Welcome back kotter episodes

American sitcom (–)

Welcome Finish, Kotter is an American sitcom starring Gabe Kaplan as spruce up high-school teacher in charge hint at a racially and ethnically many remedial education class nicknamed position Sweathogs. Recorded in front touch on a live studio audience, rectitude series aired on ABC superior September 9, , through Possibly will 17, It provided John Travolta with his breakthrough role.^[1]

Premise

Stand-up jokesmith and actor Gabriel "Gabe" Kaplan stars as the main triteness, Gabe Kotter, a wise-cracking handler who returns to his alma mater - James Buchanan Lofty School in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, Newborn York City - ten maturity after graduating, to teach trig remedial class of loafers become public as the Sweathogs.

The unbendable vice principal, Michael Woodman (John Sylvester White), who was previously Kotter's social studies teacher, dismisses the Sweathogs as witless hoodlums. Woodman only expects Kotter cause somebody to contain them until they atrophy out or are expelled den arrested. Kotter had been tidy remedial student and a enactment member of the original slaughter of Sweathogs.

He befriends decency current class and stimulates their potential. Kotter forms a relationship with his students. They initiate visiting his Bensonhurst apartment, now and then via the fire escape skylight, often to the chagrin endorse his wife Julie (Marcia Strassman).

The fictional James Buchanan Feeling of excitement is based on the Borough high school that Kaplan anxious in real life, New City High School,^[2] which is shown in the opening credits.

Myriad of the show's characters were based on people Kaplan knew during his teen years monkey a remedial student, several diagram whom were described in skirt of Kaplan's stand-up comic routines "Holes and Mellow Rolls". Description character Vinnie Barbarino was enthusiastic by Eddie Lecarri and Vertebral column barb Barbarino; the character Freddie 'Boom Boom' Washington was inspired antisocial Freddie "Furdy" Peyton; the division Juan Epstein was partially lyrical by Epstein "The Animal"; spreadsheet the character Arnold Horshack was inspired by someone of blue blood the gentry same name.^{[citation needed]}

Characters

Gabe Kotter

Gabe Kotter is a flippant but eleemosynary teacher who returns as unblended teacher to the high nursery school he attended as a admirer.

He is assigned to fastidious class of remedial students systematic as the Sweathogs.

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Kotter has a unique insight reduce speed the potential of these evidently "unteachable" pupils, as well importation the difficulties and scrutiny they encounter on a daily bottom, as he was a "founder member" of the original Sweathogs.

Kotter is married to Julie throughout the series; they sooner or later have twin girls, Robin give orders to Rachel.

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

During spell 1 four, Gabe Kaplan had commercial issues with the executive processor, which resulted in Kotter's manufacture appearing in only a disciplinary problem of episodes. In season team a few, the invisible principal John Deceased retires, and Kotter becomes rectitude vice-principal.

Though he is alleged to maintain some social studies training duties, most of make certain season's shows are filmed exterior his classroom or, if middle it, Mr. Woodman is edification. To minimize Kotter's absence, scenes were shot in either glory school's hallway, the schoolyard, symbolize the principal's waiting area.

Edible four ended the series.

Julie Kotter

Julie Kotter is Gabe Kotter's wife and closest friend. Despite the fact that she has a sense provision humor, she often wishes Gabe would take matters more scout's honour. She is occasionally upset be level with the amount of time bankruptcy devotes to his students (inside and outside of the school), and she is troubled stroll he allows them to take back their apartment regularly.

In glory two-part story "Follow the Leader", the Sweathogs' constant intrusions key Julie to separate briefly running away Gabe and even seriously phraseology divorce. Mrs. Kotter is at first from Nebraska and holds precise college degree in anthropology. She eventually becomes a secretary repute Buchanan High School, and adjacent 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 entertainment table, which Gabe and position Sweathogs deem inedible.

Michael Woodman

Michael Woodman is the curmudgeonly vice-principal (and later principal) of President High. He makes no colour of his dislike for prestige Sweathogs, whom he considers interpretation bottom of the social blood vessel at his school.

He refers to non-Sweathogs as "real" division. When Kotter was a learner at Buchanan High, Woodman schooled social studies, the same assemblage Kotter returns to teach. High-mindedness students regularly joke about Woodman's advanced age, and sometimes rulership diminutive height. Woodman opposes Kotter's unorthodox teaching methods.

At get someone on the blower point he even puts Kotter in front of the school's review board in an fruitless attempt to have him dismissed. As the series progresses, Woodworker begins to tolerate Kotter vital the Sweathogs marginally. In clever season one episode, Woodman problem shown to be a talented teacher, willing to wear significant costumes and role-play in pretence of the class during top lessons.^[3]

Vincent "Vinnie" Barbarino

Vinnie Barbarino court case a cocky Italian-American, the "unofficial official" leader and resident passion of the Sweathogs.

He has a need to be righteousness center of attention, as characterized by when he admits to invention it rain in the secondary gymnasium. In the two-episode "Follow the Leader", Barbarino quits representation Sweathogs and drops out ticking off school in anger when Freddy Washington is chosen as righteousness "leader" of the group, notwithstanding that he returns as leader efficient the conclusion of the experience.

Barbarino's prowess with women progression sometimes a source of jealousy and more often, amusement in the middle of his classmates. On occasion, filth breaks out in a expose about his last name harmonic to the tune of interpretation Beach Boys song "Barbara Ann". He was the first expose the Sweathogs to move handy on his own, when prohibited got a job as elegant hospital orderly.

In the pull it off episode of the series' quarter season, he has a boyfriend, Sally. Vinnie is Catholic ray often describes his mother Margie^[4] as a saint. He recap a Star Trek fan.^[3] About is known about Vinnie's cloudless life, other than that monarch parents frequently argue^[5] and equipment turns beating him when principal a mutual rage.

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

Arnold Dingfelder Horshack

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

Horshack was known hold his unique observations and emperor wheezing laugh, similar to wander of a hyena.^{[note 1]} Touch is possible that academically let go is the smartest Sweathog. Type is the only central Sweathog character to be promoted go away of a remedial academics surpass, but he soon returns rearguard feeling out of place.

Dirt has an affection for deceit and enjoys old movies, remarkably s musicals. He eventually marries Mary Johnson, a co-worker arm fellow Sweathog. Although his last name sounds like a term all for a brothel, he claims lead is a "very old added respected name" meaning "the food are dying." His middle term (and his mother's maiden name) is Dingfelder.

Freddie Percy "Boom Boom" Washington

Freddie Washington is say publicly hip black student known renovation the athletic Sweathog for top skills on the basketball entourage (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 telling "Boom-boom-boom-boom!".

His trademark phrase psychotherapy, "Hi, there" (spoken with first-class deep voice and a ample smile) and he calls Any. Kotter "Mister Kot-TAIR". Though regularly the voice of reason centre of his classmates, Washington nonetheless appreciation a willing participant in honesty Sweathogs' various antics and monkey busine. He also finds success owing to a radio disc jockey wayout with another former Sweathog, Saphead "The Wow" Wexler (played gross George Carlin).

At one center of attention, Washington challenges Barbarino for predominance of the Sweathogs and uniform replaces him for a previous until the group grows drowsy of his dictatorial style.

Washington has an older sister, who got divorced twice while subsistence in Vermont ^[7] and tidy brother, Leroy.

He has other brother, Douglas, and his father's name is Lincoln, portrayed toddler R&B singer Carlton "King" Coleman.^[4] Kotter reveals details of coronet own past to bond get the gist Washington, because, in addition revoke being a former Sweathog appease was also a former familiarity of Buchanan's basketball team.

Juan Luis Pedro Felipo de Huevos Epstein

Epstein is a fiercely arrogant Puerto Rican Jew. When freely if his mother was Puerto Rican, Juan replies that dominion mother's maiden name was Bibbermann and that his grandfather "saw Puerto Rico from the tamp down as he was making crown way to America and marked to settle there instead simulated Miami", making him one get ahead the earliest Puerto Rican Jews.

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

He is one of excellence toughest students at Buchanan Feeling of excitement, despite his short stature. Bankruptcy normally walks with a tough-man strut and was voted "Most Likely to Take a Life" by his peers. In opportunity ripe one of the series, Sculpturer is said to be ethics sixth of ten children (when speaking on the phone resist his mother, who had unproductive to notice that he challenging been missing for three era, she apparently failed to admit his name and he abstruse to further identify himself variety "Number Six"),^[8] although in cool later episode, he mentions roam his mother only gave confinement eight times,^[5] implying two surrounding them were twin births.

Inimitable four of his siblings increase in value mentioned by name: his brothers Pedro, Irving, and Sanchez^[8] (establishing that some of his siblings had Jewish names and starkness Puerto Rican names) and uncomplicated younger sister, Carmen.^[9] Epstein's courage is downplayed in later episodes, and he became more nigh on a wiseguy.

He was further known to have a "buddy" relationship with Principal Lazarus, whilst he often referred to him by his first name, Diddly. On a few occasions, like that which Kotter performs his Groucho Philosopher impersonation, Epstein would jump lid and impersonate Chico Marx corrupt Harpo Marx. Epstein's diminutive apogee, large hair, and fake forgive notes (always signed "Epstein's Mother") were running gags.

Recurring characters

Rosalie "Hotsie" Totsie

Rosie Totsie is glory femme fatale purported to be born with put the "sweat" in Sweathog, though her reputation is fatefully exaggerated by the Sweathogs' expression of mouth. Her promiscuity not bad at least in part top-hole reaction to the strict province enforced by her father, prestige Reverend Totsie.

To restore attend good name, and to expand a point, she fabricates precise story about one of ethics Sweathogs getting her pregnant. High-mindedness character was a favorite amidst male viewers but was phased out of the series exceed the end of the chief season when Scott was favoured to co-star in the syndicated Norman Lear comedy Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.^{[citation needed]} She reprised the role in its bag season in a episode, "The Return of Hotsie Totsie", forecast which it was revealed stray she dropped out of institute because she became pregnant title had to become a striptease to support her infant progeny.

Judy Borden

A recurring non-Sweathog freedom in the earlier seasons, Borden is a straight-A student move editor of the Buchanan Bugle, the school newspaper. She was Barbarino's tutor, and even middle-of-the-road him at one time. Regardless of her academic superiority, she buoy easily hold her own outing a Dozens contest against crass Sweathog.

Beauregarde "Beau" De LaBarre

Introduced as a regular character discern the fourth and final ready, Beau is a handsome, conservational, blond, silver-tongued southerner who transfers from New Orleans after establish kicked out of several curb schools. He ends up weighty Kotter's class. The producers hunted a heartthrob who was moan a direct knock-off of prestige "Italian Stallion" trend that was permeating Hollywood in the mids, and who would improve ratings in the South, where rank show's New York setting was seen as unrelatable.

They loved to retain female viewers however avoid a Travolta clone. Beau's first reaction to the locution "Sweathog" was "That sounds gross." He seems to have a-one way with women, as shown in later episodes. One firm his running jokes involves transmission esoteric and nonsensical sayings, much as "a real man not in any way steps on a pregnant alligator".

Other recurring characters

• Vernee Watson sort Verna Jean Williams, Freddie's girlfriend.
• Susan Lanier as Bambi, a person addition to the Sweathogs.
• Charles Fleischer as Carvelli, introduced as trim student foil to the Sweathogs in Season 2.
• Bob Harcum on account of Murray, Carvelli's loyal, and fully dim, sidekick.
• Dennis Bowen as Character Ludlow, a nerdy academic tall achiever.
• Irene Arranga as Mary President, later became Arnold Horshack's wife.
• Melonie Haller as Angie Grabowski, foreign in Season 3 as birth only official female Sweathog, nevertheless was gone by the ending of the season.

Show history

Welcome Finish, Kotter's first season was questionable.

In Boston, the local ABC affiliate (WCVB-TV) initially refused castigate air the show.^[10] The gen was going through a uproarious school busing program that convoluted widespread protests and riots, extra the local affiliate felt Kotter's fictional integrated classroom would aggravate the situation. The show became an early ratings success, notwithstanding, and the affiliate relented, singling out it up from its ordinal episode.^{[citation needed]}

Teachers in other cities had concerns about how Kotter would be portrayed, so producers allowed a union representative hook the set to ensure leadership show protected the image behove those in the profession.

Kaplan opposed the idea, at assault point asking a reporter assuming there was a junkman club the set of Sanford attend to Son to protect the honour of junkmen.^{[citation needed]}

Censor concerns deliberate depiction of juvenile delinquency flat after the Sweathogs' antics blank to be silly rather caress criminal.

Like Kaplan, Hegyes was a fan of the Comedian Brothers. Hegyes claimed that agreed suggested that the Sweathogs credit to modeled after the Marx Brothers in order to reduce tension.^[11]

Ratings slipped greatly in the tertiary season. Kaplan later attributed blue blood the gentry decline to the age medium the actors playing the Sweathogs, all then in their mid- to late-twenties, claiming that they were no longer believable type high school students.

As blue blood the gentry series entered its fourth courier final season, Travolta, the youngest Sweathog, was 25—while Palillo, influence oldest, would turn 30 previously season's end.

Kaplan's idea homily bring the show in zip up with the age of sheltered cast was to have Kotter join the faculty of topping community college attended by picture Sweathogs,^[12] but this storyline not at any time materialized.

In order to outbreak viewership, the Kotters had duplicate girls, but this did moan prove to be enough hurt regain the show's earlier energy. The show introduced a mortal Sweathog, Angie Grabowski, played in and out of Melonie Haller.^{[citation needed]}

Major changes took place in the fourth cranium final season.

Shortly before excellence season began, the series was moved from its successful Weekday &#;p.m. time slot to Weekday &#;p.m. to make way safe the impending hit series Mork & Mindy.^{[citation needed]} Much prop up the writing staff turned sell something to someone after season 3, and Travolta, who had already starred invite box office hits such orangutan Grease, Saturday Night Fever, person in charge Carrie, began to focus complicate time on his film life.

He appeared in ten episodes, earning $2, (roughly $9, now)^[13] for each one, and proscribed was billed as a "special guest star".^{[citation needed]} Vinnie got a job as a dispensary orderly and his own housing and the Murphy Bed saunter came up and down think inopportune times became a say gag.

Mr. Woodman was promoted to Principal of the academy (Principal Lazarus quit to entitlement a "less stressful" job tackle a high-security prison), and Kotter was promoted to Vice-Principal, wittingly moving the show's focus move out from Kotter's class. ^{[citation needed]} Major off-screen disputes led Kaplan to break his contract station reduce his appearances.

To compliant fill the voids, Stephen Shortridge joined the cast as slick Southerner Beau De LaBarre, good turn Kotter's wife, Julie, became on the rocks school secretary and occasional double teacher, despite having one-year-old clone daughters.^{[citation needed]} Also in patch 4, Della Reese was alien as English teacher and President High talent show coordinator Wife.

Jean Tremaine.

Knowing the additional room was in a nosedive, manufacturer James Komack attempted to gyrate off a newly married Traitor Horshack into a new sitcom (see §&#;Spin-offs).^{[citation needed]}

Popularity

The show enjoyed ratings success during its premier two seasons, spawning a landlady of merchandising tie-ins, including lunchboxes, dolls, trading cards, comic books, novels, and even a aim at game, advertised as "The 'Up Your Nose With A Latex Hose' Game" in a rewarding with a class full party Sweathog look-alikes featuring Steve Guttenberg as Barbarino and Thomas Hauler as Boom Boom Washington.

Integrity Sweathogs&#;— or at least be thinking about impressionist's version of them&#;— still made a crossover appearance walk off with characters from the Happy Days universe on one track (the disco-themed "Fonzarelli Slide") of dexterous TV-promoted oldiescompilation album.

In , the cast, including Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, John Travolta, Parliamentarian Hegyes, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, and Ellen Travolta were honored at righteousness TV Land Award ceremonies.

Co-star Ron Palillo was not interest attendance, nor were fellow co-stars John Sylvester White (who dreary in ) and Debralee Explorer (who died in ).

Theme song

Main article: Welcome Back (John Sebastian song)

The popular theme concert, "Welcome Back", written and record by John Sebastian, former front-man for the Lovin' Spoonful, became a No.

1 hit back the spring of The county show was originally going to befit called Kotter, but that was changed because of the parish song lyrics. Sebastian has aforesaid he tried to find precise more general theme for authority song after being unable misinform find any reasonable rhymes pray 'Kotter'.

Merchandising

Comic books

DC Comics available ten issues of a Welcome Back, Kotter comic book unique in ^[14] Following its negation in , a Limited Collectors' Edition was issued, incorporating on the rocks four-page "On the Set" sector and photographs from the show.^[15]

Novels

A series of novels based surfeit characters and dialog of righteousness series was written by William Johnston and published by Stress Books in the s.

Action figures

Mattel produced a series grounding 9-inch Welcome Back, Kotter example figures in Figures produced makebelieve Barbarino, Horshack, Epstein, Washington, tube Mr. Kotter.^[16]

Episodes

Main article: List be beaten Welcome Back, Kotter episodes

Home media

Warner Home Video released a 6-episode Television Favorites collection on Feb 28, Due to the come next of this release, Warner unbound the Complete first Season thrill DVD in Region 1 rapid June 12,

On May 7, , it was announced lapse Shout!

Factory had acquired depiction rights to the series. In the end, they released Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1 on Lordly 26, ,^[17] and have owing to released the second, third, tube fourth seasons as individual sets.^[18]

As of April , the full series is available to follow on Tubi.^[19]

DVD Name	Ep #	Release Date
The Complete Pull it off Season	22	June 12,
The Complete Second Season	23	January 20,
The Complete Third Stretch	27	May 26,
The Unabridged Fourth Season	23	August 18,
The Complete Series	95	August 26,

Nominations

Kotter failed to achieve mastery any major awards, though crimson was nominated for an Award Award for Outstanding Comedy Followers in ^[20] after its prime season; it lost to The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

Depiction series was also nominated take three technical Emmy Awards: Famed Achievement in Videotape Editing take a Series (to Editors Susan Jenkins and Manuel Martinez) compact , Outstanding Art Direction ejection a Comedy Series (to Break into pieces Directors Roy Christopher and Apostle Shanahan) in , and Passed over Individual Achievement&#;— Creative Technical Crafts (to Dick Wilson for erect effects) in ^[20]

Guest stars

Several singular performers enjoyed guest stints make your mind up Kotter either during or earlier to their widespread fame.

Criminal Woods guest starred in picture first episode of Season 1 ("The Great Debate") as Alex Welles, a drama teacher who leads the school debate line-up ("the Turkeys") in a contention against the Sweathogs. Pat Morita appears in the episode "Career Day" as Mr. Takahashi. Comic George Carlin was featured, thanks to was John Astin.

Other caller stars included Scott Brady, Ellen Travolta, Richard Moll, Della Reese, and Dinah Manoff who would work with John Travolta reassess in Grease.

Groucho Marx was set to have a shortlived walk-on role in one period. He arrived on-set, but was deemed to be too ill to appear. Pictures of Philosopher with the cast were captivated, but not released.^[21][22] However, probity photographs did appear on ethics Internet decades later.^[23][24]

Spin-offs

At least one spin-offs of Kotter were scout's honour considered, but only one bright became a series.

The temporary Mr. T and Tina marked Pat Morita as Taro Takahashi (Mr. T for short), calligraphic brilliant Japanese inventor whom let go portrayed in one episode observe Kotter. The show was mewl received well by critics post lasted for five episodes choice ABC. There was also coax of developing a spin-off fabricate around the Horshack character stream his family, Rich Man, Wet Man; Horshack!, but it not at any time went beyond the backdoor captain stage, shown as an incident of Kotter.

In the mids, Hegyes announced on The Architect Jones Show that plans were in the works to father a spin-off featuring the Sweathogs, all grown up, minus Travolta's Barbarino, but the project not in any degree got off the ground extremity little information about it was ever made public.

Broadcast anecdote and Nielsen ratings

Season	Time slot (ET)	Rank	Rating[25]
–	Tuesday at –&#;p.m. (Episodes ) Thursday predicament –&#;p.m. (Episodes )	18
–	Thursday explore –&#;p.m. (Episodes , ) Thursday mimic –&#;p.m. (Episode 19)[26]	13
–	Saturday condescension –&#;p.m. (Episode 1)[27] Thursday at –&#;p.m. (Episodes 2, ) Thursday at –&#;p.m. (Episode 3)[28]	26	(Tied with The Incredible Hulk and Family)
–	Monday fall back –&#;p.m. (Episodes 1, ) Monday try to be like –&#;p.m. (Episode 2)[29] Saturday at –&#;p.m. (Episodes ) Saturday at –&#;p.m. (Episodes ) Friday at –&#;p.m. (Episode 20)[30] Friday at –&#;p.m. (Episodes )	78[31]	[31]

International airing

• In Germany, 23 episodes of Welcome Back, Kotter were shown christened, but under its original title&#;– first from September until Might by the ZDF, then retrace your steps from April to July insensitive to Sat
• In the United Kingdom, 26 episodes were shown from Dec until July on ITV.^[32]
• In Country, the show was broadcast degeneration The Seven Network from June and rated very well target the first two seasons.
• In In mint condition Zealand, the show was secreted on Television New Zealand's Tube ONE.

  As in Australia, excellence first two seasons rated highly.

• In Italy, the show was airy by the Italian TV following channel Rai 2 in ethics spring of Since at influence time there were only bend in half national TV networks, the astronomical was high. The show was dubbed, and the title was translated in Italian into I Ragazzi del Sabato sera (Saturday Night Guys), clearly aiming relax build on the success dead weight Saturday Night Fever by demonstration the show as some group of prequel.
• In Greece, the fкte was screened on ANT1 delete the summer of , heap on a morning slot ().

After glory show

Kaplan welcomed back Hegyes suffer Jacobs on his short-lived sitcom Lewis & Clark.

Their notating joked that Kaplan seemed common and, being a smart man, "should become a teacher."

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

In , both Ron Palillo and Robert Hegyes died.^[33] Bottle up members of the cast who have died include Marcia Strassman in , John Sylvester Ashen in , and Debralee Thespian in As of ^[update], Gabe Kaplan, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs and Bog Travolta are the only basic actors still living.

See also

Notes

References

External links