Bob Saget

Bob Saget Headshot

Comedian • Actor • Host

Birth Date: May 17, 1956

Death Date: January 9, 2022

Birth Place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Despite being forever known as the buttoned-down, squeaky-clean patriarch of the Tanner clan on the hit family sitcom "Full House" (ABC, 1987-1995), actor-comedian Bob Saget earned a reputation for being one of the filthiest, most foul-mouthed comics in the business. Even before his run on "Full House," Saget was infamous among friends for telling dirty jokes. Which was why it was no surprise to anyone who knew him, that his version of an old vaudevillian joke in the documentary "The Aristocrats" (2005) was the most shocking - and funniest - by any comic in the film - a project which counted among its participants, George Carlin, Chris Rock and Sarah Silverman. But to those unfamiliar with the "real" Saget were downright slack-jawed hearing him describe unmentionable sexual acts committed by a family auditioning for an agent. Because of his small, but unforgettable appearance in the cult movie, Saget earned a new generation of fans - many of whom probably never saw "Full House" anyway. With the help of a primetime gig hosting the popular game show "1 vs. 100" (NBC, 2006-08) and a voiceover role on the popular sitcom "How I Met Your Mother" (CBS 2005-2014), the comedian suddenly found his career reinvigorated at a late stage in life when most comics have already come and gone. While continuing his stand-up career, Saget also took the time to appear in the projects of his old friends, making guest appearances on John Stamos' "Grandfathered" (Fox 2015-16) and reprising his career-making role of Danny Tanner in the reboot "Fuller House" (Netflix- 2016- ).

Saget was born in Philadelphia, PA on May 17, 1956 and raised in of Norfolk, VA, followed by a move to sunny Encino, CA. His father, Ben - affectionately known as Meathead - was a meat executive, and his mother, Dolly, worked at a children's hospital. Growing up, Saget - a rather nerdy and overweight lad - began making Super 8 movies with his friends, including such memorable titles as "Hitler on the Roof" and "Past Gas." By the time he was 17, Saget was interested in doing stand-up and took a train to New York City, where he waited over 10 hours in line to perform at the famed Improv's open mic night. Meanwhile, he graduated from Abington Senior High School, before attending Temple University. It was at this institution that he won a student Oscar for "Through Adam's Eyes" (1978), an 11-minute documentary he made about his nephew's facial reconstructive surgery to ease the effects of Treacher Collins Syndrome. The Academy flew him out to Los Angeles where he stayed to begin his career in earnest.

Saget enrolled in the University of California's film program, but soon quit when famed Comedy Store owner Mitzi Shore (mother of comic, Pauly Shore) offered him stage time. Soon the filmmaker-turned-comedian began touring the states, performing his lewd act in clubs and on campuses. After one gig in Buffalo, NY, Saget met up-and-comer Brad Grey, who became his manager and started booking gigs for the comic that included an appearance on "The Merv Griffin Show" (Syndicated, 1972-1985). Saget began getting bit parts in movies, playing a sportscaster in the obscure horror comedy, "Full Moon High" (1981). He also began serving as the house MC at the Comedy Store, where Rodney Dangerfield took a shine to the young comedian and asked him to be on his "9th Annual Young Comedians Special" (HBO, 1985). From there, Saget's stand-up career took off, landing the first of several appearances on "The Tonight Show" (NBC, 1962- ). In 1987, he landed on "The Morning Program" (CBS, 1987-1988), a short-lived rival of "Good Morning America" and "The Today Show" that allowed Saget to serve as co-anchor and contributor of comic videos. After six months, the producers phased him off the show, but he was ready to move on to bigger and better things anyway. He had no idea just how "big" his next job would become.

Saget was hired right away onto "Full House" following his departure from "The Morning Program." Light-hearted to the point of mushy, "Full House" centered on Danny Tanner (Saget), a single father struggling to raise his three daughters (Candace Cameron, Jodie Sweetin and Mary-Kate/Ashley Olsen) after the death of his wife in a car accident. Rounding out the Tanner family was Uncle Jesse (John Stamos) and Danny's best friend (Dave Coulier), both of whom move into the house to help raise the kids. Right from the start, the show was savaged by critics, but for some reason pulled good numbers, making "Full House" a surprise hit during its eight season run. Mining Saget's popularity, ABC hired him to host their long-running, but mind-numbingly unfunny blooper show, "America's Funniest Home Videos" (1989- ), a series that showed homemade amateur videos depicting people captured in funny - and often embarrassing - moments. As was the case with "Full House," Saget received brutal critical reviews, but found his show was a hit with easy amused audiences.

Once "Full House" ran its course in 1995, Saget continued with "America's Funniest Home Videos" for another season before finally departing. He then disappeared from America's television screens, unable to land himself another regular series role despite being a veteran of a hit show. It seemed the cheesy sitcom carried with it a bit of a career hex, with all major cast members too associated with it to land work major work for years. On a serious note, he directed the ABC movie-of-the-week "For Hope" (1996) - a tribute to his sister Gay, who died from the auto-immune disease scleroderma three years earlier. Returning to his bread and butter - stand-up comedy - Saget surprised many with his coarse and vulgar act. Little old ladies who had enjoyed him as the sweet natured Danny Tanner were shocked to hear the comedian tell jokes about fornicating with his daughter. But he gained an entirely new audience - mainly collegiate males, thanks to his crude brand of humor. Meanwhile, Saget made the occasional guest spot on television, usually as himself. Most memorable was his appearance on "Entourage" (HBO, 2004-2010), in which he portrayed a pot-smoking, prostitute-indulging caricature of himself.

Saget further cemented his credentials as one of the filthiest comics around with his version of an old vaudevillian joke in "The Aristocrats" - a documentary from Penn Jillette and Paul Provenza that depicted over a hundred takes on the joke from a wide array of comics, including George Carlin, Paul Reiser, Sarah Silverman and Whoopi Goldberg. But it was Saget's raunchy telling that gained the most recognition and notoriety, thanks to his unhindered ability to be horrifically funny.

Along with a voiceover role as the older Ted Mosby telling a seemingly endless story to his kids in the popular sitcom "How I Met Your Mother" (CBS 2005-2014), Saget next returned to hosting duties on network television with "1 vs. 100" (NBC 2006-08), a trivia-style game show that pitted a lone contestant against the so-called "mob," a group of 100 people whose numbers dwindle the more wrong answers they give and the longer the contestant answers correctly. The show utilized to great success a format used by like games shows airing in 12 other countries, including Germany, Argentina and Vietnam. Meanwhile, Saget wrote, directed and produced the straight-to-video mockumentary "Farce of the Penguins" (2007), a send-up of "March of the Penguins" (2005) and other wildlife documentaries, proving once again that his bawdy comic gifts were still being utilized while he played it safe with his popular primetime "day job." Following a starring role in the short-lived sitcom "Surviving Suburbia" (ABC 2009), Saget released a standup comedy special, "That's What I'm Talking About" (Comedy Central 2013). While continuing his standup career, Saget dropped in on some old friends, appearing in two episodes of John Stamos' sitcom "Grandfathered" (Fox 2015-16) and reprising his breakthrough role as Danny Tanner on "Fuller House" (Netflix 2016- ), a next-generation reboot of the sitcom focusing on Danny's daughter D.J. (Candace Cameron Bure) raising her three sons after becoming a widow. Bob Saget died on January 9, 2022 in Orlando, FL at the age of 65.

Credits

Daniel's Gotta Die

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Lawrence
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2023

Welcome Home Nikki Glaser?Stream

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AFL Bite

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2022

NRL Bite

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Tobin Tonight - Bob Saget Special

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CBS Mornings

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Friday Night Vibes

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I Can See Your VoiceStream

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Find Your Groove

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AFV: America, This Is You!

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Nashville Squares

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The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

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Access Daily

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Historical Roasts

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Abraham Lincoln
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The DL Hughley Show

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Videos After Dark

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Videos After Dark

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2019

Strahan & Sara

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Benjamin

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Benjamin

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2019

Bumping Mics With Jeff Ross & Dave Attell

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2018

PeopleTV Specials

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2018

The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling

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2018

I Am Sam Kinison

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2017

The Year in Memoriam 2017

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2017

Bob Saget: Zero to Sixty

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Bob Saget: Zero to Sixty

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Complex X Fuse

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Daily Blast Live

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STEVE on Watch

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NightcapStream

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Match GameStream

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To Tell the TruthStream

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ChelseaStream

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Fuller HouseStream

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Fuller HouseStream

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A Stand Up Guy

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The Comedy Club

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NBC's New Year's Eve Game Night With Andy Cohen

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GrandfatheredStream

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Ronnie
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At Midnight With Chris HardwickStream

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The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

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Hot OnesStream

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Pauly Shore Podcast Show

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The Late Late Show

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I Am Chris FarleyStream

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The Meredith Vieira Show

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2014

Unusually Thicke

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The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream

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Tom Green Live

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2013

Super Fun Night

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2013

The Queen Latifah Show

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2013

Deal With It

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2013

Bob Saget: That's What I'm Talkin' About

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2013

Bob Saget: That's What I'm Talkin' About

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Bob Saget: That's What I'm Talkin' About

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2013

Katie

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2012

JFL XXX: The Ultimate Nasty Show

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Larry King NowStream

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Inside Comedy

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2012

Strange Days With Bob Saget

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Strange Days With Bob Saget

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ConanStream

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Law & Order: LA

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Access Hollywood Live

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LouieStream

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Himself
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Lopez Tonight

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2009

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

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2009

Surviving Suburbia

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2009

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

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2009

Comedy Central Roast of Bob SagetStream

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2008

Supreme Court of Comedy

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2008

Free Radio

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2008

Bob Saget: That Ain't Right

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2007

Bob Saget: That Ain't Right

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2007

Chelsea Lately

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2007

Farce of the Penguins

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2007

Farce of the Penguins

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2007

Farce of the Penguins

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Farce of the Penguins

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2007

1 vs. 100

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2006

Rachael Ray ShowStream

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2006

Casper's Scare School

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2006

Chanukah Stories

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2005

How I Met Your MotherStream

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Robot ChickenStream

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2005

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

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2005

Listen Up

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2004
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EntourageStream

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Bob Saget
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2004
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Comedy Central RoastStream

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2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

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2003

Raising Dad

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Matt Stewart
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2001

The Mind of the Married Man

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2001

An Evening at the Improv

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2000

Becoming Dick

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Bob
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2000

Becoming Dick

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2000

Law & Order: Special Victims UnitStream

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Glenn Cheales
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1999
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Norm

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1999
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Dirty WorkStream

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1998
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The View

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1997

Jitters

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1997

For Hope

Director
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1996

For Hope

Executive Producer
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1996

The Naked Truth

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1995
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The Jeff Foxworthy ShowStream

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1995
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EllenStream

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1994

Vacaciones con Papá

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1994

Father and Scout

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1994

Late Night With Conan O'Brien

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1993

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

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1992

America's Funniest Home VideosStream

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1990

America's Funniest Home VideosStream

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1990

Quantum LeapStream

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1989

Full HouseStream

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Critical ConditionStream

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The Greatest American HeroStream

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Bosom Buddies

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It's a LivingStream

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The Comedy ShopStream

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Good Morning America

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News aboutBob Saget

Bob Saget and John Stamos attend The Friars Foundation

John Stamos Posts ‘One of the Last Pictures’ of ‘Full House’ Cast With Bob Saget

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Kelly Rizzo on Why She Enlisted For ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test’ Season 2

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John Stamos on ‘Big Shot’ Season 2 & the ‘Tsunami of Love’ for Bob Saget (VIDEO)

Bob Saget and Kelly Rizzo

Kelly Rizzo Shares Touching Tribute to Husband Bob Saget Six Months After His Death (VIDEO)

Bob Saget and John Stamos attend The Friars Foundation

John Stamos Calls Out Tony Awards For Snubbing Bob Saget

'Dirty Daddy: The Bob Saget Tribute' on Netflix

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Bob Saget

Critics Choice Association to Honor Bob Saget With Impact Award

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Bob Saget’s Death Records to Remain Private After Judge’s Ruling

Bob Saget attends the 'Cool Comedy - Hot Cuisine' benefit

Bob Saget Autopsy Reveals New Details About His Health & Cause Of Death

Bob Saget attends the 'Cool Comedy - Hot Cuisine' benefit

Bob Saget Died After Accidentally Hitting His Head, Family Says

Bob Saget

Celebrating Bob Saget: Remember America’s Dad With TV Guide Magazine’s Special Issue

Bob Saget in Full House

Bob Saget’s Legacy, From ‘Full House’ to His Work Fighting Scleroderma

Bob Saget on Full House

From ‘Full House’ to Our House: A Tribute to Bob Saget, One of TV’s Best-Loved Dads

'America's Funniest Home Videos,' Bob Saget, 1990

‘America’s Funniest Home Videos’ to Air Bob Saget Tribute — Get a Sneak Peek (VIDEO)

Bob Saget and John Mayer attend the 18th Annual International Beverly Hills Film Festival

John Mayer Gets Emotional While Picking Up Bob Saget’s Car From LAX With Jeff Ross (VIDEO)

Bob Saget and Jimmy Kimmel

Jimmy Kimmel Pays Tribute to Bob Saget in Emotional Opening Monologue (VIDEO)

Bob Saget in Entourage, Comedy Central's Roast, and America's Funniest Home Videos

6 Best Bob Saget TV Moments, From Comedy Roasts to His ‘Entourage’ Cameo

Lori Loughlin and Bob Saget

Lori Loughlin Calls Bob Saget ‘My Family’ in Touching Tribute

AVF 30th - Tom Bergeron, Alfonso Ribeiro, Bob Saget
Q&A

Bob Saget Reflects on ‘America’s Funniest Home Videos’ in 2019 TV Guide Magazine Interview

Bob Saget attends the Women's Guild Cedars-Sinai Annual Gala

Bob Saget Dies: Tributes Pour in From ‘Full House,’ ‘HIMYM’ & More Costars and Friends

Bob Saget and John Stamos in Fuller House

John Stamos Speaks Out After Bob Saget’s Death: ‘I Am Gutted’

Bob Saget dies at 65

Bob Saget Dies: ‘Full House’ Star & Comedian Was 65

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Can the New ‘Celebrity Dating Game’ One Up the Original’s (Now) Famous Guest Stars?

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Bob Saget on Returning to His ‘America’s Funniest Home Videos’ Roots With Edgier ‘Videos After Dark’

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‘Fuller House’ Renewed for Fifth & Final Season — See the Cast’s Farewell (VIDEO)

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Bob Saget, Luis Guzmán Among ‘Shameless’ Season 9 Guest Stars

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Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

‘Law & Order: SVU’: Remember When These Familiar Faces Guest Starred on ‘SVU’?

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The New ‘Match Game’: Who Should Be On the Celebrity Panel?

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