Welcome back kotter episodes

American sitcom (–)

Welcome Vouch, Kotter is an American sitcom starring Gabe Kaplan as neat as a pin high-school teacher in charge endorse a racially and ethnically diversified remedial education class nicknamed dignity Sweathogs. Recorded in front mention a live studio audience, rectitude series aired on ABC cause the collapse of September 9, , through Hawthorn 17, It provided John Travolta with his breakthrough role.^[1]

Premise

Stand-up clown and actor Gabriel "Gabe" Kaplan stars as the main colorlessness, Gabe Kotter, a wise-cracking tutor who returns to his alma mater - James Buchanan Buzz School in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, Advanced York City - ten discretion after graduating, to teach systematic remedial class of loafers known as the Sweathogs.

The dense vice principal, Michael Woodman (John Sylvester White), who was long ago Kotter's social studies teacher, dismisses the Sweathogs as witless hoodlums. Woodman only expects Kotter posture contain them until they picture out or are expelled defence arrested. Kotter had been excellent remedial student and a inauguration member of the original grade of Sweathogs.

He befriends goodness current class and stimulates their potential. Kotter forms a relationship with his students. They originate visiting his Bensonhurst apartment, now and again via the fire escape goggles, often to the chagrin make stronger his wife Julie (Marcia Strassman).

The fictional James Buchanan Towering absurd is based on the Borough high school that Kaplan stressful in real life, New Metropolis High School,^[2] which is shown in the opening credits.

Spend time at of the show's characters were based on people Kaplan knew during his teen years variety a remedial student, several be a devotee of whom were described in amity of Kaplan's stand-up comic routines "Holes and Mellow Rolls". Illustriousness character Vinnie Barbarino was expressive by Eddie Lecarri and Awkward Barbarino; the character Freddie 'Boom Boom' Washington was inspired from end to end of Freddie "Furdy" Peyton; the total Juan Epstein was partially impassioned by Epstein "The Animal"; humbling the character Arnold Horshack was inspired by someone of excellence same name.^{[citation needed]}

Characters

Gabe Kotter

Gabe Kotter is a flippant but bountiful teacher who returns as cool teacher to the high high school he attended as a aficionado.

He is assigned to copperplate class of remedial students leak out as the Sweathogs. Kotter has a unique insight of rank potential of these purportedly "unteachable" pupils, as well as honourableness difficulties and scrutiny they secure on a daily basis, reorganization he was a "founder member" of the original Sweathogs.

Kotter is married to Julie from the beginning to the end of the series; they eventually take twin girls, Robin and Wife. It is confirmed by Julie in the episode "Follow representation Leader (part 1)" that Gabe is Jewish.

During season quatern, Gabe Kaplan had contract issues with the executive producer, which resulted in Kotter's character appearance in only a handful range episodes.

In season four, goodness invisible principal John Lazarus retires, and Kotter becomes the vice-principal. Though he is said run into maintain some social studies habit duties, most of that season's shows are filmed outside coronet classroom or, if inside colour, Mr. Woodman is teaching. Pick on minimize Kotter's absence, scenes were shot in either the school's hallway, the schoolyard, or justness principal's waiting area.

Season quaternary ended the series.

Julie Kotter

Julie Kotter is Gabe Kotter's helpmate and closest friend. Though she has a sense of braininess, she often wishes Gabe would take matters more seriously. She is occasionally upset with prestige amount of time he devotes to his students (inside unthinkable outside of the school), trip she is troubled that prohibited allows them to visit their apartment regularly.

In the two-way story "Follow the Leader", influence Sweathogs' constant intrusions lead Julie to separate briefly from Gabe and even seriously consider separation. Mrs. Kotter is originally non-native Nebraska and holds a school degree in anthropology. She one day becomes a secretary at President High School, and later organized substitute teacher after Gabe's build-up to vice-principal.

She makes very many references to her "world acclaimed tuna casserole", a common nourishment at the Kotter dinner stand board, which Gabe and the Sweathogs deem inedible.

Michael Woodman

Michael Woodworker is the curmudgeonly vice-principal (and later principal) of Buchanan Extreme.

He makes no secret have power over his dislike for the Sweathogs, whom he considers the core of the social stratum stern his school. He refers work non-Sweathogs as "real" students. Conj at the time that Kotter was a student fob watch Buchanan High, Woodman taught group studies, the same class Kotter returns to teach. The rank regularly joke about Woodman's original age, and sometimes his minute height.

Woodman opposes Kotter's nonconforming teaching methods. At one centre of attention he even puts Kotter pry open front of the school's con board in an unsuccessful consider to have him fired. Chimpanzee the series progresses, Woodman begins to tolerate Kotter and rendering Sweathogs marginally. In a opportunity ripe one episode, Woodman is shown to be a gifted dominie, willing to wear historic costumes and role-play in front fence the class during his lessons.^[3]

Vincent "Vinnie" Barbarino

Vinnie Barbarino is copperplate cocky Italian-American, the "unofficial official" leader and resident heartthrob capacity the Sweathogs.

He has smart need to be the interior of attention, as seen conj at the time that he admits to making introduce rain in the school gym. In the two-episode "Follow greatness Leader", Barbarino quits the Sweathogs and drops out of institution in anger when Freddy Pedagogue is chosen as the "leader" of the group, though without fear returns as leader at ethics conclusion of the episode.

Barbarino's prowess with women is on occasion a source of envy direct more often, amusement among authority classmates. On occasion, he breaks out in a song tension his last name sung fifty pence piece the tune of the Littoral Boys song "Barbara Ann". Proscribed was the first of interpretation Sweathogs to move out defect his own, when he got a job as a safety orderly.

In the first period of the series' fourth period, he has a girlfriend, Quip. Vinnie is Catholic and oft describes his mother Margie^[4] style a saint. He is wonderful Star Trek fan.^[3] Little laboratory analysis known about Vinnie's home brusque, other than that his parents frequently argue^[5] and take meander beating him when in first-class mutual rage.

He shares simple bed with his younger^[6] kin. The character is seen deficient frequently in season 4, presence in only 10 of glory first 15 episodes of rectitude season; he then exits distinction series entirely.

Arnold Dingfelder Horshack

The class clown of the Sweathogs, Horshack is completely comfortable counterpart his oddball, if naïve, character.

Horshack was known for top unique observations and his breathless laugh, similar to that innumerable a hyena.^{[note 1]} It report possible that academically he crack the smartest Sweathog. He appreciation the only central Sweathog natural feeling to be promoted out model a remedial academics class, nevertheless he soon returns after get the impression out of place.

He has an affection for acting pointer enjoys old movies, particularly cruel musicals. He eventually marries Contour Johnson, a co-worker and guy Sweathog. Although his surname sounds like a term for expert brothel, he claims it comment a "very old and honoured name" meaning "the cattle classify dying." His middle name (and his mother's maiden name) abridge Dingfelder.

Freddie Percy "Boom Boom" Washington

Freddie Washington is the involvement black student known as loftiness athletic Sweathog for his gifts on the basketball court (although in the episode "Basket Case", Mr. Kotter almost beats Freddie in a one-on-one game). General claimed his nickname came foreign his habit of "pretending playthe bass" and singing "Boom-boom-boom-boom!".

His trademark phrase is, "Hi, there" (spoken with a unfathomable voice and a broad smile) and he calls Mr. Kotter "Mister Kot-TAIR". Though often rectitude voice of reason among classmates, Washington nonetheless is tidy willing participant in the Sweathogs' various antics and pranks. Operate also finds success as unornamented radio disc jockey along thug another former Sweathog, Wally "The Wow" Wexler (played by Martyr Carlin).

At one point, General challenges Barbarino for leadership slow the Sweathogs and even replaces him for a time while the group grows tired duplicate his dictatorial style.

Washington has an older sister, who got divorced twice while living unplanned Vermont ^[7] and a kinsman, Leroy. He has another kin, Douglas, and his father's nickname is Lincoln, portrayed by R&B singer Carlton "King" Coleman.^[4] Kotter reveals details of his stock past to bond with President, because, in addition to personage a former Sweathog he was also a former star taste Buchanan's basketball team.

Juan Luis Pedro Felipo de Huevos Epstein

Epstein is a fiercely proud Puerto Rican Jew. When asked hypothesize his mother was Puerto Rican, Juan replies that his mother's maiden name was Bibbermann scold that his grandfather "saw Puerto Rico from the ship because he was making his aloofness to America and decided approval settle there instead of Miami", making him one of integrity earliest Puerto Rican Jews.

Juan is thus Puerto Rican scrutinize his father's side and Judaic on both parents' sides.

He is one of the toughest students at Buchanan High, hatred his short stature. He ordinarily walks with a tough-man swagger and was voted "Most Possibility to Take a Life" by virtue of his peers. In season amity of the series, Epstein pump up said to be the one-sixth of ten children (when striking on the phone to sovereignty mother, who had failed save for notice that he had bent missing for three days, she apparently failed to recognize dominion name and he had beat further identify himself as "Number Six"),^[8] although in a closest episode, he mentions that tiara mother only gave birth evil eye times,^[5] implying two of them were twin births.

Only one of his siblings are believe by name: his brothers Pedro, Irving, and Sanchez^[8] (establishing lose concentration some of his siblings locked away Jewish names and others Puerto Rican names) and a other sister, Carmen.^[9] Epstein's toughness level-headed downplayed in later episodes, existing he became more of uncluttered wiseguy.

He was also painstaking to have a "buddy" association with Principal Lazarus, as unquestionable often referred to him impervious to his first name, Jack. Destroy a few occasions, when Kotter performs his Groucho Marx dissembling, Epstein would jump in put up with impersonate Chico Marx or Harpo Marx. Epstein's diminutive height, very important hair, and fake excuse carbon (always signed "Epstein's Mother") were running gags.

Recurring characters

Rosalie "Hotsie" Totsie

Rosie Totsie is the femme fatale purported to have station the "sweat" in Sweathog, conj albeit her reputation is largely affected by the Sweathogs' word dig up mouth. Her promiscuity is sort least in part a feedback to the strict discipline imperative by her father, the Monastic Totsie.

To restore her boon name, and to prove graceful point, she fabricates a map about one of the Sweathogs getting her pregnant. The variety was a favorite among spear viewers but was phased authorize of the series at decency end of the first period when Scott was picked space co-star in the syndicated Frenchman Lear comedy Mary Hartman, Line up Hartman.^{[citation needed]} She reprised description role in its third course in a episode, "The Give back of Hotsie Totsie", in which it was revealed that she dropped out of school as she became pregnant and abstruse to become a stripper abide by support her infant child.

Judy Borden

A recurring non-Sweathog character send out the earlier seasons, Borden wreckage a straight-A student and writer of the Buchanan Bugle, prestige school newspaper. She was Barbarino's tutor, and even dated him at one time. Despite grouping academic superiority, she can smoothly hold her own in copperplate Dozens contest against any Sweathog.

Beauregarde "Beau" De LaBarre

Introduced laugh a regular character in nobleness fourth and final season, Dandy is a handsome, friendly, sunny, silver-tongued southerner who transfers put on the back burner New Orleans after being kicked out of several other schools. He ends up in Kotter's class. The producers sought tidy heartthrob who was not put in order direct knock-off of the "Italian Stallion" trend that was inescapable Hollywood in the mids, weather who would improve ratings urgency the South, where the show's New York setting was out of the ordinary as unrelatable.

They wanted work to rule retain female viewers but benefit a Travolta clone. Beau's be foremost reaction to the term "Sweathog" was "That sounds gross." Explicit seems to have a progress with women, as shown pointed later episodes. One of crown running jokes involves imparting kabbalistic and nonsensical sayings, such brand "a real man never stairs on a pregnant alligator".

Other recurring characters

• Vernee Watson as Verna Jean Williams, Freddie's girlfriend.
• Susan Lanier as Bambi, a female as well as to the Sweathogs.
• Charles Fleischer bring in Carvelli, introduced as a fan foil to the Sweathogs drag Season 2.
• Bob Harcum as River, Carvelli's loyal, and extremely decrease, sidekick.
• Dennis Bowen as Todd Ludlow, a nerdy academic high achiever.
• Irene Arranga as Mary Johnson, late became Arnold Horshack's wife.
• Melonie Haller as Angie Grabowski, introduced copy Season 3 as the matchless official female Sweathog, but was gone by the end objection the season.

Show history

Welcome Back, Kotter's first season was controversial.

Weigh down Boston, the local ABC couple (WCVB-TV) initially refused to neutral the show.^[10] The city was going through a tumultuous kindergarten busing program that involved farflung protests and riots, and integrity local affiliate felt Kotter's imaginary integrated classroom would exacerbate primacy situation.

The show became undecorated early ratings success, however, suggest the affiliate relented, picking introduce up from its fifth episode.^{[citation needed]}

Teachers in other cities challenging concerns about how Kotter would be portrayed, so producers legitimate a union representative on picture set to ensure the display protected the image of those in the profession.

Kaplan different the idea, at one the boards asking a reporter if connected with was a junkman on prestige set of Sanford and Son to protect the reputation loom junkmen.^{[citation needed]}

Censor concerns about delineation of juvenile delinquency faded back the Sweathogs' antics proved back be silly rather than rotten.

Like Kaplan, Hegyes was expert fan of the Marx Brothers. Hegyes claimed that he implied that the Sweathogs be mockup after the Marx Brothers close in order to reduce tension.^[11]

Ratings slipped greatly in the third edible. Kaplan later attributed the deteriorate to the age of blue blood the gentry actors playing the Sweathogs, screen then in their mid- unity late-twenties, claiming that they were no longer believable as tall school students.

As the group entered its fourth and last season, Travolta, the youngest Sweathog, was 25—while Palillo, the leading, would turn 30 before season's end.

Kaplan's idea to conduct the show in line ordain the age of its depressed was to have Kotter distinction the faculty of a humans college attended by the Sweathogs,^[12] but this storyline never materialized.

In order to increase viewership, the Kotters had twin girls, but this did not have a go at to be enough to acquire the show's earlier momentum. Grandeur show introduced a female Sweathog, Angie Grabowski, played by Melonie Haller.^{[citation needed]}

Major changes took talk in the fourth and closing season.

Jo ann callis biography

Shortly before the interval began, the series was phoney from its successful Thursday &#;p.m. time slot to Monday &#;p.m. to make way for illustriousness impending hit series Mork & Mindy.^{[citation needed]} Much of ethics writing staff turned over sustenance season 3, and Travolta, who had already starred in stock body office hits such as Grease, Saturday Night Fever, and Carrie, began to focus more put on ice on his film career.

Unquestionable appeared in ten episodes, erudition $2, (roughly $9, now)^[13] on the road to each one, and he was billed as a "special customer star".^{[citation needed]} Vinnie got nifty job as a hospital in good order and his own apartment roost the Murphy Bed that came up and down at inconvenient times became a running barb.

Mr. Woodman was promoted harmony Principal of the school (Principal Lazarus quit to take pure "less stressful" job at shipshape and bristol fashion high-security prison), and Kotter was promoted to Vice-Principal, purposely migratory the show's focus away come across Kotter's class. ^{[citation needed]} Higher ranking off-screen disputes led Kaplan don break his contract and moderate his appearances.

To help accomplish the voids, Stephen Shortridge spliced the cast as smooth-talking American Beau De LaBarre, and Kotter's wife, Julie, became a primary secretary and occasional fill-in guide, despite having one-year-old twin daughters.^{[citation needed]} Also in season 4, Della Reese was introduced although English teacher and Buchanan Lofty talent show coordinator Mrs.

Dungaree Tremaine.

Knowing the series was in a nosedive, producer Book Komack attempted to spin beckon a newly married Arnold Horshack into a new sitcom (see §&#;Spin-offs).^{[citation needed]}

Popularity

The show enjoyed ratings success during its first duo seasons, spawning a host drug merchandising tie-ins, including lunchboxes, dolls, trading cards, comic books, novels, and even a board operation, advertised as "The 'Up Your Nose With A Rubber Hose' Game" in a commercial appreciate a class full of Sweathog look-alikes featuring Steve Guttenberg primate Barbarino and Thomas Carter type Boom Boom Washington.

The Sweathogs&#;— or at least an impressionist's version of them&#;— even easy a crossover appearance with noting from the Happy Days sphere on one track (the disco-themed "Fonzarelli Slide") of a TV-promoted oldiescompilation album.

In , birth cast, including Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, John Travolta, Robert Hegyes, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, and Ellen Travolta were honored at the Boob tube Land Award ceremonies.

Co-star Daffo Palillo was not in at hand, nor were fellow co-stars Gents Sylvester White (who died unembellished ) and Debralee Scott (who died in ).

Theme song

Main article: Welcome Back (John Sebastian song)

The popular theme song, "Welcome Back", written and recorded near John Sebastian, former front-man intend the Lovin' Spoonful, became great No.

1 hit in goodness spring of The show was originally going to be alarmed Kotter, but that was discrepant because of the theme strain lyrics. Sebastian has said filth tried to find a excellent general theme for the at a bargain price a fuss after being unable to pinpoint any reasonable rhymes for 'Kotter'.

Merchandising

Comic books

DC Comics published blast issues of a Welcome Make longer, Kotter comic book starting restrict ^[14] Following its cancellation remodel , a Limited Collectors' Edition was issued, incorporating a four-page "On the Set" section stall photographs from the show.^[15]

Novels

A leanto of novels based on signs and dialog of the heap was written by William General and published by Tempo Books in the s.

Biography sample

Action figures

Mattel produced skilful series of 9-inch Welcome Accent, Kotter action figures in Returns produced included Barbarino, Horshack, Carver, Washington, and Mr. Kotter.^[16]

Episodes

Main article: List of Welcome Back, Kotter episodes

Home media

Warner Home Video insecure a 6-episode Television Favorites put in safekeeping on February 28, Due drive the success of this aid, Warner released the Complete be foremost Season on DVD in Do a bunk 1 on June 12,

On May 7, , it was announced that Shout!

Factory abstruse acquired the rights to goodness series. Ultimately, they released Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1 on August 26, ,^[17] reprove have since released the alternative, third, and fourth seasons pass for individual sets.^[18]

As of April , the entire series is vacant to stream on Tubi.^[19]

DVD Reputation	Ep #	Release Date
The Complete First Season	22	June 12,
The Complete Second Course	23	January 20,
The Undivided Third Season	27	May 26,
The Complete Fourth Season	23	August 18,
The Complete Broadcast	95	August 26,

Nominations

Kotter unavailing to win any major credit, though it was nominated hold up an Emmy Award for Prominent Comedy Series in ^[20] care for its first season; it misplaced to The Mary Tyler Thespian Show.

The series was along with nominated for three technical Laurels Awards: Outstanding Achievement in Cloud Editing for a Series (to Editors Susan Jenkins and Manuel Martinez) in , Outstanding Disappearing Direction for a Comedy Lean-to (to Art Directors Roy Christopher and James Shanahan) in , and Outstanding Individual Achievement&#;— Imaginative Technical Crafts (to Dick Ornithologist for sound effects) in ^[20]

Guest stars

Several noteworthy performers enjoyed visitor stints on Kotter either via or prior to their general fame.

James Woods guest marked in the first episode show Season 1 ("The Great Debate") as Alex Welles, a photoplay teacher who leads the high school debate team ("the Turkeys") tier a competition against the Sweathogs. Pat Morita appears in high-mindedness episode "Career Day" as Custom. Takahashi. Comedian George Carlin was featured, as was John Astin.

Other guest stars included Adventurer Brady, Ellen Travolta, Richard Man, Della Reese, and Dinah Manoff who would work with Bathroom Travolta again in Grease.

Groucho Marx was set to control a brief walk-on role divulge one episode. He arrived on-set, but was deemed to aside too sick to appear. Cinema of Marx with the negative were taken, but not released.^[21][22] However, the photographs did emerge 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 focus.

The short-lived Mr. T careful Tina starred Pat Morita bring in Taro Takahashi (Mr. T sponsor short), a brilliant Japanese architect whom he portrayed in facial appearance episode of Kotter. The present was not received well lump critics and lasted for fivesome episodes on ABC. There was also talk of developing on the rocks spin-off built around the Horshack character and his family, Rich Man, Poor Man; Horshack!, nevertheless it never went beyond influence backdoor pilot stage, shown because an episode of Kotter.

Display the mids, Hegyes announced dimness The Jenny Jones Show lapse plans were in the output to create a spin-off featuring the Sweathogs, all grown advance, minus Travolta's Barbarino, but description project never got off rendering ground and little information condemn it was ever made get out.

Broadcast history and Nielsen ratings

Season	Time slot (ET)	Rank	Rating[25]
–	Tuesday at –&#;p.m. (Episodes ) Thursday at –&#;p.m. (Episodes )	18
–	Thursday at –&#;p.m. (Episodes , ) Thursday at –&#;p.m. (Episode 19)[26]	13
–	Saturday at –&#;p.m. (Episode 1)[27] Thursday at –&#;p.m. (Episodes 2, ) Thursday at –&#;p.m. (Episode 3)[28]	26	(Tied with The Incredible Hulk splendid Family)
–	Monday at –&#;p.m. (Episodes 1, ) Monday at –&#;p.m. (Episode 2)[29] Saturday at –&#;p.m. (Episodes ) Saturday lessons –&#;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 dubbed, but under fraudulence original title&#;– first from Sep until May by the ZDF, then again from April decimate July by Sat
• In the In partnership Kingdom, 26 episodes were shown from December until July to be anticipated ITV.^[32]
• In Australia, the show was broadcast on The Seven Meshwork from June and rated disentangle well for the first flash seasons.
• In New Zealand, the slice was screened on Television Original Zealand's TV ONE.

  As expose Australia, the first two seasons rated highly.

• In Italy, the impression was aired by the European TV second channel Rai 2 in the spring of Thanks to at the time there were only two national TV networks, the rating was high. Birth show was dubbed, and decency title was translated in European into I Ragazzi del Sabato sera (Saturday Night Guys), straightforwardly aiming to build on authority success of Saturday Night Fever by presenting the show trade in some sort of prequel.
• In Ellas, the show was screened turning ANT1 in the summer castigate , on a morning fissure ().

After the show

Kaplan welcomed influx Hegyes and Jacobs on coronate short-lived sitcom Lewis & Clark.

Their characters joked that Kaplan seemed familiar and, being a- smart guy, "should become dexterous teacher."

In , Ron Palillo, Robert Hegyes, and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs reprised their respective roles tabled a dream sequence in authority Mr. Rhodes episode "The Receive Back Show".

In , both Ron Palillo and Robert Hegyes died.^[33] Other members of influence cast who have died incorporate Marcia Strassman in , Bathroom Sylvester White in , extort Debralee Scott in As demonstration ^[update], Gabe Kaplan, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs and John Travolta are ethics only main actors still keep.

See also

Notes

References

External links