25 Things You Didn’t Know About ‘Family Matters’

This list of Family Matters facts and behind the scenes trivia will take you back to the Winslow family’s antics in the ’80s and ’90s. Family Matters is the third longest-running sitcom revolving around an African American cast in history. It aired on ABC for eight seasons and a final season on CBS for a total of 215 episodes.

The comedy is actually a spin-off of Perfect Strangers and focuses on police officer Carl Winslow and his family, but it became obvious early on that the Steve Urkel (played by Jaleel White in what was supposed to be a one-episode appearance) would steal the show. “Did I do that?” Yes you did, Steve.

Okay, so you might remember Urkel’s catchphrase, but this list is all about the Family Matters behind the scenes deep cuts, from the change in actresses playing Harriette to the on-set tension over Urkel’s popularity.

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The Real-Life Winslow House Still Looks Pretty Much The Same

Although the interior of the Winslow house was created on set, the exterior is a real house on Wrightwood Avenue in Chicago. Look familiar? It should, since it has been virtually unchanged since the show ended in 1998.

Urkel’s Popularity Caused Tension On The Set

As Urkel became more of a sensation and the focus of the show shifted, the rest of the cast wasn’t too pleased. “Things were definitely strained in the early going,” Jaleel White explained to Vanity Fair. “There’s no sense in hiding that. There was a division between myself and the rest of the cast, but over nine years and 215 episodes, obviously relationships get better. I still talk to certain cast members to this day.”

Steve Urkel Moonlighted On Other Shows

Steve Urkel, who was originally planned to appear in jut one episode, became so popular that Family Matters couldn’t contain him. The character had crossover appearances on Full House, Step by Step, and Meego.

Steve Urkel Was Based On A Real Guy

When co-creator Michael Warren needed an appropriately goofy name for a nerd character, he was inspired by his friend Steve Erkel. When Urkel became a pop culture sensation, Erkel was in for years of prank phone calls.

Show Matriarch Rosetta LeNoire Was 85 When She Exited The Show

By the time she left the show, Rosetta LeNoire, who played Estelle “Mother” Winslow, was 85 years old. She passed away in 2002 at the age of 90