John Aprea The Godfather Part II and Full House star, dies at 83: A tribute to his career and legacy

John Aprea, known for his roles in "The Godfather Part II" and "Full House," passed away on Monday at the age of 83 from natural causes in Los Angeles. His death was confirmed by his manager, Will Levine.

Aprea was born in 1941 to Italian immigrants in Englewood, New Jersey, and spent part of his childhood in Italy before returning to the U.S. In the early 1960s, he pursued his acting dreams by studying with Joshua Shelley in New York, who also taught actors like Mia Farrow and Jon Voight. Aprea made his film debut in the 1968 Steve McQueen classic "Bullitt," where he played Killer.

Following his debut, Aprea appeared on TV shows like "Mannix," and in films such as "The Grasshopper" and Jonathan Demme's 1974 film "Caged Heat."

His career gained significant momentum when he was cast as the young Tessio in Francis Ford Coppola’s "The Godfather Part II." Prior to this role, he sought advice from Abe Vigoda, who portrayed the older Tessio in the first film. According to Aprea’s manager, Vigoda’s advice, "I don’t know what I did. Just have a good time, kid," became a guiding principle for Aprea’s career.