FULL HOUSE Widowed father enlists one of his best friends and his brother-in-law to help raise his three daughters. 192 episodes of 25 minute duration. ABC. 1987 - 1995.

The backbone of ABC’s popular TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Friday) comedy line-up of the late 1980's and early 90's, 'Full House' was a great show for the kids and reasonably tolerable for adults.

Set in San Francisco, it was the story of television morning show co-host Danny Tanner (Bob Saget) a widowed dad with three beautiful girls–D.J. (Candace Cameron); Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) and Michelle (played by twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen). Helping Danny raise the girls was his brother-in-law and musician Jessie Katsopolis (former 'General Hospital' hunk John Stamos) and his friend, stand-up comic Joey Gladstone (Dave Coulier). There were the usual family-related trials and tribulations, the expected cute catch phrases, and fairly predicable jokes. But its emphasis on the kids (and the fact the adults sometimes acted like big kids themselves) helped make 'Full House' a top-30 series for ABC.

Starting in the second season, Danny’s co-host Becky Donaldson (Lori Laughlin) became a regular character; she eventually married Jessie and moved into the Tanner home; the couple had twin boys, Nicky and Alex. During the show’s run, both Saget and Coulier had their own separate prime-time video shows on ABC (see 'America’s Funniest Home Videos' for more information). 'Full House' also launched a successful pre-teen career for the Olsen twins, along with the post-teen tabloid stories. Despite his clean-cut television image, Bob Saget has gained a reputation as an edgy stand-up comic; he later went on to narrate the CBS sitcom 'How I Met Your Mother' and host the NBC prime time game show '1 Vs 100.' Coulier has continued to make regular television appearances, while Stamos remains a popular television draw on shows such as 'Jake In Progress' and (more recently) 'ER.'

TRIVIA

The original pilot had actor John Posey playing Danny Tanner; when the pilot was reshot, Saget was hired after he was let go as resident comic on CBS’ short-lived 'Morning Program'....The first season, Jessie’s last name was Cochran; it was changed to Katsopolis in the second season because John Stamos wanted to emphasize his Greek roots....The show ended its run in 1996 because of the increasing cost of production and salaries. (It was still ranked the 25th most-popular series in its final season.) 'Full House' was set to go to the smaller rival WB network for a ninth season, but Stamos was against the idea and the lead actors announced they would not return....The show spawned a number of books aimed at the kid fans, and is still rerun to the delight of new generations (and some of their parents)....In an unusual move, NBC aired 'Full House' reruns on its daytime schedule between June and September 1991 (while ABC continued to air new episodes in prime time).