Joe Epperson was behind the camera for hundreds of episodes of family sitcoms watched by millions of Americans.
In a career that spanned nearly 40 years, he was the camera operator for shows including “All in the Family,” “The Jeffersons“ and “Full House” as well as “The Tonight Show.”
Epperson, a New Jersey native, died June 28 of cardiac arrest in Middleburg Heights, Ohio following complications after his appendix burst in April, per The Hollywood Reporter. He was 80.
The longtime camera operator and three-time Emmy nominee was born in Camden and grew up in Ohio.
Epperson worked on two CBS shows that forever changed the TV landscape.
He was behind the camera for 86 episodes of Norman Lear’s “All in the Family” in the ’70s and 111 episodes of its spinoff “The Jeffersons” in the late ’70s and early ’80s.
Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford starred in “The Jeffersons.”CBS
He also boarded ABC’s “Webster” before filming the entire eight-season run of the network’s hit “TGIF” series “Full House” from 1987 to 1995.
Epperson joined “The Tonight Show” after Jay Leno took over as host in 1992, spending 15 years with the late-night show.
In 1995, Epperson won a lifetime achievement award from the Society of Camera Operators, a group he got involved with when it was founded in 1979.
Epperson’s other career highlights include filming “The Pee-wee Herman Show” for HBO in 1981. The popular West Hollywood stage show starred Paul Reubens and spawned the Pee-wee Herman movies and “Pee-wee’s Playhouse.”
He also filmed TV specials starring musical greats like Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Liza Minnelli, Michael Jackson, Paul Simon, The Rolling Stones, Hall & Oates and Elton John.
“Full House” was a staple of ABC’s “TGIF” lineup.ABC
His concert special credits include “Whitney Houston: The Concert for a New South Africa” in 1994, which was also released in theaters in 2024.
Epperson’s last job was the documentary “Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me,” released in 2014, which followed Campbell’s goodbye tour and Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Epperson was nominated for his first Emmy in 1982 for outstanding technical direction and electronic camerawork for the 1981 TV special “Rod Stewart: Tonight He’s Yours.”
He received his second nomination the next year for “Sheena Easton … Act One.” His third was in 2000 for “Cher: Live in Concert from Las Vegas.”
Epperson is survived by Patty Epperson, his wife since 1966, daughters Amanda and Rebecca and four grandchildren.
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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at [email protected] and followed at @AmyKup on Twitter/X, @amykup.bsky.social on Bluesky and @kupamy on Instagram and Threads.