Top 10 Stars You Forgot Were on Full House
Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Stars You Forgot Were on Full House. For this list, we’ll be looking at the most notable, but often overlooked, guest appearances on everyone’s favorite 90s sitcom, “Full House.” What guest appearance on a sitcom do you think is most memborable? Let us know in the comments!
#10: Vanna White
“The Test”
Though she did appear in a handful of smaller productions in the early 1980s, Vanna White is undoubtedly best known for her forty-year (and counting!) stint as the letter-turner and co-host on “Wheel of Fortune.” Her name and face have become synonymous with the game show, and she once guest-starred on “Full House,” playing herself. In the season 7 episode, DJ is concerned with the upcoming SATs, and has a dream where Vanna White shows up in her classroom to reveal the results of her exam “Wheel of Fortune”- style. The gag is all complete with sound effects, theme music, and, of course, White’s gorgeous gown.
#9: Jurnee Smollett
Various
Sometimes, it’s the less-recognizable names that have the most credits in their resumés. Perhaps best known for her roles on “Friday Night Lights” and “True Blood”, Jurnee Smollett has been in the acting business since she was a child. Her guest appearances on “Full House” were frequent, as she played one of Michelle’s friends, Denise Frazer, in 12 episodes. She was often seen when Michelle had get-togethers alongside Teddy (played by Tahj Mowry, who only exceeded Smollett’s episode count by two). She has been working consistently since then, so it’s perhaps safe to say it pays to be friends with Michelle Tanner.
#8: Mickey Rooney
Mickey Mouse vs Bugs Bunny
“Arrest Ye Merry Gentlemen”
Mickey Rooney lived his entire life in show business. His first stage appearance was at only 17 months old, while his final role saw him reprising the character of Gus in the third “Night at the Museum” movie. He was 93 years old at the time, and it was only six weeks prior to his passing. It should come as no surprise, given his massive resumé, that Mr. Rooney once stopped by “Full House”. In a season 8 episode, Rooney played a grumpy, saddened store owner on Christmas Eve, who has his holiday spirit renewed by the Tanner family. He ends up dressing as Santa in the end–you know, since this is “Full House”, and corniness is key. Honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
#7: Jonathan Brandis
“A Little Romance”
In the 1990s, we spent all our money buying teen magazines and all our time swooning over teen heartthrobs. For those of you born a little later, save your judgement–this was before the internet. For those of us who lived through the era, though, we all remember Jonathan Brandis as a staple “Bop” magazine hottie. After appearing in Stephen King’s “It” mini-series, as well as the sequel to “The NeverEnding Story” and the “seaQuest DSV” series, he also made a guest appearance on “Full House”, as DJ’s first boyfriend. Unfortunately, his character, Michael breaks her heart and moves on to a popular girl. How rude! Grade 6 drama is just the worst.
#6: Doris Roberts
“Granny Tanny”
Another star with a lengthy resumé, Doris Roberts is perhaps best known for her role as Marie Barone on the series “Everybody Loves Raymond”. Roberts had been steadily working in the industry since 1951, until her passing in 2016 at the age of 90. Roberts appeared in the season 3 episode, "Granny Tanny," as Claire Tanner, Danny’s mother. Claire begins to feel “useless” now that she has retired and all her children are grown and independent. In an attempt to make her realize her worth, Danny exaggerates how much his home needs her, which, of course, only leads to Claire wanting to move in. Roberts appeared in just one episode, but we gladly would have welcomed more.
#5: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
“Air Jesse”
The “Full House” roster also contains some big names from the world of sports. In a season 8 episode, a celebrity basketball game is being held with legendary player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the referee. When Uncle Jesse realizes he needs help with his skills, Jabbar steps in to give him some pointers. How convenient! Abdul-Jabbar had an amazing athletic career, followed by work on TV and film. He was also an activist writer on topics of race and religion. Another basketball star who visited the Tanners was none other than the golden retriever who played Comet. The pup went on to star in “Air Bud”, so it’s fair to say Abdul-Jabbar had some competition as far as sports guests go.
#4: Jaleel White
“Stephanie Gets Framed”
There was no bigger or more popular nerd than Steve Urkel in the 1990s, and Jaleel White can surely vouch for that. Since “Family Matters” originally aired on the same network as “Full House”, crossovers were inevitable. In a season 4 episode of “Full House”, Stephanie is mortified when she needs glasses. Thankfully, DJ’s friend’s cousin is there to help… and it’s Steve Urkel himself! Urkel gives Steph a pep talk about the whole ordeal which is oddly… sweet. It’s a fitting enough problem to have Urkel help with, given that his oversized spectacles are… well, a spectacle in themselves.
#3: Danielle Fishel
“I’m Not DJ”
Another face in TGIF lineup royalty, Danielle Fishel of “Boy Meets World” also appeared on “Full House”. Our very own Topanga played “Jennifer”, one-third of a trio of same-named popular girls from Stephanie’s class and purveyor of (gasp!) peer pressure. The Jennifers are appalled when they see Stephanie’s ears aren’t pierced, so Steph caves and lets Kimmy Gibbler do it for her. It doesn’t go well. Honestly, many of us knew what it was like to be in Stephanie’s shoes back when this aired–trying to live up to our cool older siblings and the popular kids. Even so, we weren’t about to let just anyone poke holes through our ears!
#2: The Beach Boys
Top 10 Guest Stars You Forgot Were on House
Various
Well… they’re no Jesse and the Rippers, but this little small-time band showed up on the sitcom a number of times. It’s honestly a bit of a random collaboration, but the reasoning stems from John Stamos’ “General Hospital” days. He ran into the Beach Boys backstage and when they found out who he was, they brought him on stage. He played drums for them during odd shows here and there and can actually be spotted in the music video for “Kokomo”. Stamos invited them on “Full House”, where they played themselves, and the Tanners got to jam with them both on stage and off.
#1: Little Richard
Top 10 Stars You Forgot Were on Kids' Cartoons
“Too Little Richard Too Late”
The 1950s music scene earned Little Richard the nickname “The Architect of Rock and Roll”–which is an incredible title, by the way. We once again find ourselves surprised at such a big name appearing on “Full House”. He played himself in a season 7 episode as Denise Frazer’s uncle, and played a small concert to help bring back Michelle’s school art program, as massive rock stars do. Little Richard actually starred on a number of shows and films, and he also lent his voice to a few animated projects. His musical career began in 1947, and did not stop until his passing in 2020. He always had a special, contagious spark of enthusiasm, and catching his episode on “Full House” was super exciting.
