As the Tanner family continues to hold a special place in the hearts of fans three decades after Full House first aired, new revelations about the beloved sitcom's behind-the-scenes world are shedding light on the show's creation and the lives of its stars. Marking the 10th anniversary of the Netflix spinoff Fuller House, which premiered in 2015 and ran for five seasons until 2020, a recent feature in Us Weekly uncovers 25 intriguing facts that blend on-screen magic with off-screen realities. From casting mishaps and name changes to real-life romances and family ties, these details highlight how art often imitated life for the cast of the ABC series that ran from 1987 to 1995.
The original Full House, created by Jeff Franklin, followed widower Danny Tanner, played by Bob Saget, as he raised his three daughters with the help of his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis (John Stamos) and best friend Joey Gladstone (Dave Coulier). Set in San Francisco, the show became a cultural touchstone for its wholesome humor and family values, airing 192 episodes over eight seasons. According to Us Weekly, Saget's path to the role was anything but straightforward. He was the producers' top choice for Danny, a morning talk show host on the fictional Wake Up, San Francisco, but a contract with CBS's The Morning Program kept him tied up. John Posey stepped in to film the pilot episode in Saget's place, only for Saget to be fired from his CBS gig for being "too edgy" for morning television. He quickly replaced Posey, creating an ironic parallel since Danny's character embodied the clean-cut host Saget couldn't maintain in real life.
Saget's personal life mirrored his character's even further. Just as Danny had three daughters—eldest D.J. (Candace Cameron Bure), middle child Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin), and youngest Michelle (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen)—Saget was a father to three girls in reality. This real-family dynamic added authenticity to the show's portrayal of single parenthood, a theme that resonated with audiences in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The Tanner family home, listed in the show as 1882 Gerrard Street, was actually filmed on location for its exterior at 1709 Broderick Street in San Francisco's upscale Pacific Heights neighborhood. That address has since become a pilgrimage site for fans, drawing tourists eager to snap photos of the iconic Victorian house.
Casting stories reveal more surprises. Jodie Sweetin and John Stamos were the only actors who skipped auditions entirely. Sweetin landed Stephanie after impressing in a guest spot on the sitcom Valerie, while Stamos was cast directly as Uncle Jesse. In contrast, the Olsen twins' early days were tumultuous. Credited jointly as "Mary-Kate Ashley Olsen" until the eighth season to preserve the illusion of a single actress playing Michelle, the twins faced job insecurity when they were just babies. Stamos recounted in the Us Weekly feature that he once advocated for their firing because their crying disrupted filming. "I couldn’t deal with it," he said. Replacement infants proved disastrous, leading Stamos to plead for the Olsens' return within days. By age six, the twins were distinguishable—Mary-Kate left-handed and Ashley right-handed—which fans might notice in scenes where Michelle writes or eats ambidextrously. Producers even considered letting Ashley go, but Stamos fought to keep both, ensuring the dual role that launched their careers.
Uncle Jesse's character evolved significantly behind the scenes. Originally named Adam Cochran, Stamos requested a first-name change before production began. After the first season, the last name shifted to Katsopolis to reflect Stamos's Greek heritage, with the show explaining it as Jesse adopting a stage name. The character also shared a poignant connection to music legend Elvis Presley; Jesse's name honored the singer's stillborn twin, Jesse Garon Presley. Stamos's love for Elvis was woven into the role, adding depth to the cool uncle figure.
Off-screen romances added layers of intrigue. Dave Coulier, who played the goofy Joey, served as an unlikely matchmaker. He introduced Candace Cameron Bure to her future husband, Valeri Bure, at a hockey game in 1994—a nod to the on-screen friendship between Joey and D.J. Bure's real-life prom date was Scott Weinger, who portrayed her boyfriend Steve Hale. This mirrored a Full House episode where D.J. and Steve attend prom together. Weinger's voice work as Aladdin in Disney's 1992 animated film was cleverly referenced in a season 7 episode set at Walt Disney World, where D.J. daydreams of Steve as the prince. Lori Loughlin's Aunt Becky was initially scripted for just six episodes as Jesse's love interest in season 2, but her undeniable chemistry with Stamos extended her run through the series finale.
Coulier's personal life intersected with the show in unexpected ways. He married Jayne Modean, who appeared as an adult Michelle in a dream sequence envisioning the girls grown up, in 1990. The couple welcomed a son, Luc, before divorcing two years later. Earlier, in 1979, Coulier crashed on Saget's couch while traveling through Los Angeles, echoing Joey's move into the Tanner home. Coulier's signature catchphrase, "Cut! It! Out!", originated on his 1984 Nickelodeon series Out of Control, predating Full House by years.
The cast's camaraderie wasn't always smooth. Coulier once revealed that he, Saget, and Stamos frequently got "in trouble a lot" with the younger actors' mothers due to their adult antics backstage, unaware of the baby monitors the kids' parents used to keep watch. Elizabeth Olsen, the younger sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley and future star of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, made a cameo as "Girl with Flowers" in a 1995 episode. Only three actors appeared in all 192 episodes: Stamos, Sweetin, and Coulier—Saget missed the pilot due to the casting switch.
Production details offer further glimpses into the show's world. The eighth-season episode "Comet’s Excellent Adventure," featuring the family dog, is the only one taped on location in San Francisco, rather than the usual Los Angeles studio. D.J.'s full name is Donna Jo Tanner, a detail that underscores the show's attention to character backstories. Notably, Joey and Aunt Becky are the only main characters without on-screen birthdays celebrated during the run. Saget bookended the series poetically, delivering both the very first and very last lines.
The legacy of Full House extended to its spinoff, Fuller House, which brought back Bure and Sweetin as leads, with Stamos, Saget, Coulier, and Loughlin in recurring roles. Premiering exactly 20 years after the original's 1995 finale, the Netflix series captured the nostalgia while updating the Tanner-Katsopolis clan for a new generation. Fans have praised the continuity, from the preserved family home set to the cameos that bridged the eras.
These facts, drawn from Us Weekly's latest issue, illustrate how Full House was as much a product of its cast's real lives as its scripted warmth. As streaming platforms keep the series accessible—Full House is available on Hulu and Fuller House on Netflix—these stories remind viewers of the human elements that made the show enduring. With no new Tanner tales on the horizon following Saget's passing in 2022, such retrospectives offer a comforting revisit to a time when family sitcoms ruled prime time.
Looking ahead, the cast remains connected through social media and occasional reunions, with Stamos's 2023 memoir providing even more insights into the group's dynamics. While Fuller House concluded its run, the enduring appeal of the original suggests fans will continue uncovering—and cherishing—these hidden gems from the Tanner household.