John Aprea, whose acting career landed him roles on “Godfather Part II” and “Full House,” died on Aug. 5 of natural causes in Los Angeles. He was 83.
His death was confirmed by Will Levine, Aprea’s manager.
Born in 1941 to Italian immigrants in Englewood, N.J., Aprea spent part of his early years in Italy before his family resettled back in the States. In the early 1960s, he set out to pursue his passion, acting, enrolling in Joshua Shelley’s acting classes (who also taught Mia Farrow and Jon Voight) in New York. Eventually, he would land a role in the 1968 Steve McQueen classic film Bullitt, playing Killer.
After his splashy debut, Aprea found acting work on sets for the 1970s TV series “Mannix,” the 1970s film “The Grasshopper,” and Jonathan Demme’s 1974 feature, “Caged Heat.”
John’s career took off when he was cast as the young Tessio in Francis Ford Coppola...
His death was confirmed by Will Levine, Aprea’s manager.
Born in 1941 to Italian immigrants in Englewood, N.J., Aprea spent part of his early years in Italy before his family resettled back in the States. In the early 1960s, he set out to pursue his passion, acting, enrolling in Joshua Shelley’s acting classes (who also taught Mia Farrow and Jon Voight) in New York. Eventually, he would land a role in the 1968 Steve McQueen classic film Bullitt, playing Killer.
After his splashy debut, Aprea found acting work on sets for the 1970s TV series “Mannix,” the 1970s film “The Grasshopper,” and Jonathan Demme’s 1974 feature, “Caged Heat.”
John’s career took off when he was cast as the young Tessio in Francis Ford Coppola...
- 8/18/2024
- by Meredith Woerner
- Variety Film + TV
John Aprea, the charismatic character actor who portrayed the young Salvatore Tessio in The Godfather Part II and the father of John Stamos’ character on Full House, has died. He was 83.
Aprea died Aug. 5 of natural causes in Los Angeles, his manager, Will Levine, announced.
The New Jersey native appeared for director Jonathan Demme in Caged Heat (1974), Crazy Mama (1975) and The Manchurian Candidate (2004), played the brother of Ray Sharkey’s up-and-coming music promoter in Taylor Hackford’s The Idolmaker (1980) and was a mob guy in Mario Van Peebles’ New Jack City (1991).
Aprea also played another crook, Lucas Castigliano, as well as a multimillionaire shipping magnate, Alexander Nikos, during two stints on the NBC soap opera Another World over a course of a decade (1989-98). Both characters ended up getting shot to death by women.
He starred as the patriarch of a multi-generational Italian American family on NBC’s The Montefuscos,...
Aprea died Aug. 5 of natural causes in Los Angeles, his manager, Will Levine, announced.
The New Jersey native appeared for director Jonathan Demme in Caged Heat (1974), Crazy Mama (1975) and The Manchurian Candidate (2004), played the brother of Ray Sharkey’s up-and-coming music promoter in Taylor Hackford’s The Idolmaker (1980) and was a mob guy in Mario Van Peebles’ New Jack City (1991).
Aprea also played another crook, Lucas Castigliano, as well as a multimillionaire shipping magnate, Alexander Nikos, during two stints on the NBC soap opera Another World over a course of a decade (1989-98). Both characters ended up getting shot to death by women.
He starred as the patriarch of a multi-generational Italian American family on NBC’s The Montefuscos,...
- 8/18/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
E. Duke Vincent, a naval aviator and novelist who also, with partner Aaron Spelling, produced some of the most popular shows in television history, died on February 10 in Montecito. That, according to his wife, actress Pamela Hensley. He was 91.
Born Edward Ventimiglia, Vincent’s 40-year TV career kicked off after he joined the Navy, became a Naval aviator and eventually joined The Blue Angels. About that time, he flew the F8F-8P filming the aerial photo sequences for the NBC’s The Blue Angels.
On resigning from the Navy in 1962, he followed his interest in TV and got a job producing seven one-hour documentaries called Man In Space. While in Los Angeles, filming sequences for the series, Vincent met with Danny Thomas and Sheldon Leonard, the executive producers of The Dick Van Dyke show. After writing a spec script for them, he signed on to do their next series,...
Born Edward Ventimiglia, Vincent’s 40-year TV career kicked off after he joined the Navy, became a Naval aviator and eventually joined The Blue Angels. About that time, he flew the F8F-8P filming the aerial photo sequences for the NBC’s The Blue Angels.
On resigning from the Navy in 1962, he followed his interest in TV and got a job producing seven one-hour documentaries called Man In Space. While in Los Angeles, filming sequences for the series, Vincent met with Danny Thomas and Sheldon Leonard, the executive producers of The Dick Van Dyke show. After writing a spec script for them, he signed on to do their next series,...
- 2/27/2024
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
E. Duke Vincent, an Emmy-winning TV producer, died on Feb. 10 in Montecito, Calif. He was 91.
With Aaron Spelling, the duo worked on 43 TV series, such as “Dynasty,” “Hotel,” “Vegas,” “Matt Houston,” “The Colbys,” “Beverly Hills 90210” and “Melrose Place,” in addition to seven miniseries including Jackie Collins’ “Hollywood Wives” and James Micheners’ “Texas.” They also hold 39 TV movie credits, including Emmy winners “Day One” and “And the Band Played On.”
Additionally, Duke and Spelling served as executive producers on Warner Bros. Network’s long-running series “Charmed” and “7th Heaven,” the network’s highest rated and longest running drama. Duke wrote or produced over 2,300 hours of programming over the course of his 40-year career in Hollywood, with 1,600 hours of primetime and 750 hours of daytime TV.
The only child of Margaret and Egizio Ventimiglia, he was born Edward Ventimiglia in Jersey City, N.J. on April 30, 1932. After graduating from Seton Hall University,...
With Aaron Spelling, the duo worked on 43 TV series, such as “Dynasty,” “Hotel,” “Vegas,” “Matt Houston,” “The Colbys,” “Beverly Hills 90210” and “Melrose Place,” in addition to seven miniseries including Jackie Collins’ “Hollywood Wives” and James Micheners’ “Texas.” They also hold 39 TV movie credits, including Emmy winners “Day One” and “And the Band Played On.”
Additionally, Duke and Spelling served as executive producers on Warner Bros. Network’s long-running series “Charmed” and “7th Heaven,” the network’s highest rated and longest running drama. Duke wrote or produced over 2,300 hours of programming over the course of his 40-year career in Hollywood, with 1,600 hours of primetime and 750 hours of daytime TV.
The only child of Margaret and Egizio Ventimiglia, he was born Edward Ventimiglia in Jersey City, N.J. on April 30, 1932. After graduating from Seton Hall University,...
- 2/26/2024
- by Caroline Brew
- Variety Film + TV
Composer Ben Lanzarone, whose work was featured in television shows such as “Happy Days,” “The Love Boat” and “Dynasty,” died of lung cancer in Los Angeles on Feb. 16. He was 85.
Lanzarone received ASCAP’s “Most Performed Composer Award” for his work composing television scores. He wrote for episodes of “The Tracy Ullman Show,” “The Jay Leno Comedy Hour” and” Mr. Belvedere.” In association with Aaron Spelling and Doug Cramer, he composed many scores for “Dynasty,” “The Love Boat,” “Vegas,” “Matt Houston,” “The Colbys” and “Hotel.” In addition, he wrote the music for numerous episodes of “Happy Days,” “Laverne and Shirley” and “Mork and Mindy.”
Also an arranger, musical director and pianist, Lanzarone became a force in popular music when he began associating with Bob Crewe and Charles Fox. Lanzarone’s album “In Classic Form” came as a result of their collaboration, showing off his talent as a classical and jazz pianist.
Lanzarone received ASCAP’s “Most Performed Composer Award” for his work composing television scores. He wrote for episodes of “The Tracy Ullman Show,” “The Jay Leno Comedy Hour” and” Mr. Belvedere.” In association with Aaron Spelling and Doug Cramer, he composed many scores for “Dynasty,” “The Love Boat,” “Vegas,” “Matt Houston,” “The Colbys” and “Hotel.” In addition, he wrote the music for numerous episodes of “Happy Days,” “Laverne and Shirley” and “Mork and Mindy.”
Also an arranger, musical director and pianist, Lanzarone became a force in popular music when he began associating with Bob Crewe and Charles Fox. Lanzarone’s album “In Classic Form” came as a result of their collaboration, showing off his talent as a classical and jazz pianist.
- 2/19/2024
- by Caroline Brew
- Variety Film + TV
Kymberly Herrin, who played the “Dream Ghost” in Ghostbusters and appeared in a Zz Top video that cemented the band as MTV stars, has died. She was 66.
Her family told the Santa Barbara News-Press that Herrin died October in Santa Barbara but did not provide a cause or other details.
Herrin was a model who covered more than a dozen magazines and was a two-time Playboy Playmate before being cast in the 1984 music video for ZZ Top’s “Legs.” The clip was a third in an over-the-top trilogy that also included “Gimme All Your Lovin'” and “Sharp Dressed Man” and had made the Texas boogie trio regulars of the then-nascent cable channel. Herrin told an interviewer that she...
Her family told the Santa Barbara News-Press that Herrin died October in Santa Barbara but did not provide a cause or other details.
Herrin was a model who covered more than a dozen magazines and was a two-time Playboy Playmate before being cast in the 1984 music video for ZZ Top’s “Legs.” The clip was a third in an over-the-top trilogy that also included “Gimme All Your Lovin'” and “Sharp Dressed Man” and had made the Texas boogie trio regulars of the then-nascent cable channel. Herrin told an interviewer that she...
- 11/16/2022
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Bo Hopkins, the actor who has appeared in classics like “American Graffiti,” “The Wild Bunch,” “Midnight Express” and “The Getaway,” died Friday. He was 80 years old.
Hopkins’ death was confirmed on the actor’s official website.
“It is with great sadness that we announce that Bo has passed away,” reads a statement on the website. “Bo loved hearing from his fans from around the world and although he was unable to respond to every email over the last few years, he appreciated hearing from each and every one of you.”
The actor was born William Hopkins in Greenville, S.C. on February 2, 1942.. He later changed his name to “Bo” in reference to the character he played in “Bus Stop,” his first off-Broadway play. After his father died when he was only nine years old, Hopkins was raised by his mother and grandmother. He later learned he was an adopted child...
Hopkins’ death was confirmed on the actor’s official website.
“It is with great sadness that we announce that Bo has passed away,” reads a statement on the website. “Bo loved hearing from his fans from around the world and although he was unable to respond to every email over the last few years, he appreciated hearing from each and every one of you.”
The actor was born William Hopkins in Greenville, S.C. on February 2, 1942.. He later changed his name to “Bo” in reference to the character he played in “Bus Stop,” his first off-Broadway play. After his father died when he was only nine years old, Hopkins was raised by his mother and grandmother. He later learned he was an adopted child...
- 5/28/2022
- by Carson Burton
- Variety Film + TV
Duane L. Tatro, who composed for nearly two dozen TV series, including such long-running hits as “Dynasty,” “The Love Boat” and “Barnaby Jones,” died Sunday at his home in Bell Canyon, Calif. He was 93.
Tatro’s music accompanied the action on “The FBI,” “Mannix,” “Mission: Impossible,” “Hawaii Five-0,” “Cade’s County,” “Cannon,” “Most Wanted,” “Vega$” and “Matt Houston,” as well as the comedy of “M*A*S*H” and the romantic melodrama of “Glitter,” “The Colbys” and “Hotel.” His first series was the sci-fi thriller “The Invaders” in 1967, and he worked steadily in TV for the next two decades.
He got to compose the series theme for just one show: Quinn Martin’s period detective drama “The Manhunter,” which lasted a single season in 1974-75.
Tatro was born in Van Nuys on May 18, 1927. The son of an inventor, he played saxophone with Stan Kenton’s big band while he was just 16 years old.
Tatro’s music accompanied the action on “The FBI,” “Mannix,” “Mission: Impossible,” “Hawaii Five-0,” “Cade’s County,” “Cannon,” “Most Wanted,” “Vega$” and “Matt Houston,” as well as the comedy of “M*A*S*H” and the romantic melodrama of “Glitter,” “The Colbys” and “Hotel.” His first series was the sci-fi thriller “The Invaders” in 1967, and he worked steadily in TV for the next two decades.
He got to compose the series theme for just one show: Quinn Martin’s period detective drama “The Manhunter,” which lasted a single season in 1974-75.
Tatro was born in Van Nuys on May 18, 1927. The son of an inventor, he played saxophone with Stan Kenton’s big band while he was just 16 years old.
- 8/15/2020
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Stunt double Ben Bates, best known for his work substituting for Gunsmoke star James Arness for more than 25 years, died Oct. 4 in Sun City, California, according to his family. He was 84. Bates’s long career included doubling spots for the television series How the West Was Won (for which he was also a stunt coordinator), McClain’s Law, Bosom Buddies, The Fall Guy and Matt Houston. He also appeared in the film The Legend of the Lone Ranger and the TV movies The Alamo: Thi…...
- 10/21/2017
- Deadline TV
(source)
Birthday shoutouts for today and tomorrow go to Ryan Seacrest, who is 39 (again), Sissy Spacek is 64, Cch Pounder is 61, and Alannah Miles is 55.
First, a housekeeping note. We’ll be operating on a limited schedule this holiday week. We’re taking tomorrow off, but we’ll back Thursday and Friday with memes and briefs, as well as a Friday Liveblog, and some special posts. Have a happy holiday!
18 Extremely Awkward Celebrity Christmas Photoshoots
The 10 Cattiest, Craziest Antigay Comments of 2013
Your Ultimate Guide To Scruffy Guys On Instagram
BBC One has just released a seven-minute mini-episode of Sherlock in anticipation of Season Three. Can Silver Fox Rupert Graves track down the famous detective around the world?
The Oscar race is already getting out of control.
Congrats!
Ok. For real My amazingly strong wife home-birthed a happy and healthy baby boy last night . Please send love )
— Jared Padalecki (@jarpad) December 24, 2013
Via...
Birthday shoutouts for today and tomorrow go to Ryan Seacrest, who is 39 (again), Sissy Spacek is 64, Cch Pounder is 61, and Alannah Miles is 55.
First, a housekeeping note. We’ll be operating on a limited schedule this holiday week. We’re taking tomorrow off, but we’ll back Thursday and Friday with memes and briefs, as well as a Friday Liveblog, and some special posts. Have a happy holiday!
18 Extremely Awkward Celebrity Christmas Photoshoots
The 10 Cattiest, Craziest Antigay Comments of 2013
Your Ultimate Guide To Scruffy Guys On Instagram
BBC One has just released a seven-minute mini-episode of Sherlock in anticipation of Season Three. Can Silver Fox Rupert Graves track down the famous detective around the world?
The Oscar race is already getting out of control.
Congrats!
Ok. For real My amazingly strong wife home-birthed a happy and healthy baby boy last night . Please send love )
— Jared Padalecki (@jarpad) December 24, 2013
Via...
- 12/24/2013
- by snicks
- The Backlot
Interviewed by Michael Juvinall, MoreHorror.com
Michael Juvinall: I wanted to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me for a little bit. I really do appreciate it.
Dawna Lee Heising: I appreciate you wanting to talk to me and actually, I'm used to doing interviews but I've never been interviewed before so this is a little nerve racking for me, my manager said it would be really good to do it now because so many things are happening.
Mj: First of all, I wanted to ask you, I was doing a little bit of research on you and discovered you have a BA, you have a master’s degree and you have a PhD in business management. It's very impressive.
Dlh: Thank you, First of all, I started out as a swimsuit model, no actually, I started out in school. I went...
Michael Juvinall: I wanted to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me for a little bit. I really do appreciate it.
Dawna Lee Heising: I appreciate you wanting to talk to me and actually, I'm used to doing interviews but I've never been interviewed before so this is a little nerve racking for me, my manager said it would be really good to do it now because so many things are happening.
Mj: First of all, I wanted to ask you, I was doing a little bit of research on you and discovered you have a BA, you have a master’s degree and you have a PhD in business management. It's very impressive.
Dlh: Thank you, First of all, I started out as a swimsuit model, no actually, I started out in school. I went...
- 6/25/2012
- by admin
- MoreHorror
It's like an odd flickapalooza, man! The sickos over at Scorpion Releasing have four more terror flicks on tap for us that haven't seen the light of day in ages. Read on for all the details.
From the Press Release
On February 21st, Scorpion Releasing and Katarina's Nightmare Theater present Whispers, from the horrifying best seller by master horror writer Dean R. Koontz! Hilary Thomas (Victoria Tennant, L.A. Story) is a beautiful young writer who is stalked by a madman. The demented killer, Bruno Clavel (Jean LeClerc, All My Children), brutally attacks Hilary one night and she thinks she kills him, but he later reappears alive and well. She enlists the aid and protection of a cop (Chris Sarandon, Fright Night, Child's Play, The Sentinel) who believes her story, and as his love for her grows, he helps her discover the terrifying dark secret that drives Bruno to kill!
Special...
From the Press Release
On February 21st, Scorpion Releasing and Katarina's Nightmare Theater present Whispers, from the horrifying best seller by master horror writer Dean R. Koontz! Hilary Thomas (Victoria Tennant, L.A. Story) is a beautiful young writer who is stalked by a madman. The demented killer, Bruno Clavel (Jean LeClerc, All My Children), brutally attacks Hilary one night and she thinks she kills him, but he later reappears alive and well. She enlists the aid and protection of a cop (Chris Sarandon, Fright Night, Child's Play, The Sentinel) who believes her story, and as his love for her grows, he helps her discover the terrifying dark secret that drives Bruno to kill!
Special...
- 2/16/2012
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
This week sees the release of a few Academy Award nominees and winners, some new tv shows and some movies coming to Blu-ray for the first time. Among the ones we’re most interested in this week are Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire, The Boondock Saints II, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, The Commish and Up in the Air (with George Clooney and Anna Kendrick, pictured above.)
Check them out:
Movies
Capitalism: A Love Story (Blu-ray and DVD)
Edgar Allan Poe’s The Pit And The Pendulum ~ Lorielle New, Stephen Hansen, Bart Voitila (Blu-ray and DVD)
Falling for Grace ~ Gale Harold, Fay Ann Lee, Billy Asher (Blu-ray and DVD)
Hachi: A Dog’s Tale ~ Richard Gere, Joan Allen, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Blu-ray and DVD)
Nine Dead ~ Melissa Joan Hart, John Terry, Lawrence Turner (Blu-ray and DVD)
Old Dogs ~ John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Robin Williams, Seth Green (Blu-ray and DVD)
Paris ~ Juliette Binoche,...
Check them out:
Movies
Capitalism: A Love Story (Blu-ray and DVD)
Edgar Allan Poe’s The Pit And The Pendulum ~ Lorielle New, Stephen Hansen, Bart Voitila (Blu-ray and DVD)
Falling for Grace ~ Gale Harold, Fay Ann Lee, Billy Asher (Blu-ray and DVD)
Hachi: A Dog’s Tale ~ Richard Gere, Joan Allen, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Blu-ray and DVD)
Nine Dead ~ Melissa Joan Hart, John Terry, Lawrence Turner (Blu-ray and DVD)
Old Dogs ~ John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Robin Williams, Seth Green (Blu-ray and DVD)
Paris ~ Juliette Binoche,...
- 3/9/2010
- by Joe Gillis
- The Flickcast
Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.
This week is an 80s extravaganza, as we have the first season of 'Matt Houston,' the first season of 'Scarecrow and Mrs. King,' a 'Wiseguy' collector's edition, and even a 'Tenspeed and Brownshoe' complete series set.
For those who have never heard of the latter, it was a comedic private eye show starring Ben Vereen. I remember the reviews for the show were outrageous, but for some reason, the show was very short-lived (which is why we're getting a complete series set).
I'm very, very tempted to get 'Matt Houston' and 'Scarecrow and Mrs. King,' though I don't know if they will hold up today. I'm guessing that 'Scarecrow' will hold up better than the Lee Horsley show.
'Charlie & Lola' - Vol. 10 'The Commish' - Season 1 'Greek' - Chapter 4 'Hannah Montana' - Vol.
This week is an 80s extravaganza, as we have the first season of 'Matt Houston,' the first season of 'Scarecrow and Mrs. King,' a 'Wiseguy' collector's edition, and even a 'Tenspeed and Brownshoe' complete series set.
For those who have never heard of the latter, it was a comedic private eye show starring Ben Vereen. I remember the reviews for the show were outrageous, but for some reason, the show was very short-lived (which is why we're getting a complete series set).
I'm very, very tempted to get 'Matt Houston' and 'Scarecrow and Mrs. King,' though I don't know if they will hold up today. I'm guessing that 'Scarecrow' will hold up better than the Lee Horsley show.
'Charlie & Lola' - Vol. 10 'The Commish' - Season 1 'Greek' - Chapter 4 'Hannah Montana' - Vol.
- 3/8/2010
- by Bob Sassone
- Aol TV.
Concord, Nh - The Rad Girls prove that women can be out of control without beating each other senseless. The trio of Ramona Ca$h, Munchie and Darling Clementine are in the midst of their third season of mayhem on MavTV. How could I refuse a chance to talk women who figured out how to give themselves bikini waxes using a car bumper?
Ouch. The trio called the Party Favors hotline from various parts of the Southwest including the lonely highway from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Munchie swore they were just in a convenience store that seemed a location from The House of a 1,000 Corpses. Please excuse me if I attribute a quote to the wrong member since the conversation moved fast and furious.
The outrageous series wasn’t always on MavTV. Clementine explained, “We had a really fun run on Fuse. We got a lot of fans. They were like,...
Ouch. The trio called the Party Favors hotline from various parts of the Southwest including the lonely highway from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Munchie swore they were just in a convenience store that seemed a location from The House of a 1,000 Corpses. Please excuse me if I attribute a quote to the wrong member since the conversation moved fast and furious.
The outrageous series wasn’t always on MavTV. Clementine explained, “We had a really fun run on Fuse. We got a lot of fans. They were like,...
- 3/4/2010
- by UncaScroogeMcD
It's funny how shows you didn't think would ever be released are suddenly released on DVD. Case in point: Matt Houston, the series from the early '80s that starred Lee Horsley as a Texas-born private eye. Yes, his last name was Houston and he was born in Texas. It's always great when your last name is also the name of a city in your state. Maybe the show didn't trust viewers enough to know that even though he lives in Los Angeles He's A Cowboy.
TVShowsOnDVD is reporting that the show is going to come out on DVD some time in 2010.
Continue reading Matt Houston might be coming to DVD next year
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, TV on DVD, Reality-Free
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TVShowsOnDVD is reporting that the show is going to come out on DVD some time in 2010.
Continue reading Matt Houston might be coming to DVD next year
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, TV on DVD, Reality-Free
Permalink | Email this | | Comments...
- 12/2/2009
- by Bob Sassone
- Aol TV.
Aaron Spelling dies at age 83; built TV dynasty
Aaron Spelling, a onetime movie bit player who created a massive number of hit series, from the vintage Charlie's Angels and Dynasty to Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place, died Friday, his publicist said. He was 83. Spelling died at his home in Los Angeles after suffering a stroke June 18, according to publicist Kevin Sasaki. Spelling's other hit series included The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Burke's Law, The Mod Squad, Starsky and Hutch, T.J. Hooker, Matt Houston, Hart to Hart and Hotel. He kept his hand in 21st-century TV with series including 7th Heaven and Summerland. He also produced more than 140 television movies. Among the most notable: Death Sentence (1974), Nick Nolte's first starring role; The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976), John Travolta's first dramatic role; and The Best Little Girl in the World (1981), which starred Jennifer Jason Leigh.
- 6/24/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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