The One Star Who Was The Only Full House Cast Member Not To Appear In Every Episode
When "Full House" hit its stride in the early 90s (via Full House Forever), it made stars out of its main child actors. By the end of the series run, Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, and Andrea Barber were familiar faces with families across the United States. The sitcom also gave equal opportunity to other rising — and well-known — child stars at the time, like Danielle Fishel from "Boy Meets World" and Jaleel White from "Family Matters" (per Insider), as well as Marla Sokoloff, who played Gia Mahan and went on to star in "The Practice" (via IMDb).
As these stars came and went, Bure, Sweetin, and the Olsen twins had top billing for 192 episodes as the three Tanner sisters. As did Barber, who appeared in 146 episodes of the show's eight seasons (via IMDb). But unlike one star's on-screen siblings and neighbor, one main "Full House" cast member didn't appear in every sitcom episode.
Candace Cameron Bure missed an episode towards the end of Full House
During the show's sixth season, Candace Cameron Bure was noticeably absent during the episode "Subterranean Graduation Blues." The episode heavily revolved around Uncle Jesse as he prepared to graduate from high school after earning his diploma 12 years after dropping out. As one viewer noted on the blog Full House Reviewed, D.J. Tanner was noticeably absent from the drama. Besides appearing in the opening credits, the eldest Tanner daughter was nowhere to be seen. To explain her absence, another viewer noted that D.J.'s boyfriend Steve Hale briefly mentions that she's on a ski trip. In reality, Bure was actually visiting her brother Kirk Cameron while he was away at camp, according to Collider.
While many will remember Kirk for starring as Mike Seaver in "Growing Pains", he also starred in an episode of "Full House" as the Tanner's cousin Steve in the season one episode "Just One of the Guys" (via IMDb).
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were noticeably absent from Fuller House
Despite only missing one episode of "Full House," Candace Cameron Bure became the main star of the sitcom's Netflix spin-off, "Fuller House." As for which of the main "Full House" cast members to not appear in the revival, this time it was Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. According to a producer on the show, they were asked but ultimately declined. "Ashley said, 'I have not been in front of a camera since I was 17, and I don't feel comfortable acting," Bob Boyett, executive producer on "Fuller House, told People. "Mary-Kate said, 'It would have to be me because Ash doesn't want to do it. But the timing is so bad for us.'"
While they were absent from "Fuller House," the twins did share their condolences alongside their "Full House" castmates when Bob Saget passed away in January 2022. "Bob was the most loving, compassionate and generous man. We are deeply saddened that he is no longer with us but know that he will continue to be by our side to guide us as gracefully as he always has," they said in a joint statement (via Entertainment Tonight).