R.I.P. John Aprea: ‘The Godfather Part II’ & ‘Full House’ Actor Dead At 83

John Aprea, who starred as Young Tessio in The Godfather Part II and Jesse’s father in Full House , has died at age 83.

Aprea died of natural causes on Monday, August 5, surrounded by family at his Los Angeles home, according to his manager Will Levine.

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Born on March 4, 1941, in Englewood, New Jersey, Aprea’s first film was 1968’s Bullitt , alongside Steve McQueen .

After that, he secured perhaps his most famous role as Young Tessio in 1974’s The Godfather Part II . He had auditioned to play Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola ‘s original 1972 film but didn’t get the gig.

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Aprea once said working with Coppola and actors Al Pacino and Robert De Niro was “the high point” of his career, adding, “I was surrounded by the best in The Godfather .”

He also appeared in such films as The Stepford Wives (1975), New Jack City (1991), The Game (1997), Dead Man on Campus (1998) and The Manchurian Candidate (2004).

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On Full House , as well as the sequel series Fuller House , Aprea appeared as Jesse’s ( John Stamos ) father Nick Katsopolis.

In television, Aprea’s credits also include The Gangster Chronicles , Matt Houston , and Knots Landing , as well as episodes of Wonder Woman , Three’s a Crowd , The A-Team , Alfred Hitchcock Presents , The Fall Guy , Falcon Crest , Tales from the Dark Side , Night Court , Melrose Place , Saved by the Bell: The New Class and The Sopranos .

Aprea’s Knots Landing co-star Paul Carafotes paid tribute to the late actor on Saturday. “We had lots of laughs,” he wrote. “We met on the set of CBS television show Knots Landing, 1987, over 40 years ago. Many will miss this man! Rest old friend. I’ll see you on the other side.”

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