‘Godfather Part II’ and ‘Full House’ Actor John Aprea Dies at 83

Actor John Aprea, widely known for his role as young Salvatore Tessio in the legendary movie The Godfather Part II, has passed away at the age of 83. His manager, Will Levine, confirmed the news, stating that Aprea died of natural causes on August 5 in Los Angeles, surrounded by his family.

Born in New Jersey, Aprea began his journey in show business with the 1968 Steve McQueen film Bullitt. Over the span of his career, he appeared in a total of 99 movies and TV series. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Aprea came across his pivotal role in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather series while working as a bartender when he met the director.

Initially, Aprea auditioned for the role of mobster Michael Corleone in the first installment of the trilogy, which was released in 1972. Although he didn’t get the part that eventually went to Al Pacino, he secured a spot in the sequel released in 1974.

Upon landing the role, Aprea sought advice from Abe Vigoda, who originally portrayed Tessio. “I don’t know what I did. Just have a good time, kid,” Vigoda told Aprea.

Aprea found another notable role in the 1980s and 90s family sitcom Full House, where he played Nick Katsopolis, father of Jesse Katsopolis (John Stamos). He reprised the role in the Netflix reboot, Fuller House, in 2017.

Aprea’s filmography includes a variety of movies, such as The Stepford Wives, The Game, and The Manchurian Candidate. On television, he had a prominent presence in soap operas, including Falcon Crest, Another World, and Days of Our Lives.

His final performance was in the drama series The Bay, where he played the character Jack Madison.

Source: Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter