In the early 1990s, Step by Step was a staple of ABC’s TGIF lineup, alongside hits like Family Matters and Boy Meets World. TV Insider reported that one of the stars of the long-running series, Christine Lakin, has joined Full House‘s Jodie Sweetin and 7th Heaven‘s Beverly Mitchell in a new scripted series for Pop, Hollywood Darlings. Naturally, we wondered what happened to the rest of the cast of the hit TV show.
Step by Step was a modern version of The Brady Bunch. The sitcom followed newlyweds Frank Lambert and Carol Foster, as they attempted to blend their respective families. The rough and tumble Lambert children, J.T., Alicia, and Brendan, as well as their cousin, Cody, often clashed with the more reserved Foster kids, Dana, Karen, and Mark. The show lasted for six seasons as part of ABC’s TGIF. It moved to CBS for the final season.
Patrick Duffy (Frank Lambert)
Duffy had just finished his first run as Bobby Ewing on the soap opera, Dallas, prior to joining Step by Step. After the sitcom was canceled, he found himself back in his most famous role, appearing in Dallas: War of the Ewings, the 2012 Dallas reboot, and even in an episode of Family Guy, where he recreated the iconic shower scene. In 2016, he published Man from Atlantis. The book was a companion guide to his 1977 TV show of the same name. Duffy continues to make guest appearances in a variety of movies and television shows, most recently Siddarth Kara’s Trafficked.
Suzanne Somers (Carol Foster-Lambert)
Before appearing on Step by Step, Somers was already a household name, thanks to her starring role in Three’s Company and promotional work with the Thighmaster. After the comedy ended, she co-hosted a short-lived reboot of Candid Camera for CBS and appeared on Dancing With The Stars. Away from the camera, Somers has found success as a health and wellness advocate. She has a successful organics line of cosmetics and supplements. As an author, Somers has published over 20 books, ranging in topics from diet and exercise to bio-identical hormone replacement. As CBS News reported, Somers has courted controversy for her research and views on alternative cancer treatments.
Staci Keanan (Dana Foster)
Like her TV mom, Keanan was already a familiar face in the sitcom world. Keanan starred in My Two Dads and Going Places, before joining the cast of Step by Step. After the show ended, Keanan appeared in a few films, including 2010’s You Again, where she was reunited with Duffy and Lakin. Keanan has since retired from acting. In 2013, she was admitted to the State Bar of California. The UCLA grad currently practices law in Los Angeles, California.
Brandon Call (J.T. Lambert)
Call had a long list of credits before joining Step by Step, including St. Elsewhere, Webster, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, and Baywatch. After Step by Step wrapped though, so did Call’s career.
Angela Watson (Karen Foster)
After Step by Step ended, the former beauty queen-turned-actress discovered that her parents had blown through her $2.5 million fortune. Watson became determined to protect other child stars from becoming victims and started CAST (Child Actors Supporting Themselves) in 2000. According to the CAST website, Watson now spends her time helping child actors protect their earnings by connecting them with private investigators, accountants, and attorneys. The former Screen Actors Guild board member is also an ambassador for HugsAmerica.
Christine Lakin (Alicia “Al” Lambert)
Lakin has enjoyed continued success since Step by Step went off the air. In addition to her upcoming Pop series, Hollywood Darlings, she has appeared in over 40 films and television shows, including Georgia Rule, The Game Plan, Boston Public, Veronica Mars, and MTV’s Wild ‘n Out. Lakin has remained close to Duffy and Keanan, who both appeared in her mockumentary, Lovin’ Lakin. She also found success on the theater stage and as a voiceover artist.
Christopher Castile (Mark Foster)
Castile reunited with his Going Places co-star Keanan to join the Foster brood on Step by Step. While Castile appeared in two Beethoven films and voiced a character on Hey Arnold! during the sitcom’s run, he retired from acting after the show was canceled. Castile received his B.A. and M.A. from Cal State Long Beach. He is listed as an adjunct professor of political sciences at Biola University.
Josh Byrne (Brendan Lambert)
When Step by Step moved from ABC to CBS at the end of Season 6, one member of the Foster-Lambert crew didn’t make the move. While not much is known about Byrne’s current career, he can rest assured that his disappearance from the series is still questioned. Over the years, several cast members have been asked about Byrne’s departure and current whereabouts, most recently during Duffy’s 2014 Reddit AMA session.
Sasha Mitchell (Cody Lambert)
Mitchell left Step by Step at the end of Season 5 to deal with his highly-publicized personal issues. After the show ended, Mitchell returned to acting. He appeared in several television shows including ER, JAG, and NYPD Blue. In 2010, he stepped away from acting again but has since relaunched his career. He recently appeared in Drunk Parents, alongside Alec Baldwin and Salma Hayek.
Jason Marsden (Rich Halke)
Marsden was already a staple of ABC’s TGIF by the time he was promoted to full-time cast member. In addition to portraying Nelson on Full House, he also played – wait for it – Jason Marsden on Boy Meets World. While Marsden has appeared in a few films and TV shows over the years, he has found incredible success in the world of voiceover acting. Sadly, as Bustle reported, he will not reprise his role as Nelson during the second season of Netflix’s Fuller House. However, fans can keep up with Marsden on social media.
Even though Step by Step has been off the air for almost 20 years, die-hard fans still ask about a reunion from time to time.
Would you like to see a Step by Step reunion? Who was your favorite member of the Foster-Lambert family?
[Featured Image by Bob D’Amico/ABC]