John Aprea, Actor from “The Godfather Part II” and “Full House,” Dies at 83

John Aprea, known for his roles in “The Godfather Part II” and “Full House,” died on August 5 at the age of 83. His manager, Will Levine, confirmed that Aprea passed away due to natural causes in Los Angeles, surrounded by his loved ones.

Born in 1941 to Italian immigrants in Englewood, New Jersey, Aprea moved to New York City in the early 1960s to pursue an acting career. Later, he relocated to Los Angeles to further his ambitions.

Aprea’s first significant break came in the 1967 Steve McQueen classic, “Bullitt.” This was followed by his memorable role as the young Salvatore “Sal” Tessio in “The Godfather Part II.” Interestingly, he had initially auditioned for the role of Michael Corleone in “The Godfather,” which eventually went to Al Pacino.

In preparation for his role as young Sal, Aprea reached out to Abe Vigoda, who played the older version of the character in the original “The Godfather.” Vigoda advised him to “just have a good time,” a bit of wisdom Aprea cherished throughout his career.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Aprea regarded his role in “The Godfather Part II” as a highlight of his career.

Throughout his career, Aprea appeared in multiple TV shows and movies. His film credits include appearances in “The Montefuscos,” “The Idolmaker,” “Matt Houston,” and many others. TV shows featuring Aprea included “Mannix,” “The Rookies,” “NYPD Blue,” “The Stepford Wives,” “American Anthem,” and “The Game.”

Aprea was also widely recognized for his recurring role as the exterminator dad of John Stamos’ character, Jesse Katsopolis, on ABC’s “Full House” from 1988 to 1991. He reprised this role in the 2017 Netflix reboot “Fuller House.”

He is survived by his third wife, Betsy Garci, his daughter Nicole from a previous marriage to actress Cherie Latimer, and stepchildren Marika Parker and Valentino Garci.

Source: CBS News