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Full House Creator Jeff Franklin Recalls Bob Saget's Positive Impact on the Entire Cast

In an exclusive interview with E! News, Full House creator Jeff Franklin said Bob Saget “really wanted everybody to be happy” while filming the family sitcom.

By Mike Vulpo, Alli Rosenbloom Jan 11, 2022 6:52 PMTags
Watch: Celebrities React to Bob Saget's Death

Everywhere you look and everywhere you go, there's someone honoring Bob Saget's many gifts. 

As tributes continue to pour in for the comedian, who died on Jan. 9, Full House creator Jeff Franklin is sharing some of his fondest memories of the actor known to many as Danny Tanner.

"I think Bob really wanted everybody to be happy," he exclusively shared with E! News. "If someone was having a bad day or someone was having a problem, he picked up on it and he would try to be there. He was truly a hugger. That was a fortunate accident. That part of the character and Bob were so aligned. But he was the guy who really wanted everybody to be madly in love with each other. And we were."

Franklin said he has never been on another show or heard of another show in which the cast was so connected and bonded. And despite Fuller House ending in June 2020, the family connection continued.

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Bob Saget's Best Roles

"Far more than staying in touch, we stayed in each other's lives constantly," Franklin shared. "If somebody was having a problem, one of the girls, or going through a divorce, or a happy occasion, we were always there for each other. It really was a second family and very unusual…This has been a huge blow to everyone. It's been really, really difficult."

Jeff Franklin

Franklin heard about Saget's passing from John Stamos, who called him before news broke. With so many tributes from famous friends and strangers alike coming in, Franklin hopes his close friend knows how respected he was.

"I wish Bob could come back to Earth for five minutes," he said. "It would make him so happy to see how loved he is all around the world." 

On Jan. 10, cast members of Full House including Lori Loughlin, Candace Cameron Bure, Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen released a statement honoring their longtime friend and co-star.

Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archives

"Thirty-five years ago, we came together as a TV family, but we became a real family. And now we grieve as a family," the cast shared. "Bob made us laugh until we cried. Now our tears flow in sadness, but also with gratitude for all the beautiful memories of our sweet, kind, hilarious, cherished Bob. He was a brother to us guys, a father to us girls and a friend to all of us. Bob, we love you dearly." 

Though Saget's standup was notoriously raunchy—pretty much the polar opposite of his Full House alter ego—according to Franklin, the actor was always positive and never used his comedy to put others down.

"He was just a really positive person who worked really hard, but really enjoyed life and wanted the best for everyone he loved," he said. "I think people should know that he embodied the spirit of Full House and Danny Tanner, for sure, and of course throw in a really wicked sense of humor that wasn't part of the show. But he's a wonderful person. Of course now, he's a saint."

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