His manager, Will Levine, confirmed to reporters that Aprea died of
natural causes in Los Angeles, surrounded by his loved ones.
Born in 1941 to Italian immigrants in Englewood, New Jersey, Aprea
began his acting career in the early 1960s after moving to New York
City.
He later relocated to Los Angeles, where he landed his first significant
role in the 1967 Steve McQueen classic “Bullitt.” Aprea’s breakthrough
came when he was cast as the young Salvatore “Sal” Tessio in “The
Godfather Part II,” a role that became a highlight of his career.
He had initially auditioned for the part of Michael Corleone in “The
Godfather,” a role ultimately secured by Al Pacino.
In preparation for his role as Tessio, Aprea reportedly reached out to
actor Abe Vigoda, who portrayed the older version of the character in
“The Godfather.”
Vigoda advised him to “just have a good time, kid,” a piece of advice
that Aprea cherished throughout his career.
Aprea’s career spanned multiple TV shows and movies, including “The
Montefuscos,” “The Idolmaker,” and “Matt Houston.” He also appeared
in popular series like “Mannix,” “The Rookies,” “NYPD Blue,” and films
such as “The Stepford Wives,” “American Anthem,” and “The Game.”
From 1988 to 1991, Aprea portrayed the exterminator father of Jesse
Katsopolis, played by John Stamos, in ABC’s “Full House.” He later
reprised this role for the 2017 Netflix reboot “Fuller House.”
John Aprea is survived by his third wife, Betsy Garci, his daughter Nicole
from his previous marriage to actress Cherie Latimer, and stepchildren
Marika Parker and Valentino Garci.