John Aprea, a veteran character actor known for roles in films like The Godfather Part II and on television shows such as Full House, died on August 5 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 83. Aprea’s long career spanned over 50 years in Hollywood.
Born in 1941 in New Jersey, Aprea began acting in New York City in the early 1960s before moving to Los Angeles. His breakthrough came in 1968 with a role in the hit film Bullitt, starring Steve McQueen. This opened the door for many more roles in both film and television.
Perhaps Aprea’s most memorable role was as young Salvatore “Sal” Tessio in The Godfather Part II in 1974. He described the role as the high point of his career. To prepare, Aprea reached out to actor Abe Vigoda, who played the older Tessio in the original The Godfather. Vigoda advised him simply to “have a good time.”
Over his career, Aprea demonstrated versatility through a wide range of productions. Some of his other film roles included parts in The Stepford Wives, New Jack City, and The Manchurian Candidate. On television, he appeared in popular shows like Wonder Woman, The A-Team, and Melrose Place. But many fans best remember him as Nick Katsopolis, the father on the sitcom Full House, which he played from 1988 to 1991.
The actor is survived by his wife, daughter from a previous marriage, and stepchildren. His former Knots Landing co-star Paul Carafotes shared fond memories of their time working together over 40 years ago. John Aprea’s lengthy career in Hollywood spanning over 50 years serves as an example of the important contributions of character actors.
