John Stamos Movies

Sean Combs, Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald, Sanaa Lathan, and John Stamos all return to reprise the roles they originally played on Broadway in this made for television take on Lorraine Hansbury's timeless play about a 1950s-era Chicago family longing for a better life. Walter Lee has died, and now his widow Lena Younger (Rashad) is about to receive a $10,000 check from her late-husband's insurance company. Everyone in the family dreams about the ways their lives will be changed with the arrival of the money, family matriarch Lena - who longs to retire from her job as a domestic servant for a wealthy white family - in particular. Having lived in a one room tenement apartment ever since she and her late husband originally married, Lena is eager to purchase a house of her own and provide her family with a real home. Lena's son Walter Lee, Jr. (Combs), currently employed as a chauffer, and has recently become taken with the idea of purchasing a liquor store as a means of solving his family's financial woes. Like her mother-in-law, Walter's wife Ruth (McDonald) is also a domestic servant for a white family, and dreams of the day she can walk away from her job. While Walter's sister Beneatha (Lathan) strives to become a medical professional, tuition is expensive and she is currently being pursued by two men - wealthy but superficial George Murchison (Sean Patrick Thomas) and intellectual classmate Joseph Asagai (David Oyelowo). Much to everyone's surprise, Lena uses the lion's share of the money to purchase a home in the all-white residential neighborhood of Cllaybourne, splitting the remainder between Walter (for his entrepreneurial endeavor) and Beneatha (for tuition). Around the same time Walter loses his share of the inheritance to a smooth talking con man who claimed he could help finance the liquor store, the Claybourne "home improvement" association makes the discovery that the Youngers are black and sends emissary Mr. Lindner (John Stamos) to try prevent their neighborhood from becoming integrated by buying the house back. Now faced with the prospect of losing it all, Walter considers making a deal with Mr. Lindner in order to recover his losses. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

TV star John Stamos makes a game transition to the big screen in Born to Ride. Stamos plays a motorcycle whiz, who in 1939 is assigned to motorize a US cavalry troop. His irreverence and slovenliness makes Stamos a pariah to his superior officer John Stockwell -- and just to complicate matters, both men are rivals for the affections of Teri Polo. All is forgiven during a desperate (and highly unlikely) mission to Spain, wherein Stamos uses his cycle skills to rescue a defecting Nazi scientist. As history, Born to Ride is a bust; as a vehicle for John Stamos, it has its points. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A mother is determined to keep her daughter from the seedy world of prostitution in this made-for-television movie. Jane Alexander stars as Peggy Ryan, a busy single mom who doesn't have much time for her daughter Charly (Roxanna Zal). Lacking guidance, Charly drifts from the wrong crowd into prostitution. Realizing what Charly has gotten herself into, Peggy refuses to accept this as her daughter's fate and sets out to get her back home. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide

Animal Planet aesthetics get infused with blush-inducing blue-humor sensibilities as director Bob Saget teams with an all-star cast of comics including Lewis Black, Tracy Morgan, Jason Alexander, Dane Cook, and Whoopi Goldberg to prove that sometimes penguins aren't as sweet as they appear to be on the silver screen. Film star Samuel L. Jackson narrates as actual footage of penguins going about their business in nature is backed by the kind of twisted voice-over work that could only come from the biggest names in comedy. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Having learned that they are unable to conceive a child, Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) seek out the services of a sperm bank. This is dispiriting enough, but the situation becomes downright disgusting for Chandler when he meets potential donor Zack (played by guest star John Stamos). Meanwhile, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) prepares to go out with her ex-boyfriend Mike, when who should show up but another of her ex-boyfriends, the geeky-but-lovable scientist David (Hank Azaria). And elsewhere, an upcoming speech at a paleontology convention serves as the catalyst for a confrontation between Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Charlie (Aisha Tyler). ~ All Movie Guide

Season one of Full House swiftly sets up both its premise and characters, as recently widowed San Francisco TV sportscaster Danny Tanner (Bob Saget) struggles to raise his three little daughters on his own. Helping out, sort of, are Danny's new roommates: his swinging, rock-star-wannabe brother-in-law Jesse Cochran (John Stamos) and his aspiring-comedian best friend, Joey Gladstone (Dave Coulier). During this inaugural season, Danny's oldest daughter, Donna Jo (aka D.J., played by Candace Cameron) is ten years old, ready for the fifth grade; middle daughter Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) is five years old and just entering kindergarten; and baby daughter Michelle (played by twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) is just two. Highlights of season one include the episodes in which Grandma Claire (Alice Hirson) wonders if Danny can juggle single parenthood and his burgeoning career; Baby Michelle makes Danny feel guilty by calling Uncle Jesse "Da da"; the family celebrates their first Thanksgiving without Danny's late wife; Jesse accidentally "drowns" Danny's beloved convertible; the whole family comes down with chicken pox; D.J. skips school to see her favorite singer, Stacy Q. (playing herself); Joey's big break is "jinxed" by Phyllis Diller (also herself); and in the two-part season finale, Jesse petulantly moves out because he needs his "space." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season three of Full House finds Lori Loughlin matriculating from "recurring" to "regular" status in the role of Becky Donaldson, co-host of Danny Tanner's (Bob Saget) San Francisco TV show and sweetheart of Danny's brother-in-law, Jesse Cochran (John Stamos). No, Becky and Jesse did not get married at the end of season two, but that doesn't mean they aren't still considering it. Elsewhere, the widowed Danny continues functioning as both father and mother to his three growing daughters -- 12 year old D.J. (Candace Cameron), seven-year-old Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin), and three-year-old Michelle (played by twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) -- with the assistance of both Jesse and Danny's aspiring-comedian buddy Joey Gladstone (Dave Coulier). Also, future Everybody Loves Raymond star Doris Roberts takes over from season one's Alice Hirson in the role of Danny's mother, Claire. Kicking off with a riotous Hawaiian vacation, the series' third season includes such highlights as D.J.'s first kiss (at her 13th birthday party); Joey's "big break" on Star Search, hosted by Ed McMahon (playing -- who else? -- Ed McMahon); the girls getting a new puppy named Comet; Jesse's foolhardy acceptance of a life-risking dare from his old buddy Pete (Scott Baio); Stephanie's traumatic reaction to a typical Frisco earthquake; Stephanie and D.J. suffering the consequences when they teach little Michelle how to throw insults; a visit from Becky's former professor (and boyfriend), played by Barry Van Dyke of Diagnosis Murder fame; Stephanie's "wild ride" as she accidentally backs her dad's car into the family kitchen; Joey and Danny's female disguise during their tenth college-frat reunion; and in the final episode of the season, a gala TV telethon in which everyone in the cast shows off his or her hitherto untapped talents. After three years on the air, Full House finally broke through the Top 30 highest-rated programs, coming in at number 22 for the 1989-1990 season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The recurring role of 14-year-old Kimmy Gibbler graduates to co-star status as actress Andrea Barber is finally billed among the regulars at the beginning of each episode as Full House enters its fifth season. In other major developments, widowed dad Danny Tanner (Bob Saget) falls in love with Vicky Larson (Gail Edwards), who is filling in as substitute host on Danny's TV show "Wake Up San Francisco" while Becky Donaldson (Lori Loughlin), the wife of Danny's brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis (John Stamos), is on maternity leave. As for Becky, she gives birth to twins during a two-part episode, going into labor during the birthday party of Danny's youngest daughter, Michelle (played by twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen). The babies are named Alex and Nicky, but the infants playing the roles are not yet afforded screen credit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season six of Full House had ended with widowed dad Danny Tanner (Bob Saget) proposing marriage to his longtime girlfriend, Vicky Larson (Gail Edwards). But during the summer hiatus, the series' producers had second thoughts about tinkering with the series' "single parent" premise, thus by the middle of season seven, Danny and Vicky have come to an amicable parting of the ways. Meanwhile, Danny's three daughters -- D.J. (Candace Cameron), Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin), and Michelle (played by twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) all grow a little older and a lot more independent-minded. As for Alex and Nicky (Blake and Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit), twin children of Danny's brother-in-law, Jesse Katsopolis (John Stamos) and his wife, Becky (Lori Loughlin), they are now undergoing "the terrible twos" -- with chaotic results. So what else happens during the series' sixth year on the air? Well, D.J. breaks up with her college film student boyfriend, Steve (Scott Weinger); Jesse inherits "The Smash Club," which he hopes to transform into Frisco's trendiest nightspot; Jesse's grandfather (Jack Kruschen) pays a visit -- and promptly drops dead; Danny's daughters learn a valuable lesson when a much-vaunted toy action figure proves to be less than was advertised; and in the guest-star department, Vanna White plays a dual role in the episode "The Test," while in another installment, singer Little Richard is revealed to be the uncle of series semi-regular Denise Frazer (Jurnee Smollett). As the season ends, there is the distinct possibility that the main characters will be moving out of their familiar San Francisco townhouse. Full House closed out its sixth season as the 16th most popular series on American network TV. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This Yuletide-season TV movie reverses the standard "three girls on the make" formula of many an old 20th Century Fox movie, of which How to Marry a Millionaire is a choice example. This time out, a trio of enterprising young men decide to go on the prowl for rich wives, after first consulting a nonplussed department-store Santa with their intentions. The plan, as hatched by the impoverished heroes, Tom (John Stamos), Jason (Shermar Moore), and Mark (Joshua Malina), is as follows: They will pose as hot-shot Hollywood movie producers, the better to entice attractive and wealthy young women to invest in their newest "production" -- and hopefully, to entrap said women into matrimony. As so often happens in stories of this nature, however, love ultimately triumphs over money. A bit too top-heavy with racy double entendres and potentially unsavory situations, the film is redeemed somewhat by the presence of Dabney Coleman and Rhea Perlman, cast as an older couple named -- believe it or not -- John and Jackie Kennedy. How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale made its first Fox Network appearance on December 20, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The romantic comedy Knots follows what happens to a group of friends when their romantic entanglements begin to transform the nature of their relationships. Scott Cohen plays Dave, a man who is shocked when he comes home one night to find his wife Greta (Annabeth Gish) in bed with their mutual friend Lily (Paulina Porizkova). This stunning turn of events upsets the balance of their social circle, which includes resident good guy Jake (Michael Leydon Campbell, who also has the hots for Lily), lothario Cal (John Stamos), and Cal's clueless girlfriend (Tara Reid), and triggers a hilarious chain reaction of further infidelities and lies among the group. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide