On Jan. 9, Bob Saget suddenly passed away at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando at 65 years of age.
Saget played the role of widowed father, Danny Tanner in the hit sitcoms Full House and Fuller House. He was also the host of America’s Funniest Home Videos and a stand-up comedian.
“For younger Gen-Xers and older Millennials, Bob Saget was, in many ways, America’s dad,” said Ryan Terry, communications professor at The University of Tampa. “Whether through his timeless role on Full House or his self-deprecating humor-laden hosting on America’s Funniest Home Videos, he was an integral part of popular culture.”
Nicole Epstein, psychology major, describes Saget as “The best TV dad ever.”
The cause of death is unknown, but the medical examiner has ruled out drugs and foul play. It could take 10-12 weeks to learn the cause of Saget’s death, according to detectives.
Saget had just performed a comedy show the night before at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. He sent out a tweet later that night saying, “Loved tonight’s show @PV_ConcertHall in Jacksonville. Appreciative audience. Thanks again to @RealTimWilkins for the opening. I had no idea I did a 2-[hour] set tonight. I’m happily addicted again to this s***.”
“I remember hearing about Bob Saget’s death the night he died,” said Emma Scott, senior psychology major. “I felt like a piece of my childhood had been taken away far too early. I used to watch Full House with my two older siblings, and have even started watching “Fuller House”, which brought back tons of memories of Full House.” says Scott.
Saget was born on May 17, 1956, in Philadelphia. He graduated from Temple University in 1978, where he studied film and won a student academy award for his documentary film Through Adam’s Eyes, which was about his nephew who had facial reconstruction surgery. He then got into acting and comedy.
“Nowadays, we don’t have many fathers included in TV families, and when they are, it’s typically not healthy or flattering,” said Terry. “Perhaps his unexpected passing will prompt people to go back and watch Full House and be reminded of the important role a father plays in our lives. He is no longer with us, but his work in entertainment and popular culture will keep his memory alive.”
Saget is survived by his wife, Kelly Rizzo, and three daughters, Aubrey Saget, Lara Melaine Saget, and Jennifer Belle Saget.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.