Bob Saget, the American actor and stand-up comedian, known for his role as Danny Tanner in the ABC series Full House, was found dead in his hotel room, on Sunday. He was 65.
Associated Press reported that Saget was staying at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Orlando, as part of his I Don’t Do Negative Comedy Tour. Deputies of Orange County, Florida were informed about an “unresponsive man” in a room, who was later identified as Saget. The detectives found “no signs of foul play or drug use in this case.”
Saget was born in 1956, Philadelphia, to a Jewish family. He attended Temple University’s film school, where he created a black and white film Through Adam’s Eyes, and was honoured at the Student Academy Awards.
He left college but stayed in Los Angeles to continue with stand-up comedy, and a few minor roles later, landed a spot in ABC’s Full House that ran successfully from 1987 to 1995. Saget played the role of Danny Tanner, a widower and loving father to three daughters. He also appeared in some episodes of the sitcom’s sequel, Fuller House, which aired between 2016-2020, and voiced the narrator in the popular CBS sitcom, How I Met Your Mother.
Alongside Full House, Saget also hosted the series, America’s Funniest Home Videos.
Apart from acting and hosting, he also dabbled in direction, having helmed the 1998 Norm Macdonald-starrer Dirty Work, and Farce of the Penguins in 2007, among others. According to the AP report, he truly garnered praise, as the producer-director of the 1996 television film For Hope. It is loosely based on his late sister Gay, and her battle with the tissue disease scleroderma, and had appealed for increased federal support, for research funds.
Several former colleagues took to social media, in remembrance of Saget and condoled his sudden death.
How I Met Your Mother cast member Josh Radnor, in a Twitter post, said “Bob Saget was the older wiser ‘me’ for nine years on How I Met Your Mother. He was the kindest, loveliest, funniest, most supportive man, and the easiest person to be around.” He also shared memories from the sets of the show, that went on for nine seasons at CBS channel.
Kat Dennings, who co-starrred with Saget in the sitcom Raising Dad, wrote, “Oh god. Bob Saget!!! The loveliest man. I was his TV daughter for one season and he was always so kind and protective. So so sorry for his family.”
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Norman Lear shared a photo with the actor, shared on Twitter, “Bob Saget was as lovely a human as he was funny. And to my mind, he was hilarious. We were close friends and I could not have loved him more.”
Saget is survived by daughters Aubrey, Lara, and Jennifer from his first wife Sherri Kramer, before separating in 1997. He married Kelly Rizzo in 2018.
UPDATE: Saget’s family revealed, on February 9, that the actor died due to a head trauma. “The authorities have determined that Bob passed from head trauma. They have concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep. No drugs or alcohol were involved,” read the statement acquired by Variety.