‘Full House’: John Stamos Tried to Get the Olsen Twins Fired
Full House is one of the most beloved shows of the late eighties and early nineties and was responsible for launching the careers of several major stars, including John Stamos, Bob Saget, and, of course, the Olsen twins. The series was a mainstay for many years, before ultimately going off the air in 1995.
Still, fans never forgot the show, and in 2016, a revival, titled Fuller House, hit Netflix, igniting a new craze for the original series. The Olsen twins, although they were a big part of the original show, chose to not take part in the series revival — and if John Stamos, who played “Uncle Jesse” in Full House, had his way, they might not have been in that show either.
When did ‘Full House’ debut on television?
In 1985, Full House began running on television. The show starred up-and-coming comedian and actor Bob Saget as Danny Tanner, a widowed father who works hard to raise his three young daughters in the San Francisco area. His carefree brother-in-law, called Uncle Jesse by Tanner’s daughters, frequently tries to help him out, although his bumbling ways often end up getting him in trouble. Still, throughout all the trials and tribulations that Danny Tanner experiences, the family always finds comfort in each other at the end of the day.
Right away, Full House became a hit, and viewers everywhere found someone to identify with in the heartwarming series. It ultimately ran until 1995, by which time most of the actors and actresses in the show had become major television stars.
John Stamos got the Olsen twins fired from ‘Full House’
The Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley, alternated playing the role of Michelle Tanner in Full House. At the beginning of the show, the girls were simply adorable children, with few lines and little on-screen time. However, as the years went on, the twins’ sassy personalities started coming out and by the early nineties, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were certified child stars.
Still, reports claim that in the early years of the show, the Olsen twins were “whiny” and difficult to film with, causing John Stamos to demand that the toddlers be fired. Unfortunately, their replacements didn’t look the part, and Stamos conceded that the Olsen twins should be called back in. According to People, Stamos later admitted that the reports were “100% accurate.” The rest is history and the Olsen twins continued to appear on the show until it went off the air.
The Olsen twins didn’t return for the ‘Fuller House’ series revival
When the Fuller House revival was first announced, many fans wondered if the Olsen twins, who had retired from acting many years prior, would be participating. For years, the Olsens had focused their efforts primarily on fashion and business, and seemed to have no interest in returning to the small screen at all. Ultimately, the Olsen twins decided not to appear on the show, although most of the original cast members did reprise their roles in some form.
Later, reports circulated that the Olsen twins had not been asked to appear on the show, which John Stamos quickly denied, claiming that he even had a personal phone call with Mary-Kate Olsen to discuss the opportunity with her. While Stamos did state that Olsen had no interest in reprising her role as Michelle Tanner, he said that he had “respect” for her decision, according to E!. Ultimately, it seems as though there is no real love lost between the Olsen twins and John Stamos, their on-screen uncle.
