show due to commitments to Fuller House and other Hallmark Channel projects.
In 2022, Bure left Hallmark Media and became the chief content officer of Great American Media, ending the year with controversial remarks about the kinds of Christmas movies that won’t be featured on the Great American Family channel.
Jodie Sweetin (Stephanie Tanner)
Stephanie was the middle Tanner daughter and had an outgoing and upbeat personality. In early seasons of the show, she clashed with older sister D.J. but the two grew closer as they got older and began to better understand one another. She was talkative, and, at times, nosey and attention-seeking, but was nonetheless well-behaved. Like her older sister, she was a good student but was also athletic — she loved to practice ballet.
After Full House, Sweetin graduated high school and attended Chapman University in Orange, Calif. She later returned to television, hosting the second season of Pants-Off Dance-Off on Fuse TV. In 2009, she appeared in two independent films, Port City and Redefining Love. Then, in 2016, she appeared as one of the celebrities on season 22 of Dancing With the Stars, finishing in sixth place.
In June 2013, Sweetin filed for divorce from her third husband, Morty Coyle, with whom she has a daughter. The divorce was finalized in September 2016. In January 2016, she announced her engagement to Justin Hodak; though they separated in March 2017. After Sweetin ended their engagement, Hodak threatened suicide. The actress also took out a restraining order against her former fiancé.
Sweetin has dealt with substance abuse problems over a 15-year period since the age of 14 when she began drinking after Full House wrapped. Her memoir, UnSweetined, was released in 2009 and detailed her abuse of alcohol and drugs.
She led Fuller House through all five seasons and has appeared in numerous TV movies and on reality shows since.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (Michelle Tanner)
Michelle was the youngest of Danny Tanner’s daughters and was just 9 months old when her mother died. Michelle turned 1 in the first season of Full House and was 8 years old by the time the show ended. Michelle looked up to her older sisters and tried to follow in their footsteps, though she often felt left out when they hung out without her. Michelle was very close with her uncle Jesse, who nicknamed her “Munchkin.” Michelle was also known for pouting when she didn’t get her own way. Some of her most iconic catchphrases include: “You got it, dude!”, “You’re in big trouble, mister!,” “Oh, puh-lease!,” “Aw, nuts!,” “Duh!,” and “No way, José!”
After Full House ended, the Olsens enjoyed a lucrative career as child actors. In 1993, they founded Dualstar, the company that would produce all of their subsequent movies and videos. In 1995, the twins starred in their first feature film, It Takes Two. They later appeared on All My Children. Then, in 1998, the twins returned regularly to TV with their ABC sitcom Two of a Kind. They went on to star on ABC’s So Little Time and Mary-Kate and Ashley in Action! before making their second feature film, New York Minute, in 2004. It was their last role together and Ashley’s last major acting role to date, though she has popped up in bit parts in The Jerk Theory (2009) and I’m Still Here (2010).
As the sisters got older, their interests moved more into fashion. They started with a clothing line for girls aged 4 to 14 in Walmart stores, as well as a beauty line, Mary-Kate and Ashley: Real Fashion for Real Girls. They later launched their own couture fashion label, The Row.
In 2007, the boho-chic duo launched Elizabeth & James, a contemporary collection inspired by their personal tastes. Furthermore, they’ve released a line called Olsenboye for J.C. Penney and a T-shirt line, StyleMint. In 2013, the sisters launched a new line in Oslo, Norway. They have received awards for their work in the fashion industry, such as the Womenswear Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
Neither Olsen twin appeared on Fuller House.
Lori Loughlin (Aunt Becky)
Becky moved to San Francisco to work alongside Danny as a cohost on Wake Up, San Francisco. Jesse began dating Becky and the two got married in season 4, after a few ups and downs with some of Jesse’s exes. Once married, the couple moved into Becky’s apartment. After seeing how much Jesse missed the girls and the rest of the family, he and Becky moved back into Danny’s house, making the attic into a mini-apartment. In the finale of season 4, Becky got pregnant. She gave birth to identical twin boys the following year. In the last season of the show, Becky was promoted to producer of Wake Up, San Francisco.
After Full House ended, Loughlin starred in one season of the ABC sitcom Hudson Street before its cancelation in 1996. A year later, she starred in the movie In The Line of Duty: Blaze of Glory alongside Bruce Campbell. She had a number of guest-starring television roles between 2000 and 2002.
During 2004 to 2005, Loughlin co-created, produced, and starred on the drama series Summerland on the WB with Jesse McCartney, Zac Efron, and Ryan Kwanten. The show was canceled after just two seasons. She went on to play Debbie Wilson on seasons 1 through 3 of the Beverly Hills, 90210 spin-off 90210 between 2008 and 2011.
Loughlin made headlines in 2019 after being indicted by the FBI for her involvement in the college bribery scandal. She pled guilty the following year and was sentenced to two months in prison.
Though Becky was written out of Fuller House because of Loughlin’s legal troubles (she had guest-starred on seasons 1 through 4), the actor remained a staple on the Hallmark Channel, notably as Abigail Stanton in When Calls the Heart and its spin-off series, When Hope Calls.
