Tycoon Tykes back in Business

By: Michael Starr

Lovable Olsen Twins set to tape ABC sitcom pilot
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Millionaire stars Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who rocketed to fame by sharing the role of Michelle Tanner on ABC's "Full House," will try recapturing their TV magic in a new sitcom for ABC

ABC is making room for "Full House" twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.

The two tykes will star in a sitcom pilot for the Disney-owned network, Variety reported yesterday. There was no comment from ABC.

The new show is described as a "Parent Trap"-type comedy, in which the identical pixies will play two girls living with their father, a college professor.

In the 1961 movie "The Parent Trap," Hayley Mills played twins who have never met until their divorced parents send them to the same summer camp.

"The Olsens, now 11, signed an agreement with ABC in 1993 to eventually produce another show after "Full House" left the air. This series, if picked up, would fulfill that commitment.

The twins have been largely absent from TV since ABC's "Full House" was cancelled in 1995.

In the show, which premiered in 1987 - when they were nine months old - Mary-Kate and Ashley split time (because of child labor laws) playing the role of Michelle, the youngest daughter of Danny Tanner (Bob Saget).

Tanner was a widowed San Francisco talk show host who persuades his best friend (Dave Coulier) and brother-in-law (John Stamos) to move into his house and help him raise his kids.

Candace Cameron played oldest daughter D.J. Tanner, while Jodie Sweetin was middle daughter Stephanie. The series also featured Lori Loughlin, Gail Edwards, and Scott Weinger.

"Full House" turned the Olsen Twins into extremely marketable superstars - who even had a Michelle doll modeled after them.

Once their fame on "Full House" grew, the girls cut several albums - including "Brother for Sale" and "I am the Cute One" - and made a chart-topping music video, "Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen: Our First Video."

In 1993, the mini-moguls inked a reported $10 million development and marketing deal with ABC, requiring them to produce series, TV movies and other programming through their production company, Dualstar Productions.

Through the years, they've starred in several highly rated TV movies such as "To Grandmother's House We Go" and "Double, Double, Toil and Trouble."

In 1995, the twins ventured onto the big screen with a movie comedy called "It Takes Two" which co-starred Kirstie Alley and Steve Guttenberg.