Did I Do That? A Look Back At Family Matters

Urkel’s Popularity Didn’t Please His Co-Stars

Family Matters originally focused on the Winslow family, and their nerdy neighbor was supposed to be a one-time character. Instead, Steve Urkel became the most memorable character on the show, appeared in spin-offs, and was printed on t-shirts and lunch boxes. Apparently, that caused some problems on set.

In a 2011 Vanity Fair interview, Jaleel White was asked about his relationship with Reginald VelJohnson, who played the Winslow family patriarch and was supposed to be the star of the show. “Things were definitely strained in the early going,” said White. “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.”