John Stamos biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Born on August 19, 1963 in Cypress, CA, Stamos is the son of Loretta (nee Phillips) and Bill, a restaurateur; Bill's father, a Greek immigrant, changed the family's surname from Stamotopoulos to Stamos. The eldest of three, Stamos has two younger sisters named Alana and Janeen.

At his father's insistence, young Stamos worked for the family's fast-food eateries. Contrary to the bad-boy image he would later embody, Stamos spent his teen years flipping burgers for the Orange County-based Duke's and Yellow Basket restaurants, as well as playing drums in John F. Kennedy High School's marching band. In 1976, he saw his first Beach Boys concert — a seminal experience for the avid fan — and at 15, he began to pursue acting and music in earnest. His parents supported Stamos' artistic aspirations, and although he intended to enroll at Cypress College in 1981, Bill agreed that Stamos should skip his first semester to take a legitimate shot at a professional acting career. Three weeks later, Stamos was cast as Blackie Parrish on ABC's soap opera, General Hospital. While the character was originally scheduled for a five-episode arc, Stamos' popularity and audience appeal transformed Blackie into the show's new mainstay.

As the sexy, savvy Blackie, Stamos soon found that he had become a Hollywood heartthrob. During his two-year stint on the show, he earned several awards, and was finally given full leave from his grill post at his father's restaurants.

Rise to Fame

In 1984, Stamos moved to primetime with CBS's Dreams, a sitcom that featured him as the frontman of a working-class Philadelphia band. The series lasted for 12 episodes. Still bolstered by his burgeoning fame, Stamos befriended his idols, The Beach Boys, and was invited to drum with them at their Fourth of July set in 1985. The Washington, D.C., performance drew 1.5 million people and the band, pleased with Stamos' penchant for percussion, used him frequently as a touring and session drummer.

The following year, Stamos made the transition from television to film, starring in the film Never Too Young To Die. The film received low box-office numbers. On the heels of his little-seen film performance, he was cast opposite Jack Klugman in the sitcom, You Again? The series endured a single season. Around that time, ABC began casting a new family-friendly show, Full House. The show centered on a single father (Bob Saget), his three young daughters (Candace Cameron, Jodie Sweetin, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen), and his live-in support system — best friend and comedian Joey (Dave Coulier) and brother-in-law Jesse.