Full House
| Full House | |
|---|---|
| The "Full House" cast circa 7th season. The "Full House" cast at the end of its series run in 1995. | |
| Created by | Jeff Franklin |
| Starring | Bob Saget as Danny Tanner John Stamos as Jesse Katsopolis Dave Coulier as Joey Gladstone Candace Cameron as D.J. Tanner Jodie Sweetin as Stephanie Tanner Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen as Michelle Tanner Lori Loughlin as Rebecca Donaldson (seasons 2-8) Andrea Barber as Kimmy Gibbler Scott Weinger as Steve Hale (seasons 7-8) Blake & Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit as Nicky & Alex Katsopolis (seasons 5-8) |
| Country of origin | USA |
| No. of episodes | 192 |
| Production | |
| Running time | approx. 0:24 (per episode) |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | September 22, 1987 – May 23, 1995 |
Full House was a television sitcom that ran on the ABC network from 1987 until 1995. It was produced by Jeff Franklin Productions, in association with Miller-Boyett Productions and Lorimar Television (which was subsequently bought by Warner Bros.) and distributed by Warner Bros. Television.
The theme song, "Everywhere You Look," was performed by Jesse Frederick and co-written by him and Bennett Salvay.
Synopsis
The premise of the show, as established in the first episode, involves a recently widowed San Francisco sportscaster (later television talk show host) Danny Tanner who is left to raise his three young daughters (Donna Jo "D.J.", Stephanie Judith and baby Michelle Elizabeth) following the death of his wife, Pam, in a car accident involving a drunk driver. The family lives at 1882 Gerard Street, and their phone number is 555-2424. He recruits his best friend from college, Joey Gladstone, and his late wife's younger brother, Jesse, to help him take care of his girls. Many of the show's exploits surrounded the idea of three "swinging" bachelors trying to rein in the precocious antics of three little girls, who frequently got the best of them. Joey makes a living primarily as a stand-up comedian, Jesse as a struggling musician who originally pays the bills working for his father's exterminating company. Eventually, Danny becomes the co-host of the morning talk show "Wake Up, San Francisco" alongside Rebecca Donaldson, who begins dating Jesse. They marry and have twin sons, Nicholas and Alexander (better known as Nicky and Alex). The girls grow up considerably as the series goes on, and often argue and clash as only sisters do. The expanded family all live together in the same "full" house. To quote the theme song, "Whatever happened to predictability?"
Characters
Daniel Ernest Tanner (Danny)
Danny Tanner is left with three young daughters to raise after his wife, Pam died. At the beginning of the series, he works as a sportscaster for Channel 8 News. Beginning in the second season, he is chosen to be one of the co-hosts for the station's new talk show, Wake Up, San Francisco, with Rebecca Donaldson. Much of the humor of Danny's character comes from his obsession with cleaning and cleanliness (he can often be found cleaning for cleaning's sake, sometimes even cleaning his cleaning products. As a matter of fact, "Spring Cleaning" is his Christmas.), his dorkiness and his generally "not-hip dad" personality. Eventually moving on from his wife's death, he enters various romantic relationships through the show's eight seasons. Most notably is his relationship with Vicky Larson, first introduced in the fifth season. Their relationship reaches a climax in season when Danny proposes to her using a firework reading "Vicky, will you marry me" during the family vacation to Disney World. However, Vicky gets offered a job in another city, resulting in their separation.
Jesse Katsopolis
Jesse Katsopolis (introduced as Jesse Cochran during season 1) is Danny's brother-in-law, Pam's younger brother. He first moves into the house with virtually no experience in taking care of young children or babies, but learns quickly (sort of). In the first season, Jesse works for his father Nick's exterminating business before leaving to pursue work in advertising, frequently working with Joey. He later works with Joey as co-hosts of an afternoon radio show called the "Rush Hour Renegades," and also as the new owner of the Smash Club. Jesse's main passion is music, and struggles to "hit it big" with his band The Rippers for much of the show's early seasons. His band finally gets a record deal in the fifth season. But sadly soon after they vote him out of the band and they "hit it big" when they join Barry Williams (better known as Greg Brady on The Brady Bunch). Jesse's biggest obsessions in life are his perfect hair, and his idol worship of Elvis Presley. His catchphrase is "Have Mercy!" He also likes to end a lot of sentences with "HUH?" such as "Its not a trick, HUH?" Jesse begins dating Rebecca Donaldson a few months after she begins working with Danny, and they marry in the show's fourth season. The next season, they welcome twins, Nicky and Alex, and all four continue to live in the house with the rest of the family. In the first season, Jesse's last name was Cochran; this was changed to Katsopolis, supposedly to better reflect John Stamos' real-life Greek heritage. In a later season, it is revealed that his true first name is Hermes, after his great-grandfather, but that he had it changed at a young age. Jesse continually was portrayed as a rebellious, leather-jacket type of character, but was also shown as a caring and loving uncle as well as father.
Joseph Alvin Gladstone (Joey)
Joey Gladstone is Danny's best friend since childhood and former college roommate. His catchphrase is "Cut.. it.. out" accompanied by a series of related mouth and face gestures. He, like Jesse, has very little knowledge of childcare when he first moves into the house. Joey has struggled to make a living as a standup comic for nine years, but loves what he does. He does get a "big break" every once in a while. He works with Jesse in the advertising business, co-writing jingles and campaigns. They initially work for a major company before branching off into their own business. In season five, Joey takes over a children's program as "Ranger Joe." The following year, he teams up with Jesse again to co-host a radio show as the "Rush Hour Renegades." Joey is seen with various girlfriends throughout the series' run, but no permanent romantic attachments.
Rebecca Donaldson-Katsopolis(Becky)
Becky was born in Nebraska and a elegant well-educated woman but found the man of her dreams in the wild Jesse. She was reluctant to admit this at first, but she found herself liking Jesse more and more. They almost eloped in Lake Tahoe at the end of season 2, then finally tied the knot in the middle of season 4. She, along with his living with the Tanners, helped to transform Jesse, although she still teased Jesse about his love of Elvis and his own hair at times. However, though these obsessions annoyed her at times even after their marriage, she was the wife part of a couple that obviously loved each other very much despite their differences. One of those differences was that she wanted him to focus more on his family, and not his music. She supported his musical efforts, but at times he went too far with it, such as when the family went to Tokyo for two weeks after he had a song, "Forever," that reached the top of the charts in Japan. Another time, she was upset that Jesse was doing his radio show with Joey and not spending time on what was supposed to be their honeymoon at Disneyworld. And, of course, there were the normal familial differences, with Becky always wanting to go to Nebraska for some holiday or other occasion, and Jesse wishing to go to Graceland. These were settled with the same love and humor that marked other situations. Rebecca also served as a mother figure for the girls at times, and one imagines that each of them confided in Becky when it came to issues regarding puberty and other topics. Her character is not quite as developed as the original cast’s, but she is still multi-dimensional. She combines the role of mother, producer of Wake Up, San Francisco, the show she hosts with Danny, and loving aunt in a very positive and loving way. Rebecca didn't come into the picture until the first episode of Season 2, "Tanner vs. Gibbler". She was to host a new show with Danny, which was "Wake Up San Francisco". She had Nicky and Alex at the end of Season 5, and her role didn't really become serious until she and Jesse became boyfriend and girlfriend, most likely in the middle of Season 2.
D.J. Tanner
Donna Jo (D.J.) Margaret Tanner, is Danny's eldest daughter. She is 10 years old when the series begins and 18 at the show's end. D.J. is the only Tanner girl seen in all three levels of school—elementary, middle, and high school. She attends Frasier Street Elementary, Van Atta Junior High (named after the show's co-producer, Don Van Atta), and Bayview High School through the show's whole run. She shares a room with middle-child Stephanie at the beginning of the show, but switches rooms with Michelle in season five to have more privacy. One episode involved DJ showing warning signs of anorexia nervosa in which she feeds her sandwich to her dog, Comet, and eventually falls off an exercise machine after having not eaten for three days. Danny discovers this and gives DJ the typical eating disorder lecture and then everything is back to normal in the Tanner household. After experiencing the usual preteen junior high boy-craziness, D.J. has her first serious relationship with Steve, first introduced in season five but becoming a real fixture in her life (and an official cast member) beginning in the sixth season when their characters return from a summer abroad in Spain. Their relationship lasts until midway through season seven, when they realize they do not have much in common anymore. During the show's final season, D.J. has on-off relationships with guitarist Viper (a new addition to Jesse's band) as well as rich-kid Nelson. In the very last episode, Steve and D.J. are reunited for her senior prom.
Stephanie Tanner
Stephanie Judith Tanner is the middle daughter. She is five years old when the series begins and 13 when it ends. She is the typical "precocious" child, far too cute for her own good, particularly in the early seasons. Her catchphrases of "How rude!" and "Well pin a rose on your nose!" were heard frequently in the show's early years. Stephanie loves spying on older sister D.J.'s life (such as reading her diary and eavesdropping on telephone calls) and is generally the nosiest of the Tanner girls. She attends Frasier Street Elementary and DiMaggio Junior High during the series. Stephanie shares a room with D.J., and later Michelle. Her best friend in junior high is Gia Mahan, who was originally her biggest enemy. They get into various pre-teen/teenage exploits together. Of all the Tanner children, Stephanie has dealt with the hardest issues, such as teenage smoking, "make-out" parties, and witnessing child abuse.
Michelle Tanner
Michelle Elizabeth Tanner is Danny's youngest daughter, the "little princess" whom he tends to spoil and pamper more than the other girls. She was just nine months when the show began and 8 when the series wrapped. Jesse and Joey's misadventures in taking care of her when she was a baby provided much of the humor in the show's early seasons. Once Michelle started to grow up, she became the focus of a lot more storylines, as well as the majority of the show's publicity, thanks to the popularity of the Olsen twins. Michelle attends Meadow Crest Preschool and Frasier Street Elementary during the show's run. Her best friends, Teddy and Denise, appeared frequently in later seasons, as well as the perpetually obnoxious Aaron.
Kimmy Gibbler
Kimmy Gibbler is D.J.'s best friend. Kimmy lives nextdoor to the Tanner Family. D.J. and Kimmy met in the 6th month of Kindergarten. They were even in the same class together until 5th grade when D.J. gets put in the advanced class. Kimmy is described as "dumb" and that her feet smell horrible.
Steve Hale
Steve Hale (originally introduced as Steve Peters) is D.J.'s first steady boyfriend. He joins the cast as an official member in season 6, though he made an appearance in a season 5 episode. Steve is two years older than D.J. and a star member of the high school wrestling team. He leaves the cast at the end of season 7 after he and D.J. break up, but makes a cameo appearance in the series finale the following year. Some of the humor around his character revolved around the fact that he ate a lot at the Tanners' house.
Pam Katsopolis-Tanner
Pam Katsopolis-Tanner, the girls' mother, Jesse's sister and Danny's wife, was never seen in the series, except in the form of a home video when she and Danny brought Michelle home from the hospital. She was killed by a drunk driver before the series began. She has been described as always smiling, overexcitable, and unpunctual.
Reunion rumors
Rumors have voraciously circulated the internet since the early 2000's of Warner Bros. Television asking the entire cast of the show to return for another reunion special. While there has been much speculation by fans on the subject, there has been no real "hard evidence" to support the claim. Both Dave Coulier and John Stamos have commented that such a reunion is highly unlikely.
However, the entire cast (except for Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen) joined Bob Saget on his final episode of America's Funniest Home Videos in 1997. Candace Cameron recently said in an interview in 2005 on VH1's "100 Greatest Child Stars" that she would like to participate in reunion, but states that some members of the former cast do not.
There was a parody of a Full House reunion on South Park: In one South Park episode, Cartman (who happens to be a fan of Full House) hears that there will be a reunion special of the cast members, which excites him. Everybody comes back (except John Stamos, who argued that his character would be spoofed on TV).