Beloved comedic actor, stand-up comedian, and all-around good guy Bob Saget passed away on January 9. His unresponsive body was found in a hotel room in Orlando, Florida, and police declared him dead at the scene.
“Detectives have found no signs of foul play or drug use in this case,” the Orlando Sheriff’s Office said. A medical examiner will determine his cause of death at a later time.
Saget was involved in many aspects of the laugh business since he was 17. He is perhaps best known for his role as Danny on the hit sitcom Full House, which ran from 1987 to 1995. He reprised his role in 10 episodes of the show’s reboot, Fuller House, beginning in 2016. He was also the original host of the ever-popular TV show America’s Funniest Home Videos, beginning in 1989.
Saget appeared in box office hit movies Critical Condition (1997) and New York Minute (2004). He was working on two film projects at the time of his death, plus scheduled for upcoming work in a documentary about fellow comedian Martin Mull.
His reputation stems primarily from his portrayal of wholesome characters and show hosts during prime time viewing hours. On Full House, he played Danny Tanner, a widower raising three young daughters in San Francisco with the help of his brother-in-law and best friend after his wife died in a car crash with a drunk driver.
But Saget wasn’t a one-sided comedian. He had the rare ability to kill it onstage as a stand-up comic with a darker side as well. Some say he told the one of the dirtiest versions of one of the world’s dirtiest jokes, as seen in The Aristocrats, a 2005 documentary. Saget’s memoir, Dirty Daddy: The Chronicles of a Family Man Turned Filthy, was listed as a New York Times bestseller in 2014.
Saget had a full schedule of stand-up shows booked for 2022, including three stops in Florida during January for his “I Don’t Do Negative” tour. On Twitter, Saget described the show as “an all new show of standup and music.”
Saget leaves behind his wife, food and travel writer Kelly Rizzo, and three daughters that he shares with his first wife, Sherri Kramer. His daughters are Aubrey (34), Lara (32), and Jennifer (29). Family members issued a public statement on Sunday, January 9th, the day of his passing. It read, in part: “We are devastated to confirm that our beloved Bob passed away today. He was everything to us and we want you to know how much he loved his fans, performing live and bringing people from all walks of life together with laughter.”
Actors and Hollywood veterans took to social media to express their sadness at Saget’s sudden and untimely passing.
John Stamos, who played Saget’s brother-in-law Uncle Jesse on Full House, tweeted “I am broken. I am gutted. I am in complete and utter shock. I will never ever have another friend like him. I love you so much Bobby.”
Actress Candace Cameron Bure played Saget’s oldest daughter D.J. on Full House and tweeted “Bob was one of the best human beings I’ve ever known in my life. I loved him so much.”
Renowned actor and fellow comedian Jim Carrey also posted a tribute to Saget on Twitter.
“He had a big, big heart and a wonderfully warped comic mind,” Carrey tweeted. “He gave the world a lot of joy and lived his life for goodness’ sake.”