Trigger warning: this article mentions death
John Aprea, popular for his roles in projects such as The Godfather II and Full House, passed away at the age of 83. The actor breathed his last on August 15 and his manager released a statement revealing that the veteran star died of natural causes.
Aprea was born in 1941 and was a resident of Englewood. The actor pursued his passion for acting in the 1960s and enrolled in Joshua Shelley’s acting classes in New York. After receiving training from the master, who also taught Mia Farrow and Jon Voight, Aprea got his first acting role in 1968, where he played an assassin in Steve McQueen’s classic film Bullitt.
After his Hollywood debut, the actor started getting good work on TV shows and the big screen. After his role in Bullitt, Aprea got a role in the 1970s TV series Mannix and a film, The Grasshopper, that same year.
Later, the Hollywood star appeared in Jonathan Demme’s feature film released in 1974. Aprea’s early career roles gave him confidence, but the actor became popular among audiences after his appearance in the iconic film The Godfather II.
The film was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. John played the role of young Tessio in the film and his performance was appreciated by the audience as well as critics.
Also read: Happy Birthday Robert De Niro: A look at his 10 best movies as the actor turns 81
Meanwhile, according to the actor’s manager, Abe Vigoda became a guiding light in the actor’s career. Vigoda was Aprea’s co-star in the second installment of The Godfather. The actor played the older version of the character John. Vigoda addressed Aprea’s praise for him and, in an earlier interview, said, “I don’t know what I did. Just have a good time, kid.”
After receiving praise for his roles in films, the late actor turned to television. John appeared regularly on the ABC show Matt Houston. The show aired on the network from 1981 to 1987. After this, the actor signed on to Another World and played the character of Lucas Castigliano for six years.
One of the notable works of the actor’s career included his appearance in the hit sitcom Full House. Aprea played the role of Jesse’s father in the show. The actor worked in the Hollywood industry until 2023 when he reprised his role of Jack Madison in the TV show The Bay.
He is survived by his partner of 25 years, John Aprea, and their daughters.
Also read: Al Pacino’s 10 most important films: from The Godfather to The Irishman
