1963-present
Latest News: John Stamos Discusses Struggle with Alcoholism in New Memoir
Actor and musician John Stamos promised to tell a “human story” in his new book If You Would Have Told Me: A Memoir and stayed true to his word. In his tell-all memoir released October 24, the former Full House and General Hospital star candidly reflects on some of the darker moments from his life—including his past struggles with alcoholism and the 2015 DUI arrest that sparked his path to sobriety.
“I’ve seen the TMZ video and pictures from that night. It makes me sick to my stomach,” Stamos wrote of the incident, according to Today. “I could have killed a kid, wiped out a family or grandmother coming home from Bible study. I’m jeopardizing everything in my life: my career, reputation, and worst of all, the kid my parents raised, a guy I kind of like.”
Stamos, 60, also writes about sexual abuse he says he suffered when he was around 10 or 11 years old, as well as the unexpected death of his Full House co-star and longtime friend Bob Saget in 2022.
If You Would Have Told Me by John Stamos
Who Is John Stamos?
Actor John Stamos first captured attention as a screen heartthrob on the soap opera General Hospital in the early 1980s. He then landed the career-defining role of Uncle Jesse Katsopolis on the beloved hit show Full House, later reprising the character and serving as an executive producer on the Netflix spinoff Fuller House. Along with his contributions to other popular series like ER and You, Stamos has starred on Broadway, started his own production company, and toured and recorded with The Beach Boys.
Quick Facts
FULL NAME: John Phillip Stamos
BORN: August 19, 1963
BIRTHPLACE: Cypress, California
SPOUSES: Rebecca Romijn (1998-2005) and Caitlin McHugh (2018-present)
CHILDREN: William Christopher
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Leo
Early Life and Family
Born on August 19, 1963, in Cypress, California, John Phillip Stamos is the son of Loretta (nee Phillips) and Bill Stamos, a restaurateur. Bill’s father, a Greek immigrant, changed the family’s surname from Stamatopolous. John has two younger sisters, 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, along with playing drums in John F. Kennedy High School’s marching band. Stamos described himself as “the dorky kid” in school; he was interested in magic and often went to the Disneyland theme park only 20 minutes from his home.
Stamos said the experience of working for his father influenced his acting career. “Because of my dad and the discipline he had toward his work, I learned to be a pro and arrive early and know my lines and hit my marks,” he told Orange Coast Magazine.
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 John intended to enroll at Cypress College in 1981, Bill agreed that his son should skip his first semester to take a legitimate shot at a professional acting career.
TV Shows: General Hospital, Full House, You, and More
Three weeks later, Stamos was cast as Blackie Parrish on the ABC 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, and the young actor soon found that he had become a Hollywood heartthrob. Stamos earned several awards during his two-year stint as the sexy, savvy yet troubled teen, and he was finally given full leave from his grill post at his father’s restaurants.
In 1984, Stamos moved to prime-time with CBS’ Dreams, a short-lived sitcom that featured him as the frontman of a working-class Philadelphia band. Two years later, he was cast opposite Jack Klugman in the sitcom You Again?, which endured a single season.
Full House and Fuller House
Around that time, ABC began casting a new family-friendly show called Full House. The series centered on a single father (Bob Saget); his three young daughters, D.J. (Candace Cameron), Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin), and Michelle (played by twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen); and his live-in support system, best friend and comedian Joey (Dave Coulier) and brother-in-law Jesse. The latter role proved to be an ideal vehicle for Stamos. As the motorcycle-riding, Elvis-worshipping Uncle Jesse, Stamos became a huge success. By the time the series reached its second season, it had become a top 20 hit, and Stamos was a household name.
Full House wrapped production in 1995 after eight seasons. The series was the subject of a TV film in 2015 titled The Unauthorized Full House Story, which aired on Lifetime and provided a dramatized look at the origins and production of the show. Justin Gaston played the fictional version of Stamos.
The show earned a reboot on Netflix in February 2016 as Fuller House. Along with serving as an executive producer, Stamos returned as Uncle Jesse in a recurring role.
Saget died on January 9, 2022, from head trauma after falling in a hotel room in Florida. Stamos, a close friend who has called Saget the “brother I always wanted,” gave a eulogy at his memorial service that was published by the Los Angeles Times.
Later TV Roles: ER to You
The ABC romantic-comedy Jake in Progress, which debuted in 2005, offered Stamos another shot at prime-time success. That same year, Stamos made a guest appearance on ER, NBC’s enduring hospital drama. The response to his cameo was enormous and injected life (and ratings) into the series. When executives canceled Jake in Progress in 2006, Stamos was able to join ER’s 13th season as a principal character: military veteran Dr. Tony Gates.
He then had a multi-episode guest spot on Glee, before landing a starring in the sitcom Grandfathered, which aired during the 2015-16 season. Stamos followed with a prominent part in Season 2 of Scream Queens, alongside the likes of Emma Roberts, Lea Michele, Abigail Breslin, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Keke Palmer.
His next series was another recurring role on a psychological thriller: Netflix’s well-received show You starring Penn Badgley. Stamos portrayed a therapist on Seasons 1 and 2 of the show, beginning in fall 2018.
Turning back to family fare in 2021, Stamos teamed with Disney for two seasons of the Disney+ series Big Shot. He played Marvyn Korn, a fiery college basketball coach who loses his job and instead begins coaching an elite team at an all-girls private school.
Stamos has hosted A Capitol Fourth, an annual Independence Day concert, since 2017.
Movies and Broadway Roles
Although his most well-known roles are from TV series, Stamos has taken on many movie projects. He made the transition from television to film in 1985 by starring in Never Too Young To Die, though it was a little-seen performance. During his years on Full House, he filmed the World War II movie Born to Ride (1991), USA Network’s The Disappearance of Christina (1993), and CBS’ made-for-TV movie Fatal Vows: The Alexandra O’Hara Story (1994).
Struggling to separate himself from his Uncle Jesse screen persona, Stamos embraced theater after the series ended. He landed the lead role in the Broadway production of How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, replacing Matthew Broderick as the star. Elsewhere, his made-for-TV movie roles continued. He appeared in CBS’ A Match Made in Heaven (1997) and The Marriage Fool (1998).
In 2002, he revisited the stage, starring as the Emcee in the Broadway production of Cabaret. Another TV movie role followed in A&E’s Wedding Wars. Stamos starred as a gay wedding planner who stands up for his right to get hitched in the 2006 film.
While continuing in his role on ER, Stamos appeared opposite Sean Diddy Combs and Phylicia Rashad in ABC’s 2008 adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun. The production was honored with nominations at the Golden Globes and the Emmys. After ER’s cancellation the next year, Stamos returned to Broadway, this time performing opposite Gina Gershon in the revival of Bye Bye Birdie.
Stamos appeared in ABC’s The Little Mermaid Live! as Chef Louis in November 2019. He had tackled the same role a few years back in a Hollywood Bowl stage production.
Making Music with The Beach Boys
Having befriended his idols, The Beach Boys during his General Hospital days, Stamos 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.
In the late ’80s and early ’90s, Stamos began touring and recording with The Beach Boys. After he appeared in the video for the 1988 hit “Kokomo,” their joint efforts produced the 1992 single “Forever,” which featured Stamos on vocals. The song later appeared in the Full House series to commemorate Jesse’s wedding to love interest Rebecca, played by Lori Loughlin. Stamos also performed on the 1994 album Shades of Blue.
The actor and the band have been connected ever since, making music and once providing inspiration for Stamos behind-the-camera. In 2000, ABC released a miniseries titled Beach Boys: An American Family. Stamos’ St. Amos Productions backed the show, which garnered an Emmy nod.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Stamos and band co-founder Mike Love released a single called “This Too Shall Pass.” The actor also toured with the band in 2022, appearing for their anniversary performance at New York’s Carnegie Hall. “I never forget how lucky I am. I never forget how grateful I am,” Stamos told Today that same year, adding he is happy a new generation of fans discovered the band through his work on Full House.
Wife and Son
Stamos has been married twice and has one son.
In 1994, he met supermodel and actor Rebecca Romijn backstage at a Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. The couple got engaged in 1997 and married on September 19, 1998. They announced their separation eight years later and finalized their divorced in 2005.
On February 3, 2018, Stamos wed actor Caitlin McHugh. The couple welcomed their son, William who goes by “Billy,” in April 2018.
Net Worth
Celebrity Net Worth values Stamos’ assets at about $25 million. That’s less than a number of his Full House co-stars, including the Olsen twins ($250 million each), his on-screen wife Lori Loughlin ($70 million), and Bob Saget ($50 million at his death).
Nonprofit Work
Along with his acting work, Stamos served as a spokesperson for Project Cuddle, an adoption-oriented nonprofit organization. He has also been a celebrity ambassador for Childhelp, a nonprofit dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse, for more than 20 years.
In October 2023, Stamos revealed he was sexually abused as a child. He alleges the misconduct occurred at the hands of his former babysitter when he was 10 or 11 years old. “I mean, I knew it was always in the back [of my mind], and I do so much advocacy for the [survivors],” he told People. “I left like, I remembered it slightly. It has always been there, but I packed it away as people do, right?”
Alcoholism and DUI
Stamos has previously struggled with alcohol use, culminating in his June 2015 arrest and conviction for driving under the influence. He attended a residential rehab program later that summer. In November 2015, he was required to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and enter an alcohol abuse program as part of a plea deal for his misdemeanor DUI conviction.
In a 2022 interview with CBS Sunday Morning, the actor revealed that his drinking at times led to suicidal thoughts. “For the longest time, when I was not sober... I thought, ‘I’ve done it all,’” Stamos said. “I don’t want to kill myself, but I didn’t care if I died.”
Memoir
In October 2023, Stamos released If You Would Have Told Me: A Memoir. Among other topics, the actor reflects on his struggles with alcoholism, including his 2015 DUI arrest. He points to his mother’s death nine months prior as the beginning of the spiral that culminated in the arrest. “She kept me anchored, solid, and straightened out for most of my life. I’m feeling adrift and alone without her. Empty,” he wrote. The actor also credited his younger sisters for helping him enter rehab and seek treatment.
Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn’t look right, contact us!
The Biography.com staff is a team of people-obsessed and news-hungry editors with decades of collective experience. We have worked as daily newspaper reporters, major national magazine editors, and as editors-in-chief of regional media publications. Among our ranks are book authors and award-winning journalists. Our staff also works with freelance writers, researchers, and other contributors to produce the smart, compelling profiles and articles you see on our site. To meet the team, visit our About Us page: https://www.biography.com/about/a43602329/about-us
Tyler Piccotti first joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor in February 2023, and before that worked almost eight years as a newspaper reporter and copy editor. He is a graduate of Syracuse University. When he's not writing and researching his next story, you can find him at the nearest amusement park, catching the latest movie, or cheering on his favorite sports teams.
