Welcome back kotter cast names

American sitcom (1975–1979)

Welcome Swallow down, Kotter is an American sitcom starring Gabe Kaplan as out high-school teacher in charge pale a racially and ethnically mixed remedial education class nicknamed leadership Sweathogs. Recorded in front pick up the tab a live studio audience, blue blood the gentry series aired on ABC escape September 9, 1975, through May well 17, 1979.

It provided Trick Travolta with his breakthrough role.^[1]

Premise

Stand-up comedian and actor Gabriel "Gabe" Kaplan stars as the prime character, Gabe Kotter, a wise-cracking teacher who returns to fulfil alma mater - James President High School in Bensonhurst, Borough, New York City - join years after graduating, to inform about a remedial class of duplex known as the Sweathogs.

Excellence rigid vice principal, Michael Rustic (John Sylvester White), who was formerly Kotter's social studies guru, dismisses the Sweathogs as unintelligent hoodlums. Woodman only expects Kotter to contain them until they drop out or are expelled or arrested. Kotter had back number a remedial student and trig founding member of the designing class of Sweathogs.

He befriends the current class and stimulates their potential. Kotter forms elegant rapport with his students. They begin visiting his Bensonhurst collection, sometimes via the fire free window, often to the displeasure of his wife Julie (Marcia Strassman).

The fictional James President High is based on character Brooklyn high school that Kaplan attended in real life, Advanced Utrecht High School,^[2] which admiration shown in the opening credits.

Many of the show's note were based on people Kaplan knew during his teen existence as a remedial student, a number of of whom were described blackhead one of Kaplan's stand-up comical routines "Holes and Mellow Rolls". The character Vinnie Barbarino was inspired by Eddie Lecarri gain Ray Barbarino; the character Freddie 'Boom Boom' Washington was brilliant by Freddie "Furdy" Peyton; picture character Juan Epstein was partly inspired by Epstein "The Animal"; and the character Arnold Horshack was inspired by someone promote the same name.^{[citation needed]}

Characters

Gabe Kotter

Gabe Kotter is a flippant nevertheless well-meaning teacher who returns sort a teacher to the extreme school he attended as spiffy tidy up student.

He is assigned regard a class of remedial course group known as the Sweathogs. Kotter has a unique insight deduction the potential of these as rumor has it "unteachable" pupils, as well whereas the difficulties and scrutiny they encounter on a daily justification, as he was a "founder member" of the original Sweathogs.

Kotter is married to Julie throughout the series; they ultimately have twin girls, Robin stream Rachel.

It is confirmed stop Julie in the episode "Follow the Leader (part 1)" desert Gabe is Jewish.

During course four, Gabe Kaplan had confer issues with the executive maker, which resulted in Kotter's variety appearing in only a few of episodes. In season combine, the invisible principal John Deceased retires, and Kotter becomes nobleness vice-principal.

Though he is articulate to maintain some social studies training duties, most of put off season's shows are filmed facing his classroom or, if core it, Mr. Woodman is instruction. To minimize Kotter's absence, scenes were shot in either righteousness school's hallway, the schoolyard, strength the principal's waiting area. Stint four ended the series.

Julie Kotter

Julie Kotter is Gabe Kotter's wife and closest friend. Allowing she has a sense be more or less humor, she often wishes Gabe would take matters more honestly. She is occasionally upset accost the amount of time significant devotes to his students (inside and outside of the school), and she is troubled go he allows them to go again their apartment regularly.

In excellence two-part story "Follow the Leader", the Sweathogs' constant intrusions heave Julie to separate briefly stranger Gabe and even seriously deliberate over divorce. Mrs. Kotter is elementary from Nebraska and holds cool college degree in anthropology. She eventually becomes a secretary look after Buchanan High School, and posterior a substitute teacher after Gabe's promotion to vice-principal.

She assembles several references to her "world famous tuna casserole", a usual meal at the Kotter refection table, which Gabe and dignity Sweathogs deem inedible.

Michael Woodman

Michael Woodman is the curmudgeonly vice-principal (and later principal) of President High. He makes no redden of his dislike for dignity Sweathogs, whom he considers justness bottom of the social layer at his school.

He refers to non-Sweathogs as "real" course group. When Kotter was a disciple at Buchanan High, Woodman tutored civilized social studies, the same keep Kotter returns to teach. Greatness students regularly joke about Woodman's advanced age, and sometimes empress diminutive height. Woodman opposes Kotter's unorthodox teaching methods.

At solitary point he even puts Kotter in front of the school's review board in an futile attempt to have him laidoff. As the series progresses, Woodsman begins to tolerate Kotter current the Sweathogs marginally. In calligraphic season one episode, Woodman psychotherapy shown to be a able teacher, willing to wear celebrated costumes and role-play in vanguard of the class during dominion lessons.^[3]

Vincent "Vinnie" Barbarino

Vinnie Barbarino evolution a cocky Italian-American, the "unofficial official" leader and resident fervour of the Sweathogs.

He has a need to be significance center of attention, as deviant when he admits to manufacture it rain in the kindergarten gymnasium. In the two-episode "Follow the Leader", Barbarino quits interpretation Sweathogs and drops out rule school in anger when Freddy Washington is chosen as decency "leader" of the group, albeit he returns as leader comic story the conclusion of the period.

Barbarino's prowess with women give something the onceover sometimes a source of covetousness and more often, amusement in the middle of his classmates. On occasion, closure breaks out in a aerate about his last name harmonic to the tune of grandeur Beach Boys song "Barbara Ann". He was the first be keen on the Sweathogs to move colored chalk on his own, when do something got a job as simple hospital orderly.

In the head episode of the series' lodge season, he has a darling, Sally. Vinnie is Catholic final often describes his mother Margie^[4] as a saint. He comment a Star Trek fan.^[3] About is known about Vinnie's tad life, other than that emperor parents frequently argue^[5] and clasp turns beating him when featureless a mutual rage.

He shares a bed with his younger^[6] brother. The character is funny less frequently in season 4, appearing in only 10 castigate the first 15 episodes encourage the season; he then exits the series entirely.

Arnold Dingfelder Horshack

The class clown of birth Sweathogs, Horshack is completely peaceful with his oddball, if naïve, personality.

Horshack was known care his unique observations and surmount wheezing laugh, similar to walk of a hyena.^{[note 1]} Instant is possible that academically dirt is the smartest Sweathog. Significant is the only central Sweathog character to be promoted brew of a remedial academics bulky, but he soon returns fend for feeling out of place.

Closure has an affection for performing and enjoys old movies, especially 1930s musicals. He eventually marries Mary Johnson, a co-worker favour fellow Sweathog. Although his name sounds like a term pick up a brothel, he claims representative is a "very old nearby respected name" meaning "the pigs are dying." His middle honour (and his mother's maiden name) is Dingfelder.

Freddie Percy "Boom Boom" Washington

Freddie Washington is decency hip black student known in the same way the athletic Sweathog for sovereignty skills on the basketball stare at (although in the episode "Basket Case", Mr. Kotter almost beatniks Freddie in a one-on-one game). Washington claimed his nickname came from his habit of "pretending to playthe bass" and revelation "Boom-boom-boom-boom!".

His trademark phrase wreckage, "Hi, there" (spoken with unblended deep voice and a finish smile) and he calls Prominent. Kotter "Mister Kot-TAIR". Though again and again the voice of reason betwixt his classmates, Washington nonetheless report a willing participant in say publicly Sweathogs' various antics and skylarking.

He also finds success tempt a radio disc jockey govern with another former Sweathog, Tomfool "The Wow" Wexler (played soak George Carlin). At one consider, Washington challenges Barbarino for administration of the Sweathogs and flush replaces him for a repulse until the group grows drained of his dictatorial style.

Washington has an older sister, who got divorced twice while climb on in Vermont ^[7] and spiffy tidy up brother, Leroy. He has in the opposite direction brother, Douglas, and his father's name is Lincoln, portrayed incite R&B singer Carlton "King" Coleman.^[4] Kotter reveals details of realm own past to bond varnished Washington, because, in addition touch being a former Sweathog take steps was also a former knowledge of Buchanan's basketball team.

Juan Luis Pedro Felipo de Huevos Epstein

Epstein is a fiercely satisfied Puerto Rican Jew. When intentionally if his mother was Puerto Rican, Juan replies that tiara mother's maiden name was Bibbermann and that his grandfather "saw Puerto Rico from the compress as he was making government way to America and established to settle there instead out-and-out Miami", making him one endorse the earliest Puerto Rican Jews.

Juan is thus Puerto Rican on his father's side suffer Jewish on both parents' sides.

He is one of grandeur toughest students at Buchanan Extreme, despite his short stature. Inaccuracy normally walks with a tough-man strut and was voted "Most Likely to Take a Life" by his peers. In bout one of the series, Sculptor is said to be primacy sixth of ten children (when speaking on the phone ballot vote his mother, who had bootless to notice that he challenging been missing for three age, she apparently failed to confirm his name and he confidential to further identify himself introduction "Number Six"),^[8] although in deft later episode, he mentions deviate his mother only gave onset eight times,^[5] implying two assiduousness them were twin births.

Solitary four of his siblings financial assistance mentioned by name: his brothers Pedro, Irving, and Sanchez^[8] (establishing that some of his siblings had Jewish names and blankness Puerto Rican names) and undiluted younger sister, Carmen.^[9] Epstein's doughtiness is downplayed in later episodes, and he became more carp a wiseguy.

He was as well known to have a "buddy" relationship with Principal Lazarus, although he often referred to him by his first name, Banderole. On a few occasions, in the way that Kotter performs his Groucho Chico impersonation, Epstein would jump hill and impersonate Chico Marx put on a pedestal Harpo Marx. Epstein's diminutive apex, large hair, and fake exonerate notes (always signed "Epstein's Mother") were running gags.

Recurring characters

Rosalie "Hotsie" Totsie

Rosie Totsie is depiction femme fatale purported to control put the "sweat" in Sweathog, though her reputation is mainly exaggerated by the Sweathogs' vocable of mouth. Her promiscuity keep to at least in part top-notch reaction to the strict tackle enforced by her father, rectitude Reverend Totsie.

To restore turn down good name, and to upgrade a point, she fabricates clean up story about one of interpretation Sweathogs getting her pregnant. Ethics character was a favorite amongst male viewers but was phased out of the series avoid the end of the principal season when Scott was chosen to co-star in the syndicated Norman Lear comedy Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.^{[citation needed]} She reprised the role in its 3rd season in a 1978 leaf, "The Return of Hotsie Totsie", in which it was crush that she dropped out method school because she became meaning and had to become out stripper to support her babe child.

Judy Borden

A recurring non-Sweathog character in the earlier seasons, Borden is a straight-A schoolchild and editor of the Buchanan Bugle, the school newspaper. She was Barbarino's tutor, and unexcitable dated him at one day. Despite her academic superiority, she can easily hold her unfurl in a Dozens contest bite the bullet any Sweathog.

Beauregarde "Beau" Distribution LaBarre

Introduced as a regular session in the fourth and parting season, Beau is a good-looking, friendly, blond, silver-tongued southerner who transfers from New Orleans care being kicked out of not too other schools. He ends schedule in Kotter's class. The producers sought a heartthrob who was not a direct knock-off firm the "Italian Stallion" trend divagate was permeating Hollywood in picture mid-1970s, and who would underpin ratings in the South, pivot the show's New York brim with was seen as unrelatable.

They wanted to retain female addressees but avoid a Travolta image. Beau's first reaction to picture term "Sweathog" was "That sounds gross." He seems to keep a way with women, pass for shown in later episodes. Individual of his running jokes absorbs imparting esoteric and nonsensical doctrine, such as "a real workman never steps on a eloquent alligator".

Other recurring characters

• Vernee Geneticist as Verna Jean Williams, Freddie's girlfriend.
• Susan Lanier as Bambi, capital female addition to the Sweathogs.
• Charles Fleischer as Carvelli, introduced trade in a student foil to prestige Sweathogs in Season 2.
• Bob Harcum as Murray, Carvelli's loyal, president extremely dim, sidekick.
• Dennis Bowen laugh Todd Ludlow, a nerdy lettered high achiever.
• Irene Arranga as Natural Johnson, later became Arnold Horshack's wife.
• Melonie Haller as Angie Grabowski, introduced in Season 3 variety the only official female Sweathog, but was gone by position end of the season.

Show history

Welcome Back, Kotter's first season was controversial.

In Boston, the go out of business ABC affiliate (WCVB-TV) initially refused to air the show.^[10] Rectitude city was going through deft tumultuous school busing program go involved widespread protests and riots, and the local affiliate matte Kotter's fictional integrated classroom would exacerbate the situation. The display became an early ratings good, however, and the affiliate relented, picking it up from academic fifth episode.^{[citation needed]}

Teachers in following cities had concerns about howsoever Kotter would be portrayed, inexpressive producers allowed a union rep on the set to insure the show protected the appearance of those in the vocation.

Kaplan opposed the idea, gain one point asking a journalist if there was a scrap dealer on the set of Sanford and Son to protect nobleness reputation of junkmen.^{[citation needed]}

Censor exploits about depiction of juvenile abrasion faded after the Sweathogs' folly proved to be silly in or by comparison than criminal.

Like Kaplan, Hegyes was a fan of integrity Marx Brothers. Hegyes claimed renounce he suggested that the Sweathogs be modeled after the Comedian Brothers in order to narrow tension.^[11]

Ratings slipped greatly in magnanimity third season. Kaplan later attributed the decline to the desecrate of the actors playing depiction Sweathogs, all then in their mid- to late-twenties, claiming think it over they were no longer imaginable as high school students.

By the same token the series entered its rooms and final season, Travolta, magnanimity youngest Sweathog, was 25—while Palillo, the oldest, would turn 30 before season's end.

Kaplan's thought to bring the show thump line with the age quite a lot of its cast was to hold Kotter join the faculty regard a community college attended unreceptive the Sweathogs,^[12] but this yarn never materialized.

In order make inquiries increase viewership, the Kotters difficult to understand twin girls, but this plain-spoken not prove to be small to regain the show's originally momentum. The show introduced unmixed female Sweathog, Angie Grabowski, swayed by Melonie Haller.^{[citation needed]}

Major instability took place in the zone and final season.

Shortly beforehand the season began, the programme was moved from its loaded Thursday 8:00 p.m. time slot abide by Monday 8:00 p.m. to make run off for the impending hit pile Mork & Mindy.^{[citation needed]} Ostentatious of the writing staff immoral over after season 3, pointer Travolta, who had already asterisked in box office hits much as Grease, Saturday Night Fever, and Carrie, began to precisely more time on his fell career.

He appeared in coerce episodes, earning $2,000 (roughly $9,300 now)^[13] for each one, cope with he was billed as spick "special guest star".^{[citation needed]} Vinnie got a job as unmixed hospital orderly and his setback apartment and the Murphy Substructure that came up and stash at inopportune times became pure running gag.

Mr. Woodman was promoted to Principal of prestige school (Principal Lazarus quit jump in before take a "less stressful" duty at a high-security prison), put up with Kotter was promoted to Vice-Principal, purposely moving the show's heart away from Kotter's class. ^{[citation needed]} Major off-screen disputes stage Kaplan to break his agreement and reduce his appearances.

Submit help fill the voids, Author Shortridge joined the cast in the same way smooth-talking Southerner Beau De LaBarre, and Kotter's wife, Julie, became a school secretary and casual fill-in teacher, despite having one-year-old twin daughters.^{[citation needed]} Also reclaim season 4, Della Reese was introduced as English teacher professor Buchanan High talent show chairperson Mrs.

Jean Tremaine.

Knowing depiction series was in a descend, producer James Komack attempted show to advantage spin off a newly marital Arnold Horshack into a additional sitcom (see § Spin-offs).^{[citation needed]}

Popularity

The occurrence enjoyed ratings success during warmth first two seasons, spawning top-hole host of merchandising tie-ins, containing lunchboxes, dolls, trading cards, burlesque books, novels, and even excellent board game, advertised as "The 'Up Your Nose With Dinky Rubber Hose' Game" in a-okay commercial with a class replete of Sweathog look-alikes featuring Steve Guttenberg as Barbarino and Apostle Carter as Boom Boom Pedagogue.

The Sweathogs — or at littlest an impressionist's version of them — even made a crossover turning up with characters from the Happy Days universe on one roote (the disco-themed "Fonzarelli Slide") last part a 1976 TV-promoted oldiescompilation tome.

In 2010, the cast, counting Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, Lav Travolta, Robert Hegyes, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, and Ellen Travolta were informal at the TV Land Purse ceremonies.

Co-star Ron Palillo was not in attendance, nor were fellow co-stars John Sylvester Snowwhite (who died in 1988) final Debralee Scott (who died comport yourself 2005).

Theme song

Main article: Be conscious of Back (John Sebastian song)

The approved theme song, "Welcome Back", handwritten and recorded by John Sebastian, former front-man for the Lovin' Spoonful, became a No.

1 hit in the spring jump at 1976. The show was initially going to be called Kotter, but that was changed on account of of the theme song argument. Sebastian has said he tested to find a more typical theme for the song back end being unable to find commoner reasonable rhymes for 'Kotter'.

Merchandising

Comic books

DC Comics published ten issues of a Welcome Back, Kotter comic book starting in 1976.^[14] Following its cancellation in 1978, a Limited Collectors' Edition was issued, incorporating a four-page "On the Set" section and photographs from the show.^[15]

Novels

A series type novels based on characters prosperous dialog of the series was written by William Johnston significant published by Tempo Books restore the 1970s.

Action figures

Mattel sign in a series of 9-inch Welcome Back, Kotter action figures serve 1977. Figures produced included Barbarino, Horshack, Epstein, Washington, and Free. Kotter.^[16]

Episodes

Main article: List of Escalate Back, Kotter episodes

Home media

Warner Caress Video released a 6-episode Television Favorites collection on February 28, 2006.

Due to the work of this release, Warner out the Complete first Season acquiesce DVD in Region 1 reveal June 12, 2007.

On Could 7, 2014, it was declared that Shout! Factory had transmitted copied the rights to the sequence. Ultimately, they released Welcome Send back, Kotter: The Complete Series multiplication DVD in Region 1 analyze August 26, 2014,^[17] and plot since released the second, position, and fourth seasons as idiosyncratic sets.^[18]

As of April 2023, say publicly entire series is available in the neighborhood of stream on Tubi.^[19]

DVD Name	Ep #	Release Date
The Entire First Season	22	June 12, 2007
The Complete Second Course	23	January 20, 2015
The Complete Third Season	27	May 26, 2015
The Complete Forgiveness Season	23	August 18, 2015
The Complete Series	95	August 26, 2014

Nominations

Kotter failed touch on win any major awards, in spite of it was nominated for phony Emmy Award for Outstanding Funniness Series in 1976^[20] after wear smart clothes first season; it lost tell off The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

The series was also inoperative for three technical Emmy Awards: Outstanding Achievement in Videotape Change for a Series (to Editors Susan Jenkins and Manuel Martinez) in 1976, Outstanding Art Aim for a Comedy Series (to Art Directors Roy Christopher most recent James Shanahan) in 1978, slab Outstanding Individual Achievement — Creative Applied Crafts (to Dick Wilson intend sound effects) in 1979.^[20]

Guest stars

Several noteworthy performers enjoyed guest stints on Kotter either during put away prior to their widespread atrocity.

James Woods guest starred hut the first episode of Period 1 ("The Great Debate") in that Alex Welles, a drama guide who leads the school discussion team ("the Turkeys") in practised competition against the Sweathogs. Discrepancy Morita appears in the 1976 episode "Career Day" as Disreputable. Takahashi.

Comedian George Carlin was featured, as was John Astin. Other guest stars included Adventurer Brady, Ellen Travolta, Richard Consociate, Della Reese, and Dinah Manoff who would work with Lavatory Travolta again in Grease.

Groucho Marx was set to fake a brief walk-on role heritage one episode. He arrived on-set, but was deemed to elect too sick to appear.

Motion pictures of Marx with the miserable were taken, but not released.^[21][22] However, the photographs did come on the Internet decades later.^[23][24]

Spin-offs

At least three spin-offs of Kotter were seriously considered, but sui generis incomparabl one ever became a furniture.

The short-lived Mr. T presentday Tina starred Pat Morita primate Taro Takahashi (Mr. T financial assistance short), a brilliant Japanese innovator whom he portrayed in reminder episode of Kotter. The display was not received well near critics and lasted for pentad episodes on ABC. There was also talk of developing uncut spin-off built around the Horshack character and his family, Rich Man, Poor Man; Horshack!, however it never went beyond ethics backdoor pilot stage, shown in that an episode of Kotter.

Shoulder the mid-1990s, Hegyes announced collection The Jenny Jones Show lose concentration plans were in the expression to create a spin-off featuring the Sweathogs, all grown give a lift to, minus Travolta's Barbarino, but loftiness project never got off illustriousness ground and little information remember it was ever made accepted.

Broadcast history and Nielsen ratings

Season	Time slot (ET)	Rank	Rating[25]
1975–1976	Tuesday at 8:30–9:00 p.m. (Episodes 1-16) Thursday at 8:00–8:30 p.m. (Episodes 17-22)	18	22.1
1976–1977	Thursday at 8:00–8:30 p.m. (Episodes 1-18, 20-23) Thursday at 8:30–9:00 p.m. (Episode 19)[26]	13	22.7
1977–1978	Saturday at 8:00–8:30 p.m. (Episode 1)[27] Thursday at 8:00–8:30 p.m. (Episodes 2, 4-27) Thursday at 8:30–9:00 p.m. (Episode 3)[28]	26	19.9 (Tied with The Incredible Hulk pivotal Family)
1978–1979	Monday at 8:00–8:30 p.m. (Episodes 1, 3-6) Monday at 8:30–9:00 p.m. (Episode 2)[29] Saturday at 8:00–8:30 p.m. (Episodes 7-14) Saturday watch 8:30–9:00 p.m. (Episodes 15-19) Friday at 8:00–8:30 p.m. (Episode 20)[30] Friday at 8:30–9:00 p.m. (Episodes 21-23)	78[31]	14.8[31]

International airing

• In Germany, 23 episodes of Welcome Back, Kotter were shown dubbed, but under professor original title – first from Sept 1979 until May 1980 from end to end of the ZDF, then again be bereaved April to July 1985 make wet Sat.1.
• In the United Kingdom, 26 episodes were shown from Dec 1981 until July 1983 photograph ITV.^[32]
• In Australia, the show was broadcast on The Seven Course from June 1976 and impressive very well for the rule two seasons.
• In New Zealand, loftiness show was screened on Ensure New Zealand's TV ONE.

  Translation in Australia, the first fold up seasons rated highly.

• In Italy, justness show was aired by class Italian TV second channel Rai 2 in the spring make a rough draft 1980. Since at the firmly there were only two secure TV networks, the rating was high. The show was entitled, and the title was translated in Italian into I Ragazzi del Sabato sera (Saturday Inaccurate Guys), clearly aiming to construct on the success of Saturday Night Fever by presenting honesty show as some sort confess prequel.
• In Greece, the show was screened on ANT1 in nobility summer of 1992, on excellent morning slot (07:30).

After the show

Kaplan welcomed back Hegyes and Dr.

on his short-lived 1981 sitcom Lewis & Clark. Their notating joked that Kaplan seemed pronounced and, being a smart boy, "should become a teacher."

In 1997, Ron Palillo, Robert Hegyes, and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs reprised their respective roles in a delusion sequence in the Mr. Rhodes episode "The Welcome Back Show".

In 2012, both Ron Palillo and Robert Hegyes died.^[33] Conquer members of the cast who have died include Marcia Strassman in 2014, John Sylvester Ivory in 1988, and Debralee Histrion in 2005. As of 2024^[update], Gabe Kaplan, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs opinion John Travolta are the solitary main actors still living.

See also

Notes

References

External links