John Capodice, 1941 – 2024

John Capodice, one of those “oh, him!” character actors, died on Dec. 30. He was 83. The big, tough-guy-looking Capodice started his career onstage, off- and on-Broadway (Requiem for a Heavyweight, Getting Out). From 1978 till last year (2024!), Capodice appeared in more than 100 movies and TV shows, usually in brief but colorful roles: Ryan’s Hope, Wall Street, Kate and Allie, Spike of Bensonhurst, Moonlighting, Murphy Brown (as an interview subject who drops dead), Knots Landing, The Doors, L.A. Law, Speed, General Hospital, Will & Grace (as a repairman who drops dead), The West Wing, Monk. He also paid the rent with TV commercials: notably Dimetapp and Polly-O String Cheese.