General Hospital Alum John Stamos Is A Basketball Big Shot for Disney

John Stamos’ General Hospital character Blackie Parrish was a “big shot” back in the 1980s. Now, Stamos is starring in a new Disney+ streaming series titled Big Shot in which he plays a basketball coach.

John Stamos Takes On New Role

His character, Coach Marvyn Corn, is looking for a new home after he’s ousted from his gig as coach of an NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) team. He finds an opportunity — taking charge of an all-girls high school basketball team. In learning how to connect with his players, Marvyn grows as a person — and his athletes learn how to find their footing, too.

Stamos recalled at a recent press conference, which Soap Hub was present for, how his being cast as Coach Corn came to be. His representatives told the actor he’d be getting a phone call from respected show creator/writer David E. Kelly (Ally McBeal; Big Little Lies; Big Sky). “He’s my favorite,” Stamos raves. “I just love him. What do I play? Do I play a lawyer?”

The actor deadpans that his heart sank a bit after finding out that the show was about basketball since he professes to be bad at playing sports. The first thing he wanted to clarify is that his character would not be a basketball player! “I don’t play. I’m not a player,” he sighs. “Am I an old player?

“I’ve never been much of a sports guy, and I sort of panicked when I heard it was about basketball, but I dug into that part of it as much as I could,” he says. “I went to a rehearsal with Jerry West [formerly a player for the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team]. I guess they call it a ‘practice,’ but I called it a ‘rehearsal’ and he didn’t.”

John Stamos notes that Marvyn’s made some mistakes in his life and his new role in life may lead to both championships and redemption. “He accepts that he needs to change and he needs to learn,” Stamos says about his character. “He listens and he grows, certainly, through the first season. [This] is one of my favorite jobs I’ve ever had.”

Big Shot also stars Yvette Nicole Brown (Community; The Odd Couple) and Jessalyn Gilsig (Boston Public; Glee). Big Shot is available on the streaming service Disney+ starting Friday, April 16.