Sophia Michaels
John Capodice, a cherished character actor, passed away on December 30, 2024, at the age of 83, with details surrounding his death remaining undisclosed. Throughout his extensive career in film and television, Capodice became a familiar face, often prompting audiences to exclaim, “I’ve seen that guy before.” His portrayal of the laundromat owner in the “Seinfeld” episode “The Revenge” will be especially remembered by fans of the iconic show. Others may recall his memorable performance alongside Jim Carrey in “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.”
Capodice detailed his actor journey in a 2020 YouTube documentary, stating, “I never kind of had this vision of, I got struck by a thunderbolt that I wanted to be an actor.” His career kicked off with a minor role in the 1978 film “Rush It,” after which he secured a brief stint on the soap opera “Ryan’s Hope.” His talent led to a steady stream of roles in popular films like “Speed,” “Jacob’s Ladder,” and “Independence Day,” and appearances in shows such as “General Hospital” and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”
Reflections on Life and Career
Beyond his film and television roles, an obituary on the Pizzi Funeral Home website shares that Capodice is survived by his wife, Jane, and their daughters, Tess De Pierro and Cassandra Hansen, along with four grandchildren. Born in Chicago in 1941, he spent time living in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Blauvelt, New York. Additionally, Capodice served in the U.S. Army in Korea between 1964 and 1966, and was a proud member of the Blauvelt Sons of Italy, a fraternal organization for Italian Americans.
Reflecting on his journey, he mentioned in the documentary, “I got to do something that I had no idea what I wanted to do in life. I was lost, swimming, nowhere to go, nothing to do, and no direction, and at 25, I found something that meant something to me. And that was a blessing.” Unlike some of his peers from “Seinfeld,” Capodice led a quiet life, and he humorously concluded his documentary by saying, “Hey, you see this face but you don’t know the name, right? Yeah. John Capodice, and I’m that guy.”
