Love it or hate it, Full House proved a very popular and enduring sitcom with a dedicated audience. It was also the impetus for the meteoric rise of the Olsen twins into pop culture legends.

The tragic early death of Pamela Tanner, wife and mother of three, kicked off the series. Widower Danny Tanner gratefully accepts the help of his best friend Joey and of his brother-in-law Jesse; both men move in to the family’s San Francisco home to take care of the three Tanner girls: D.J., Stephanie and baby Michelle. The group undergoes a few bumps and mishaps on their way to cohabitation bliss but soon the love vibes grow and multiply.

Joey is the resident comedian who often delights the girls with his impressions and Jesse is the cooler-than-cool uncle, not always the most responsible grown up but certainly the most fun. Joey and Jesse offset Danny’s harried and worried nature and provide a stable and loving, if unorthodox, family unit. D.J.’s friend, Kimmy Gibbler, was frequently on hand to annoy Danny and anyone else who happened to be around. The young actresses literally grew up on TV; their characters started out in grade school and kindergarten and progressed to adolescence and dating Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen alternated in the role of Michelle and audiences watched them go from crawling babies to pre-teens. Somewhere in there, the Olsen twins became wildly popular (we’re talking Beatle-like mania here) with fans in their age group and launched an empire of videos, clothes, accessories and games.

The family grew when Jesse married Becky, Danny’s co-worker and moved his new bride into the attic of the Tanner home. This was less creepy than it sounds; Jesse simply loved his family and was a firm believer in ‘the more, the merrier.’ In fact, Jesse and Becky soon welcomed twins Alex and Nicky, who competed with Michelle for the adorable sweepstakes.

Danny and Joey didn’t find lasting love (with their ladies or with each other) before the show was canceled in 1995. The show is widely available in syndication and on DVD; and let’s not forget the ubiquitous Olsen twins who are walking, breathing reminders of Full House and its catchy theme song.

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