From Full House to Our House

Paying tribute to Bob Saget, one of TV's best-loved dads

- By John Hogan, Photography by Rich Fury/Contour by Getty Images; Lorimar/ Warner Bros/ Kobal/ Shutterstock; TV Guide Magazine Archives

THE HEARTBREAKING NEWS broke Sunday afternoon, January 9. Bob Saget, actor, comedian, beloved husband, dad, and friend, plus a television father figure to generations of Americans-had passed away earlier that day in Florida at 65.

The night prior, Saget was onstage, happily playing the second date of his newly launched I Don't Do Negative standup comedy tour. After his act, he tweeted out a typically gracious thank-you that summed up his joy for living and performing: Loved tonight's show... I had no idea I did a 2 hr set tonight. I'm happily addicted again to this...

We know the feeling: We were just as addicted to him. Saget had been brightening viewers' lives for 35 years, and more than anything, he loved to make us smile. There was his starring role on Full House, of course, with its exceedingly popular mix of laughs and life lessons, delivered from 1987 to 1995, and his recurring part on its 2016 20 sequels, Fuller House. His witty commentary as host of the first eight seasons of America's Funniest Home Videos, starting in 1989, got us giggling week after week. He brought touching emotion to his narration of How I Met Your Mother's entire 2005-14 run. And that was also him as Squiggly Monster on Season 4 of The Masked Singer. Those-plus a nearly 50-year stand-up career are a few of the many ways Saget shared his considerable gifts with us. But his signature role was always as himself: a warm, giving, charming and loving person whose passing brought fans and friends together to celebrate him.

America's Dad