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13 fulfilling facts about Full House
Learn how Air Bud, Elvis and Alanis Morissette tie into the ultimate Nineties family sitcom.
Everywhere you look… the impact of Full House can still be found. The Olsen Twins are fashion icons worth half a billion. A Netflix reboot, Fuller House, has lasted five seasons. "You got it, dude!" memes pepper social media. The show — from its tone to its music — has become the ultimate example of early-'90s family sitcoms. It is a shared touchstone of Millennial and Gen-X youth.
Few people, if any, saw all of that coming when the show premiered in 1987. After first-season struggles in the ratings, the show skyrocketed to become the tentpole of the TGIF block on ABC Friday nights.
Let's jump into some fun facts that will have Uncle Jesse saying, "Have mercy!"
1. The sitcom's original title and concept was 'House of Comics'.
Jeff Franklin was writing and producing for Laverne & Shirley and Bosom Buddies when he had a concept for his own sitcom. What if three stand-up comics lived together in a house? Such was the premise of House of Comics. But the success of wholesome, all-ages fare like Family Ties led Franklin to retool the show to feature adorable kids and a sprawling clan.
2. There was a different Danny Tanner in the pilot!
Hey… that's not Bob Saget. Indeed, John Posey portrayed Danny Tanner in the pilot episode, seen here. It Posey's first foray into television. Saget, in the meantime, was doing comedy bits on CBS's short-lived A.M. experiment The Morning Program. After that flop got axed, Saget was freed and Full House got its man.
Image: The Everett Collection
3. Jesse's last name was Cochran the entire first season…
The title and Danny were not the only unfamiliar elements to the show in its development phase. The hip young uncle was named Adam Cochran. John Stamos requested the name Jesse, but the "Cochran" surname remained for the entire first season — until Stamos had them change it to Katsopolis to reflect his Greek heritage.
4. …and his name was originally Adam. Jesse was a nod to Elvis.
Uncle Jesse was obsessed with Elvis Presley, which mirrored Stamos' very real fandom. He suggested "Jesse" in tribute to Jesse Garon Presley, Elvis' twin brother who died in childbirth.
Image: The Everett Collection
5. Jesse Frederick was behind a bunch of TGIF theme songs.
Speaking of guys named Jesse, Frederick is the fellow singing that catching theme, "Everywhere You Look." He wrote it, too. He had a hand (and voice) in several sitcom earworms. He also sang "As Days Go By" for Family Matters. He wrote the Perfect Strangers theme. That him doing the duet in "Second Time Around," his Step By Step theme. Nearly two decades earlier, he had a solo career, released a self-titled album produced by Todd Rundgren in 1971.
Image: Bearsville Records
6. The Olsens Twins were billed as one child.
For several seasons, the show billed "Mary Kate Ashley Olsen" as Michelle, trying to shroud the fact that twins played the kid. But twins were just much easier to work with, because you can swap them out. The Olsens got the gig because they didn't cry in the audition — at six months old!
Image: The Everett Collection
7. Mary-Kate is left-handed; Ashley is right-handed.
There are some "tells" to figure out which Olsen you are watching. One of the clues is their hands. Mary-Kate is a lefty, unlike her sister. Pay attention when they're doodling. Oh… and the artwork on the fridge was reportedly made by the Olsens.
Image: The Everett Collection
8. Dave Coulier brought his catchphrase from another show.
Catchphrases abound on Full House. Every character has one. For Joey, it is "Cut. It. Out." The saying predates the sitcom. Colier's friend and old comedy partner used it in a routine. Coulier got his blessing to borrow it — which he first used repeatedly on a Nickelodeon sketch show called Out of Control, seen here. Hey, he's even making scissor fingers! Cut. It. Out.
Image: The Everett Collection
9. Dave Coulier dated Alanis Morissette.
Speaking of Nickelodeon, Colier once dated Canadian actress-turned-singer Alanis Morissette. Remember, before she became a '90s icon, she was an '80s child star on You Can't Do That On Television. Morissette and Colier dated. Colier has claimed that he is the "you" in "You Oughta Know," specifically the line "I hate to bug you in the middle of dinner." As for Alanis' take — she declines to spill the beans and secrets of her songs. She prefers to keep the mystery and it has never been confirmed by the songwriter.
Image: Reprise Records
10. D.J.'s boyfriend was the voice of Disney's Aladdin.
While we're on dating, let's talk Steve Hale, boyfriend of D.J. (well, aside from that time she went steady with a teenage millionaire Nelson Burkhard). Weinger played the role — and reprised it in Fuller House. He also voiced Aladdin alongside Robin Williams' Genie!
11. Air Bud stepped in to play Comet for an episode.
The Golden Retriever named Comet is one of the top dogs in '90s sitcomdom. In one episode, the regular canine "actor" stepped aside to let Buddy the Wonder Dog take cover. Yep, that's Air Bud in "Air Jesse." That pooch could truly hoop. No CGI needed. The internet claims Buddy played Comet for the entire series, but that does not appear to be the case. Sorry, Nineties nostalgia synergy.
Image: The Everett Collection
12. Just one episode was filmed on location in San Francisco.
Sure the show takes place in San Francisco and features the famous "Painted Ladies" in the opening credits, but of course, the show was taped in Los Angeles. Well, one episode at least filmed in San Francisco — and it centered around Comet. You can see all the sites in "Comet's Excellent Adventure."
13. There was a Russian knock-off.
The Moscow-based STS (CTC in Cyrillic) network licensed Full House from Warner Bros. to make its own adaptation: Дом кувырком. That essentially translates into Topsy-Turvy House. Our version is a lot better, obviously. Especially the theme song.
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70 Comments
In regards to Saget's death, being an old retired investigator for the state, I would most likely look at the following.
Did he shower upon returning to his hotel room. Checking the hamper for wet towels & wash rag, would be first.
Secondly, the marble floor, from experience can be quite slick, especially if your feet are damp, towel or rug not used.
Falling and striking his head on the outside side of the tub.
Then again he may have fallen inside the tub, striking in the same manner. A little soap or shampoo on the tub floor.
If it happened prior to his set, was he experiencing some difficulties during his show. Reasonably determining his actions before and after can be the clues to possibly what happened.
And if not the tub, possibly tripped inside the room, striking his head. Again in the bathroom area. I would look for blood and hair fibers. Even the smallest amount would appear with luminol spray.
I would have immediately sealed off the room in the beginning.
But we all, are our best, when we drive from the back seat.
Google "Betty White" today (the 17th). Wait a few seconds for a nice surprise.
Celebrating Betty White: America’s Golden Girl, commemorating White’s life and legacy, will air on Monday, January 31, at 10/9c on NBC.
They must be off this year.
https://www.metv.com/stories/john-boys-graduation-day-is-even-sweeter-when-you-know-the-real-story-behind-his-secondhand-suit
MeTV should have had an article for the day. But precisely because of Full House arriving at MeTV, I realize gphow white it is.
The reason I started watching A Different World was because of Cree Summer. Her father said to me in 1980 "we're all family". Though once there, there was lots of reason to watch.
When we arrived in New York City on June 7, 1982, after being welcomed at the UN we went across the street and among the speakers was Coretta Scott King. It was onky 14 years after her husband had been killed, it's so much longer now.
That was nice of you to keep the fans of Hawaii Five O comprised though.
It appears it's still on MeTV+'s schedule the following week.
If that's the original series, fans are going to be really excited!
A check shows she was born in 1974, so she was 13 when the show began. And 21 when it ended. Given he was 15 years older, not much time while the show was on. Given the wikipedia entry, it sets up "Joey" in a very negative way.
It may be a fact related to the actors on the show, but not a fact about the show.