Jackie Aprile Sr.

Giacomo Michael "Jackie" Aprile Sr., played by Michael Rispoli, is a fictional character on the HBO original series The Sopranos. He was the first acting boss of the DiMeo Crime Family, after longtime reputed boss Ercole 'Eckley' DiMeo was sent to prison in 1995. He is based on DeCavalcante crime family acting mob boss Giacomo "Jake" Amari.

Plot details

According to Sopranos; A Family History, Giacomo Michael Aprile Sr. was born in 1955, was a close friend and contemporary of Tony Soprano and they came up through the ranks of the DiMeo Crime Family together. Jackie's older brother, Richie Aprile, also stepped up in the same crime family. Jackie was also the brother of Liz La Cerva and thus the uncle of Adriana La Cerva. Jackie and Tony, along with Silvio Dante and Ralph Cifaretto, were in their own small crew when they were younger moving weed and stolen goods. Around this time, Jackie had the idea to rob a card game held by capo Feech La Manna in order to make a name for themselves. After Jackie and Tony robbed the game, their brother and father respectively, intervened and returned some of the stolen money. Despite the robbery, both Tony and Jackie became rising stars in the crime family and were on the fast track to being made men.

Jackie's star rose considerably in the intervening years, during which he started a family. He married Rosalie Aprile, and they had three children together. Jackie never wanted his son Jackie Aprile Jr. to get involved in the Mafia, despite his success. At some point Jackie served time in prison in Lewisberg with the later identified informant Fabian "Febby" Petrullio. Tony said that Jackie did 'a couple of counts' in jail, suggesting that although he served prison time, he avoided any long sentences. In 1990, Jackie became acting capo of the Aprile Crew following the imprisonment of his older brother. By the mid-1990s his influence, power and success continued to expand and he assumed the role of acting boss while Ercole 'Eckley' DiMeo went on trial and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison in 1995.^[1] He was considered an all-powerful figure in the crime family and was liked and respected by all his peers. Although Jackie ran the family, he never took the official boss title from DiMeo. His ascension to the top of the crime family greatly aggrieved Corrado "Junior" Soprano, who with his rank and seniority felt he was in line to become boss. Junior sometimes resented having to take orders from Aprile, who used to fetch Junior sambucas.

However, Jackie's reign was short lived. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer and hospitalized in late 1998 and by early 1999 (season one) was clearly fading fast. Tony started assuming many of Jackie's responsibilities as a result. For a brief time in early 1999, Jackie's condition improved and he was out on the streets again. In "46 Long" Jackie mediated a dispute between Tony and Junior. However, the cancer had recurred and by "Denial, Anger, Acceptance" he was admitted to hospital and his men often come to pay their respects. Jackie died of cancer in July 1999 leaving a power vacuum behind within the crime family. A war between Junior Soprano and Tony Soprano was anticipated, but immediately following Jackie's death, Tony met with his uncle and Junior became boss. However, Tony began running the family behind Junior's back with the support of the other family capos. This ruse is made easier since Junior had no idea how much money they were kicking up to Jackie.

Appearances

• Appears in: "46 Long", "Denial, Anger, Acceptance", "Meadowlands", "…To Save Us All from Satan's Power"

References

1. ↑ A news reporter who reported the news of his death mistakenly reported that Jackie had become boss in 1997, though the events of ...To Save Us All From Satan's Power show that he had gained power in 1995.