John Aprea, a talented character actor known for his role as the young Salvatore Tessio in The Godfather Part II and the father of John Stamos’ character on Full House, has passed away at the age of 83. He died of natural causes on August 5 in Los Angeles, as confirmed by his manager, Will Levine.
Aprea, hailing from New Jersey, collaborated with director Jonathan Demme in films such as Caged Heat (1974), Crazy Mama (1975), and The Manchurian Candidate (2004). He played the brother of Ray Sharkey’s aspiring music promoter in Taylor Hackford’s The Idolmaker (1980) and took on a gang member role in Mario Van Peebles’ New Jack City (1991).
Throughout his career, Aprea portrayed multiple characters on the NBC soap opera Another World from 1989 to 1998, including a criminal named Lucas Castigliano and a wealthy shipping magnate, Alexander Nikos. Both roles ended tragically, as each character was killed by women.
He also starred as the head of an Italian American family in NBC’s The Montefuscos, a comedy that lasted only nine episodes in 1975. While working as a bartender in Los Angeles, he encountered Francis Ford Coppola and auditioned for the leading role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972), a part eventually awarded to Al Pacino. However, Aprea did secure the role of Tessio, previously played by Abe Vigoda, in the sequel. He sought advice from Vigoda, who advised him to simply enjoy the experience, which Aprea later described as a career highlight.
Aprea frequently appeared as the exterminator father of Stamos’ Jesse Katsopolis on ABC’s Full House from 1988 to 1991, reprising the role for the show’s 2017 Netflix revival.
Born on March 4, 1941, to Italian immigrants in Englewood, New Jersey, Aprea spent some time living in Italy before returning to New Jersey, where he graduated from Dwight Morrow High School in 1959. He moved to New York City in the early 1960s to pursue an acting career before relocating to Los Angeles, where he played a hitman in the iconic Steve McQueen film Bullitt (1967) and appeared in other films such as The Grasshopper (1970) and Sweet Kill (1972).
Aprea gained recognition for playing the mob boss Albert Anastasia in the acclaimed 1981 NBC miniseries The Gangster Chronicles. He portrayed Lt. Vince Novelli in the ABC series Matt Houston during its first two seasons from 1982 to 1984 and featured in significant storylines on CBS primetime soap operas Falcon Crest and Knots Landing.
His impressive acting portfolio also includes guest appearances on shows like Mannix, The Rookies, The F.B.I., Wonder Woman, Silk Stalkings, The Sopranos, Cold Case, NYPD Blue, CSI, and roles in movies such as The Stepford Wives (1975), American Anthem (1986), and The Game (1997).
Aprea is survived by his third wife, Betsy, with whom he spent 25 years; his daughter, Nicole, from a prior marriage to actress Ninon Aprea; and stepchildren Marika and Valentino. He was preceded in death by his sister, Rosanna.