Comedian Bob Saget, beloved for his role as Danny Tanner on the long-running sitcom Full House and as the longtime host of America’s Funniest Home Videos, was found dead in his Orlando, Florida hotel room on Sunday, January 9, 2022. He was 65 years old and in the middle of a stand-up comedy tour, having performed in the Jacksonville area the night before. Staff at the Ritz-Carlton contacted the Orange County Sheriff’s Office after discovering his body at around 4 p.m. News of his death trended across social media within hours, and tributes poured in from fans, former co-stars, and across Hollywood as the entertainment industry asked what had happened to the comedian.
Born in Philadelphia and based for much of his career in Los Angeles, Saget first won audiences over as the widowed dad Danny Tanner on Full House, which ran from 1987 to 1995. He later reprised the role for the Netflix revival Fuller House, reuniting with returning castmates such as Candace Cameron Bure. On the original series, his youngest daughter, Michelle, was played by twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Saget is survived by his wife, Kelly Rizzo, and three daughters.
What Did the Investigation Find?
Shortly after Bob Saget’s passing, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that its investigation found no evidence of foul play and no indication that drug use was connected to his death. Authorities had been called to the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, where Saget was pronounced dead at the scene. No signs of a struggle or external trauma were noted in the initial incident report.
The case was then referred to the medical examiner for a full autopsy, which is standard practice for an unexpected death of this kind.
What Did the Medical Examiner Say?
Dr. Joshua Stephany, the chief medical examiner for Orange and Osceola Counties at the District Nine Medical Examiner’s Office, performed the autopsy on the Monday morning after Saget was found. In his initial statement, Stephany reported no evidence of drug use and no evidence of foul play, and noted that the official cause and manner of death were pending further studies and investigation. He cautioned that those further studies could take 10 to 12 weeks to complete.
When the final results were released, Stephany’s office confirmed that the cause of death was accidental blunt head trauma. In his report, the chief medical examiner concluded that Saget’s “injuries were most likely incurred from an unwitnessed fall,” and that the manner of death was an accident. The autopsy report documented a fracture at the base of the skull and bleeding between the brain and the surrounding tissue. Because there was no break in the skin where the injury occurred, the findings were consistent with Saget falling backward in his hotel room and striking the back of his head against something hard but covered, such as a headboard.
The toxicology analysis was equally clear. It revealed no illicit drugs and no alcohol in his system. The only substances present were trace levels of clonazepam, a prescribed anti-anxiety medication, and trazodone, an antidepressant, neither of which the medical examiner considered a contributing factor. Despite public speculation in the days after his death, the conclusion from the District Nine Medical Examiner’s Office was definitive: Bob Saget’s death was a tragic accident, with no indication that drugs or alcohol played any role.
Was Bob Saget Ever Arrested?
Over the years, rumors circulated about Saget being arrested. In reality, he was never arrested for drug or alcohol use. He did, however, write candidly in his 2014 memoir about a period of heavy drinking that followed the end of his first marriage. He admitted that he had wrongly convinced himself he drove better after drinking and that he repeatedly got behind the wheel while intoxicated.
He recounted being pulled over once while driving drunk on his way to pick up something for his daughter. The officer, he wrote, showed him compassion and let him go without an arrest. Saget described the moment as a turning point. He quit drinking cold turkey and later reflected that his behavior had been reckless, adding that he was grateful he never hurt anyone during that difficult chapter of his life.
Bob Saget’s Struggles With Drugs and Alcohol
Many fans saw Bob Saget as the wholesome all-American father, an image cemented by Danny Tanner’s clean-cut warmth and Saget’s family-friendly on-screen persona. In his memoir, Dirty Daddy: The Chronicles of a Family Man Turned Filthy Comedian, he offered a far more honest picture of his life.
Saget wrote about feeling constrained by the “best dad in America” label that Full House had given him, and he spoke openly about his private struggles with alcohol and earlier experimentation with drugs. One episode he later regretted involved inhaling nitrous oxide, known as whippets, with castmates John Stamos and Dave Coulier during downtime on the Full House set. He recalled finding cans of whipped cream in a prop room refrigerator and inhaling the gas, and he was careful to note in the book that nitrous oxide can be dangerous and is capable of causing serious harm.
His honesty surprised many longtime viewers who had only ever known him as Danny Tanner, but it also reflected a larger truth. Addiction and substance misuse do not spare people simply because they are famous or well loved.
Other Full House Cast Members Who Faced Addiction
Saget was not the only member of the Full House family to confront substance use. Several of his castmates have spoken publicly about their own struggles and the recovery that followed.
John Stamos
In June 2015, John Stamos was arrested for driving under the influence and later pleaded no contest. He sought treatment at a rehabilitation facility afterward and has spoken about how his struggles were tied in part to the loss of his mother. Stamos has been open about his recovery in the years since.
Jodie Sweetin
Jodie Sweetin, who played Stephanie Tanner, has been candid about a serious addiction that began after the original series ended. In a 2006 interview, she described a dependence on methamphetamine, explaining that much of her identity had been built around the show, which ended when she was only 13. She has said her substance use escalated over time and that early attempts at recovery did not fully take hold. Sweetin reached lasting sobriety in December 2008 and wrote about her experience in her memoir, unSweetined. She has since become an advocate who speaks publicly about recovery.
Getting Help
As Bob Saget and other members of the Full House family have shown, addiction does not discriminate, and it does not skip over the famous or the seemingly untouchable. Many people who struggle with substance use go on to find lasting recovery with the right support. If you or someone you love is facing addiction, contact Mid Hudson Addiction Recovery to learn about treatment options today.
Frequently Asked Questions
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