Full House Star John Aprea Passes Away at 83

John Aprea, a talented character actor known for his roles in classic movies and television series like “The Godfather Part II” and “Full House,” has died at the age of 83. His agent Will Levine revealed to the media that Aprea passed away due to natural causes at his home in Los Angeles on August 5. His daughter, Nicole Aprea disclosed that he was surrounded by family, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

Aprea was born in 1941 in Englewood, New Jersey, to Italian immigrants. After the family moved to Los Angeles, he decided to pursue his acting career in the late 1960s. In 1968, Aprea earned his first role as a murder where he appeared in the movie “Bullitt,” which was starred by Steve McQueen. Four years later, in 1972, he had the chance to participate in the legendary movie “The Godfather” and portray as young Sal Tessio in “The Godfather Part II.” Moreover, Aprea had the opportunity to work in many classic American movies and TV series as a versatile actor.

In addition to his work in films, Aprea also starred in the sitcom “The Montefuscos,” which was on air in 1975. Furthermore, in 1989, Aprea started working on the daytime soap opera on NBC “Another World” where he stayed till 1998. John Aprea will be particularly remembered as Nick Katsopolis, the father of John Stamos’ character Jesse Katsopolis, whom he played in “Full House” from 1988 to 1991. In 2017, Aprea also made a guest appearance in the show’s Netflix sequel “Fuller House.” He also made several-time appearances in “NYPD Blue,” “The A-Team,” “Melrose Place,” “The Sopranos.” His final role was in the Peacock crime-drama “The Bay” in 2020-2023.

Aprea was not only remembered for his work in films and television series. His success story is a great example of the classic Hollywood tale, which shows how an ordinary bartender could become a famous actor. However, he is now mostly associated with his roles in “The Godfather Part II” and “Full House.” Both films left a huge impact on fans and all others who worked together with Aprea, and he will always be remembered as a talented and charming actor. John Aprea is survived by his wife and partner of 25 years, Betsy Graci, his daughter Nicole from a previous marriage, stepchildren Marika Parker and Valentino Graci.