‘Full House’ star Dave Coulier reveals secret meaning behind character’s name

Much like his “Full House” character, Dave Coulier is full of jokes. 

During a recent episode of his podcast, “Full House Rewind,” the actor explained how his character’s last name, Gladstone, was born. 

“I got to pick my own last name. Did you know that? My character’s last name,” he told guest Debra Stipe, who appeared in three episodes of “Full House” as Cindy. 

“Yeah, (series creator) Jeff [Franklin] said, ‘I’m trying to get a last name for your character,’ and I said, ‘How about Gladstone?’ and he laughed and goes, ‘All right, sounds good.’”

“What was it about Gladstone?” Stipe asked.

“Was there a meaning behind it?” 

“I always thought it was a funny name,” Coulier responded.

“It was almost like, ‘I’m glad that I’m stoned.’ You know, I’m a comedian, so that was what I thought. And so Jeff laughed, and that was it.”

In 2022, Coulier took to Instagram to celebrate two years of sobriety with a throwback photo of himself bruised and bloodied, the result of a drunken night.

“I was a drunk. Yes. An alcoholic,” Coulier began a lengthy photo caption for the selfie.

“I’ve been alcohol-free since January 1, 2020.

“I loved booze,” Coulier admitted, “but it didn’t love me back.”

Ultimately, the actor said, he decided to “make a decision for my own well-being, my family and for those around me who I love so dearly,” explaining the “mental and physical withdrawal” were huge challenges he endured.

The hit ABC sitcom, which starred Coulier, the late Bob Saget, John Stamos, Lori Loughlin, Candace Cameron Bure, Jodi Sweetin, Andrea Barber and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, ran for eight seasons, from 1987 to 1995. 

While the show grew in popularity as it aired, its first season wasn’t well-received by critics.

“When you start a show, you are just kind of doing the best show possible, and you are trying to please people,” Coulier told Fox News Digital in June 2022.

“You are trying to make them laugh and tell a story. Where we got panned by critics our first season, The Washington Post’s Tom Shales hated us. He said it was a ‘Three Men and a Baby’ rip-off. And then those people later on took it back.” 

In March, Coulier appeared on a panel at ‘90s Con with his fellow “Full House” and “Fuller House” castmates and admitted he’s wanted to reboot the show in honor of Saget, who died in January 2023 from a head trauma. 

“I would love to do ‘Fullest House,’ where maybe it’s like all of us as adults, and we’re kind of like the ‘Friends’ cast where we sit around and talk. And we share moments. And we keep Bob’s legacy alive,” Coulier explained.