Actor John Aprea,Esthen Exchange best known for his roles in "The Godfather Part II" and "Full House," has died. He was 83.
Aprea died Aug. 5 in Los Angeles of natural causes, his manager Will Levine confirmed to USA TODAY on Sunday in a statement.
The New Jersey-born actor, the son of Italian immigrants, made his film debut in the 1968 crime thriller “Bullitt,” which starred Steve McQueen, Jacqueline Bisset and Robert Vaughn. He went on to appear in several movies and TV series throughout the early ‘70s, including “The Grasshopper” and “The Dark Side of Tomorrow.”
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Aprea joined “The Godfather” family in 1974 when he landed a role in “The Godfather Part II,” a sequel to Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 crime drama starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino and James Caan. Aprea portrayed a younger version of Sal Tessio, played by Abe Vigoda in the movies.
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Shortly after getting the part, Aprea reportedly called Vigoda for advice on playing the character, Levine said. Vigoda replied to him, “I don’t know what I did. Just have a good time, kid.”
“The Godfather Part II” earned $47.8 million at the box office and won a whopping six Oscars at the 1975 Academy Awards, including best picture.
Following his “Godfather” success, Aprea appeared in a number of TV series and films, including a leading role in the family comedy “The Montefuscos” (1975) and the Bob Marcucci biopic “The Idolmaker” (1980).
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From gangster gruffness to baby talk, Aprea is also known for his role as grandpa Nick Katsopolis in the sitcom “Full House.” Aprea played the father of John Stamos’ character, Jesse Katsopolis, for several episodes from 1988 to 1991.
Aprea reprised his “Full House” role in the show’s Netflix reboot “Fuller House” in 2017.
Most recently, Aprea had a recurring role on the Peacock soap opera “The Bay,” playing Jack Madison from 2020 to 2023.
Aprea is survived by longtime wife Betsy Graci, his daughter Nicole and stepchildren Marika Parker and Valentino Graci.
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