Fans stunned as Full House star reveals original actor cast as Danny Tanner… before Bob
Full House fans were left stunned this week as an iconic show star revealed Bob Saget did not originally play ‘America’s Dad’ Danny Tanner.
Saget, who died in 2022 aged 65, played widowed dad-of-three Tanner on the iconic sitcom from 1987-1995, reprising the role for reboot Fuller House from 2016-2020.
Jodie Sweetin, 44, who played Tanner’s daughter Stephanie, revealed Teen Wolf star John Posey played the dad in the original unaired pilot of Full House – although Saget was always the ‘first choice.’
She told the Taboo’s Comics & Kicks podcast, ‘We shot an entire pilot, actually, with a different dad, with John Posey, who was a lovely human being and very sweet and wonderful.’
At the time Saget was hosting CBS’ The Morning Program – with show creator Jeff Franklin having to ‘fight so hard’ to reshoot the pilot with Saget in the lead role.
‘So when he [Saget] was no longer doing the show that was conflicting with Full House,’ we reshot the entire pilot’, Sweetin said.
Full House fans were left stunned this week as an iconic show star revealed Bob Saget did not originally play ‘America’s Dad’ Danny Tanner – pictured 1987 with Dave Coulier, Candace Cameron Bure, John Stamos, Jodie Sweetin and one of the Olsen twins
He is best known for his role in Full House, where he portrayed widower Tanner who had three daughters including Michelle, played by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (pictured with one of them)
‘He [Franklin] was like, “I just know it. I just know this is who we need as the dad”.
‘And he was right.’
The original series was based around a widowed news reporter Danny Tanner who enlisted the help of his best friends to raise his three daughters after his wife was killed in a car crash.
A reboot entitled Fuller House revolved around the eldest daughter of the Tanner clan, D.J., played by original cast member Candace Cameron-Bure, as she attempted to grapple with widowhood with the help of her friends. Saget is also known for hosting America’s Funniest Home Videos from 1989 to 1997.
The Philadelphia native also is known for his adult-oriented stand-up routine and in 2014 released his book Dirty Daddy.
Saget passed away on January 9, 2022.
The beloved comedian and actor was found dead in his room at the Ritz-Carlton in Williamsburg near Orange County, Florida around 4 p.m. ET.
Jodie Sweetin, 44, who played Tanner’s daughter Stephanie, revealed Teen Wolf star John Posey played the dad in the original unaired pilot of Full House – although Saget was always the ‘first choice’ – pictured 2022
At the time Saget was hosting CBS’ The Morning Program – with show creator Jeff Franklin having to ‘fight so hard’ to reshoot the pilot with Saget in the lead role – Saget picured 2015
The series made stars of the main cast and catapulted Saget to worldwide fame
He had just performed his stand-up show in Ponte Vedra Beach the previous evening and seemingly had not left his room since going to sleep for the night.
An autopsy report released a month after his passing found that Saget had suffered blunt head trauma to the back of his head most likely from an unwitnessed fall that set off a subdural hematoma in his sleep.
In his last-ever post on his Instagram page on January 9, 2022, the day of his death, Saget shared some thoughts about his performance in Florida the night before.
‘Okay, I loved tonight’s show @pontevedra_concerthall in Jacksonville. Really nice audience. Lots of positivity. Happened last night in Orlando at the Hard Rock Live too. Very appreciative and fun audiences. Thanks again to @comediantimwilkins for opening. I had no idea I did a two hour set tonight,’ he wrote, before dishing about his love of his comedy craft.
‘I’m back in comedy like I was when I was 26. I guess I’m finding my new voice and loving every moment of it. A’ight, see you in two weeks Jan. 28 & 29 @pbimprov with my brother @therealmikeyoung- And check BobSaget.com for my dates in 2022 – – Goin’ everywhere until I get the special shot. And then probably keep going cause I’m addicted to this s**t. Peace out.’
Saget, who was a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native, with ties to Norfolk, Virginia and Encino, California, left behind his wife Kelly Rizzo and his three daughters.