Olsen Twins

Though they look identical, Mary-Kate and Ashley, born on June 13th, 1986 in Sherman Oaks, California, are actually fraternal twins. Ashley is the "older" one, arriving a full two minutes before her sister. A close family friend persuaded reluctant mother Jarnette to take the four-month-old babies to an audition for a TV sitcom that was about to begin filming. After the producers held the babies in their arms without inducing any crying, the twins were rewarded with their first role, in the easiest audition they would ever have to do.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, in the shared role of "Michelle Tanner" on the new hit series Full House, instantly won over television audiences. The Olsen twins became baby celebrities right from the show's debut in 1987, opposite the performances of Bob Saget, Candace Cameron and John Stamos (who they are apparently still close to). The lessons and family-oriented comedy that Full House presented to the public were very well received, and paved the way for Olsen mania.

Young kids, especially girls, began to idolize the Olsen twins as they saw them mature so quickly, year after year, on TV. Soon, Full House merchandise was available, with Mary-Kate and Ashley's name all over it. After the books and dolls sold like hotcakes, a now proud mother, agents and managers put their heads together and formed a company that could develop and coordinate the twins' potential. Dualstar Entertainment was created to directly handle all things Olsen.

During their run on Full House, Mary-Kate and Ashley also came out with a slew of straight-to-video and made-for-TV movies, including Double, Double, Toil and Trouble and How the West Was Fun. After management in the new production company saw how "tweens" (children aged between 8 and 12) ate up this kind of entertainment, they kept the projects coming. In fact, the videos became so successful that the Olsens could afford to experiment a little -- they even became the youngest producers in history after doing work on one of their films at the age of six.

Even though Full House was canceled after eight seasons in 1995, the twins kept up their heavy workload. An album was recorded, called Brother For Sale, and did so well that it spawned five more follow-ups. Mary-Kate and Ashley video games and books hit stores and, by putting a wholesome spin on the woes of growing up, established the twins as a reputable business entity. Any product that their name was attached to flew off the shelves.

In 1995, the Olsen twins, not even 10 and already famous worldwide, made their first feature film, called It Takes Two. They were paid $1.6 million for the movie and, though it didn't do well in theaters, raked in $75 million when released on video. Going back to the old formula of straight-to-video creations, the Olsens rediscovered a tried and true -- not to mention lucrative -- formula. Those that bought the Olsen videos were also likely to purchase a Mary-Kate and Ashley schoolbag and interactive video game.

Despite the money and fame, the twins' parents, who divorced in 1993, made sure they remained levelheaded and disciplined. It was only until recently that Mary-Kate and Ashley stopped getting a $10 per week spending allowance and were granted credit cards.

Growing older and more capable of handling some of their own projects, the twins tried their hand at a sitcom once again with Two of a Kind, in 1998. Unfortunately, the series only lasted one year, but that did not discourage the girls. They co-starred in another sitcom in 2001 called So Little Time, whose airtime was also limited to a year.

In a career that has been more redundant than that of most actors around, the Olsens are finally making a change. Now that they are on the cusp of adulthood, they are capable of taking on new challenges, including a clothing and lifestyle brand called mary-kateandashley. The older teen generation has accepted them as well; the Olsens can now be seen presenting awards at several shows, including the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards.

The numbers reflecting Mary-Kate and Ashley's success are staggering: 40 video titles that have sold 30 million copies, 6 music albums that have sold a total of 1.5 million copies, and 29 million books sold -- and they're not through yet. This helped Dualstar Entertainment earn $500 million in 2001 and around $1 billion in 2002. Consequently, the girls, who stand to become co-presidents of the company when they turn 18, are now worth $38 million each.

Despite these figures, their work never stops. Between finishing high school, attending fashion shows for their clothing lines, and giving input to everything their name is attached to, Mary-Kate and Ashley filmed a cameo appearance in the Charlie's Angels sequel, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. If their past is any indication, they will be going on all eight cylinders for quite some time.