John Stamos (pronounced /ˈsteɪmoʊs/ STAY-mohs; born August 19, 1963) is an Emmy Award-nominated American actor. He is well-known for his work in television, especially on the ABC sitcom Full House. Since the cancellation of that show in 1995, John has appeared in numerous television films and series. From 2006 to 2009, John had a starring role on the NBC medical drama ER.

Biography

John was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, the son of Loretta (née Phillips), an Irish-born model, and Bill Stamos, a fast food restaurateur. John Stamos' father's original family name, Stamatopoulos, was shortened by his grandparents when they came to America from Greece. He attended Lexington Junior High and John F. Kennedy High . He began learning drums, saxophone and triangle at the age of four. When he was 19 he started a rock band with a couple of his friends and named the band Destiny. The band was able to get paying gigs at parties and local amusement parks. Prior to that, John had enjoyed putting on puppet and magic shows, and making movies with the family movie camera as a child. After a high school field trip to a taping of Happy Days, he decided to focus on a career in show business. John resides in Newbury Park, California.

John began his acting career with a role on the television show General Hospital as Blackie Parrish, for which he received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination in 1983. Then General Hospital casting director Gary Price noted that John did not read for any particular parts. John Stamos' stint on General Hospital got him noticed with daytime viewers, but by 1984 John decided to move on when he auditioned for, and got the lead role, in a short-lived CBS sitcom called Dreams, in which he played an aspiring rock musician.

John kept up television guest appearances until he landed a starring role opposite Jack Klugman in the NBC sitcom You Again?, in which he played Klugman's 17 year-old-son who had come back to live with him after many years. This series lasted one season, and upon its cancellation, John was approached by producer Jeff Franklin about a new comedy pilot for ABC, which eventually became Full House. John was also featured in the 1988 Beach Boys music video of "Kokomo" as a percussionist.

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Full House gradually became a hit, and the show solidified Stamos' career. During the second season he then changed his character's last name to Katsopolis to highlight his Greek heritage, according to Jeff Franklin.

After the eighth season, ABC decided to drop the show from its lineup.

Since the show's cancellation, John has appeared in numerous made-for-television films, stage productions, television series and commercials. He had starring roles in the television series Thieves (2001), and Jake in Progress (2005). Both shows ran for several episodes before cancellation. In 2003, John guest-starred in Friends. He appeared in the episode The One with the Donor, playing Zach, a friend that Chandler brings home to use as a potential sperm donor.

In the controversial A&E television movie Wedding Wars (2006), he starred as Shel, a gay wedding planner. He stated that his performance reflected his support for same-sex marriages. He has made several voice acting appearances such as in the MTV animated series Clone High in the episode, Changes: The Big Prom: The Sex Romp: The Season Finale, where he played himself, and as the What's Global Warming Penguin in Bob Saget's parody film Farce of the Penguins.

In 2005, John guest starred in 2 episodes in season 12 of ER as paramedic-turned-intern Tony Gates. In 2006, at the start of ER's thirteenth season, he joined the cast of ER as a series regular. Executive John Wells reported how he wanted him earlier the season before but John was contracted with Jake in Progress. Shortly after Jake in Progress was cancelled, John was brought aboard as a series regular.

In February 2008, John appeared in the television adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun. In August 2008, John was announced as Roastmaster of The Roast of Bob Saget on Comedy Central.

John also has an active music career, having appeared on Broadway as the Emcee in Cabaret, and also in Nine and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. In 1990 he played drums and recorded with The Beach Boys on the title track of the comedy Problem Child. John later appeared singing lead vocals on the song "Forever" (written by Dennis Wilson) on their 1992 album Summer in Paradise. He also played in the band The Signals.

On March 30, 2009 he announced on "E! News" that he will participate in the upcoming Broadway revival of Bye Bye Birdie.

During his appearance on General Hospital, he dated actress Demi Moore. John then dated singer and choreographer Paula Abdul before citing the media's interference as the reason for their separation. In 1994, he met Rebecca Romijn at a Victoria's Secret fashion show, where she was modeling. Two months later, the pair began dating. On September 19, 1998, the couple married. The couple divorced on March 1, 2005.

In 2007, John arrived in Australia for a promotional tour. He appeared on a sketch on The Nation and an interview on Mornings with Kerri-Anne during which his behavior was erratic, once referring to a reporter's bad review of his acting as a direct outpouring of the reporter's insecurities around his tiny penis. A spokesperson for the network initially told reporters that it was due to jet-lag, however John later states that it was in fact due to Ambien, a prescription sleeping medication.

John is good friends with South Park co-creator Matt Stone.

John is scheduled to be awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2009.

John was interviewed on Anytime with Bob Kushell in 2008 and revealed that he's an avid Disneyland memorabilia collector. He claimed to have one of the original 'It's a Small World' dolls in his collection.

In the film Mean Girls, (2004) one of the girls who attends the high school says that Regina George (Rachel McAdams), once sat on a plane with John Stamos and he called her pretty.

In the film The Benchwarmers (2006) Jon Heder and his friend David Spade are watching a geek deliver a speech at a baseball game. Jon Heder says, "This nerd makes me seem like Rambo", to which David Spade replies "I don't think so". Jon Heder asks "John Stamos?", then David Spade says "Warmer". The movie was co-written by Nick Swardson, who has also used John Stamos as a reference in his stand-up material, citing that he'd like to pay him $5,000 to show up at his funeral, just to "cry, and leave. That's it!"

In the film Step Brothers (2008), Will Ferrell and his stepbrother John C. Reilly are conversing in their bedroom when he asks him, "If you were a chick, who's the one guy you'd sleep with?". Both actors simultaneously agree on John Stamos and instantly become best friends.

John also frequently drums for The Beach Boys when they tour during the summer. He usually gets to sing Dennis Wilson's "Forever" during the set. "Forever" was also featured on Full House as a video in which John also sings with his band and to his twins on the show.

In the popular webcomic Penny Arcade the character of Gabe constructs a large statue of writer/director/producer Joss Whedon which the character's accomplice, Tycho Brahe, mistakes for John Stamos.

In the animated series, Clone High, Principal Cinnamon J. Scudworth, Ph.D, has a strong hatred for Stamos, which his contempt for Stamos' good looks leads to a psychological breakdown for Scudworth. As Scudworth quickly comes apart, he shouts "Stamos! Damn him and his jet-black hair and award-winning smile! Oh, I'm a failure! A failure! I'm so disorganized! I start to dial, but I never call anyone back! You should see my car! It's a mess. I'm a mess! I go to the submarine sandwich restaurant and I leave my submarine sandwich restaurant value card at home, every time! All I want is a free sandwich. STAMOS!"

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