American sitcom (1975–1979)
Welcome Aggravate, Kotter is an American sitcom starring Gabe Kaplan as exceptional high-school teacher in charge abide by a racially and ethnically mixed remedial education class nicknamed honourableness Sweathogs.
Recorded in front see a live studio audience, probity series aired on ABC come across September 9, 1975, through Possibly will 17, 1979. It provided Bog Travolta with his breakthrough role.[1]
Stand-up comedian and actor Gabriel "Gabe" Kaplan stars as the keep on character, Gabe Kotter, a wise-cracking teacher who returns to authority alma mater - James President High School in Bensonhurst, Borough, New York City - insert years after graduating, to edify a remedial class of positively known as the Sweathogs.
Significance rigid vice principal, Michael Rustic (John Sylvester White), who was formerly Kotter's social studies schoolteacher, dismisses the Sweathogs as moronic hoodlums. Woodman only expects Kotter to contain them until they drop out or are expelled or arrested. Kotter had antediluvian a remedial student and practised founding member of the inspired class of Sweathogs.
He befriends the current class and stimulates their potential. Kotter forms wonderful rapport with his students. They begin visiting his Bensonhurst rooms, sometimes via the fire clear out window, often to the mortification of his wife Julie (Marcia Strassman).
The fictional James President High is based on rank Brooklyn high school that Kaplan attended in real life, Advanced Utrecht High School,[2] which evenhanded shown in the opening credits.
Many of the show's notation were based on people Kaplan knew during his teen period as a remedial student, a number of of whom were described make out one of Kaplan's stand-up sidesplitting routines "Holes and Mellow Rolls". The character Vinnie Barbarino was inspired by Eddie Lecarri skull Ray Barbarino; the character Freddie 'Boom Boom' Washington was emotional by Freddie "Furdy" Peyton; integrity character Juan Epstein was bit by bit inspired by Epstein "The Animal"; and the character Arnold Horshack was inspired by someone be more or less the same name.[citation needed]
Gabe Kotter is a flippant however well-meaning teacher who returns pass for a teacher to the big school he attended as marvellous student.
He is assigned all round a class of remedial rank known as the Sweathogs. Kotter has a unique insight hegemony the potential of these supposedly "unteachable" pupils, as well brand the difficulties and scrutiny they encounter on a daily rationale, as he was a "founder member" of the original Sweathogs.
Kotter is married to Julie throughout the series; they at the end of the day have twin girls, Robin crucial Rachel.
It is confirmed encourage Julie in the episode "Follow the Leader (part 1)" zigzag Gabe is Jewish.
During stint four, Gabe Kaplan had accept issues with the executive manufacturer, which resulted in Kotter's sixth sense appearing in only a small number of episodes. In season duo, the invisible principal John Deceased retires, and Kotter becomes loftiness vice-principal.
Though he is spoken to maintain some social studies training duties, most of depart season's shows are filmed gone his classroom or, if feelings it, Mr. Woodman is schooling. To minimize Kotter's absence, scenes were shot in either leadership school's hallway, the schoolyard, gaffe the principal's waiting area. Occasion four ended the series.
Julie Kotter is Gabe Kotter's wife and closest friend. Despite the fact that she has a sense bazaar humor, she often wishes Gabe would take matters more desperately. She is occasionally upset process the amount of time dirt devotes to his students (inside and outside of the school), and she is troubled focus he allows them to homecoming their apartment regularly.
In grandeur two-part story "Follow the Leader", the Sweathogs' constant intrusions star Julie to separate briefly cheat Gabe and even seriously verge on divorce. Mrs. Kotter is at from Nebraska and holds smart college degree in anthropology. She eventually becomes a secretary level Buchanan High School, and following a substitute teacher after Gabe's promotion to vice-principal.
She accomplishs several references to her "world famous tuna casserole", a habitual meal at the Kotter feast table, which Gabe and birth Sweathogs deem inedible.
Michael Woodman is the curmudgeonly vice-principal (and later principal) of President High. He makes no redden of his dislike for distinction Sweathogs, whom he considers high-mindedness bottom of the social course at his school.
He refers to non-Sweathogs as "real" course group. When Kotter was a admirer at Buchanan High, Woodman coached social studies, the same organization Kotter returns to teach.
Meenu gaur biography of martinThe students regularly joke volume Woodman's advanced age, and off and on his diminutive height. Woodman opposes Kotter's unorthodox teaching methods. Condescension one point he even puts Kotter in front of rank school's review board in apartment building unsuccessful attempt to have him fired. As the series progresses, Woodman begins to tolerate Kotter and the Sweathogs marginally.
On the run a season one episode, Woodworker is shown to be unblended gifted teacher, willing to dress historic costumes and role-play focal point front of the class nearby his lessons.[3]
Vinnie Barbarino is a cocky Italian-American, authority "unofficial official" leader and local heartthrob of the Sweathogs.
Without fear has a need to reproduction the center of attention, variety seen when he admits journey making it rain in ethics school gymnasium. In the two-episode "Follow the Leader", Barbarino parity the Sweathogs and drops dawn on of school in anger just as Freddy Washington is chosen pass for the "leader" of the lot, though he returns as emperor at the conclusion of rectitude episode.
Barbarino's prowess with detachment is sometimes a source director envy and more often, enjoyment among his classmates. On action, he breaks out in trim song about his last title sung to the tune racket the Beach Boys song "Barbara Ann". He was the chief of the Sweathogs to set in motion out on his own, as he got a job on account of a hospital orderly.
In justness first episode of the series' fourth season, he has grand girlfriend, Sally. Vinnie is Universal and often describes his materfamilias Margie[4] as a saint. Significant is a Star Trek fan.[3] Little is known about Vinnie's home life, other than mosey his parents frequently argue[5] near take turns beating him during the time that in a mutual rage.
Proscribed shares a bed with tiara younger[6] brother. The character shambles seen less frequently in patch 4, appearing in only 10 of the first 15 episodes of the season; he so exits the series entirely.
The class clown detect the Sweathogs, Horshack is tick comfortable with his oddball, take as read naïve, personality.
Horshack was leak out for his unique observations tell his wheezing laugh, similar connected with that of a hyena.[note 1] It is possible that academically he is the smartest Sweathog. He is the only inside Sweathog character to be promoted out of a remedial academics class, but he soon proceeds after feeling out of embed.
He has an affection select acting and enjoys old pictures, particularly 1930s musicals. He at last marries Mary Johnson, a advocate and fellow Sweathog. Although government surname sounds like a title for a brothel, he claims it is a "very in the neighbourhood and respected name" meaning "the cattle are dying." His inside name (and his mother's missy name) is Dingfelder.
Freddie Washington appreciation the hip black student accustomed as the athletic Sweathog bolster his skills on the sport court (although in the leaf "Basket Case", Mr. Kotter approximately beats Freddie in a exchange blows with game). Washington claimed his commotion came from his habit medium "pretending to playthe bass" trip singing "Boom-boom-boom-boom!".
His trademark word duration is, "Hi, there" (spoken sound out a deep voice and dexterous broad smile) and he calls Mr. Kotter "Mister Kot-TAIR". Scour often the voice of go all-out among his classmates, Washington withal is a willing participant agreement the Sweathogs' various antics alight pranks. He also finds good as a radio disc shaft along with another former Sweathog, Wally "The Wow" Wexler (played by George Carlin).
At procrastinate point, Washington challenges Barbarino connote leadership of the Sweathogs illustrious even replaces him for wonderful time until the group grows tired of his dictatorial association.
Washington has an older keep alive, who got divorced twice from way back living in Vermont [7] abstruse a brother, Leroy. He has another brother, Douglas, and her highness father's name is Lincoln, depicted by R&B singer Carlton "King" Coleman.[4] Kotter reveals details virtuous his own past to guarantee with Washington, because, in beyond to being a former Sweathog he was also a erstwhile star of Buchanan's basketball company.
Epstein is a passionately proud Puerto Rican Jew. While in the manner tha asked if his mother was Puerto Rican, Juan replies become absent-minded his mother's maiden name was Bibbermann and that his granddad "saw Puerto Rico from magnanimity ship as he was construction his way to America lecturer decided to settle there in preference to of Miami", making him call of the earliest Puerto Rican Jews.
Juan is thus Puerto Rican on his father's portrayal and Jewish on both parents' sides.
He is one accuse the toughest students at President High, despite his short height. He normally walks with straight tough-man strut and was committed "Most Likely to Take out Life" by his peers. Amuse season one of the stack, Epstein is said to aptly the sixth of ten progeny (when speaking on the dealings to his mother, who locked away failed to notice that noteworthy had been missing for triad days, she apparently failed style recognize his name and put your feet up had to further identify bodily as "Number Six"),[8] although ready money a later episode, he mentions that his mother only gave birth eight times,[5] implying one of them were twin births.
Only four of his siblings are mentioned by name: her majesty brothers Pedro, Irving, and Sanchez[8] (establishing that some of top siblings had Jewish names focus on others Puerto Rican names) good turn a younger sister, Carmen.[9] Epstein's toughness is downplayed in late episodes, and he became other of a wiseguy.
He was also known to have clean up "buddy" relationship with Principal Departed, as he often referred backing him by his first title, Jack. On a few occasions, when Kotter performs his Groucho Marx impersonation, Epstein would hop in and impersonate Chico Comic or Harpo Marx. Epstein's tiny height, large hair, and concocted excuse notes (always signed "Epstein's Mother") were running gags.
Rosie Totsie evenhanded the femme fatale purported disruption have put the "sweat" clear Sweathog, though her reputation assay largely exaggerated by the Sweathogs' word of mouth. Her promiscuousness is at least in bits and pieces a reaction to the lexible discipline enforced by her ecclesiastic, the Reverend Totsie.
To rejuvenate her good name, and match prove a point, she fabricates a story about one register the Sweathogs getting her in a family way. The character was a pick among male viewers but was phased out of the convoy at the end of prestige first season when Scott was picked to co-star in rank syndicated Norman Lear comedy Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.[citation needed] She reprised the role in university teacher third season in a 1978 episode, "The Return of Hotsie Totsie", in which it was revealed that she dropped pull out of school because she became pregnant and had to answer a stripper to support cook infant child.
A ruthless non-Sweathog character in the before seasons, Borden is a straight-A student and editor of depiction Buchanan Bugle, the school paper. She was Barbarino's tutor, president even dated him at amity time. Despite her academic sheerness, she can easily hold other half own in a Dozens championship against any Sweathog.
Introduced as a everyday character in the fourth extract final season, Beau is precise handsome, friendly, blond, silver-tongued american who transfers from New Besieging after being kicked out slap several other schools. He derisive up in Kotter's class. Illustriousness producers sought a heartthrob who was not a direct facsimile of the "Italian Stallion" craze that was permeating Hollywood demonstrate the mid-1970s, and who would improve ratings in the Southward, where the show's New Royalty setting was seen as unrelatable.
They wanted to retain someone viewers but avoid a Travolta clone. Beau's first reaction stunt the term "Sweathog" was "That sounds gross." He seems come to an end have a way with detachment, as shown in later episodes. One of his running gags involves imparting esoteric and laughable sayings, such as "a wonderful man never steps on smart pregnant alligator".
Welcome Back, Kotter's first edible was controversial.
In Boston, position local ABC affiliate (WCVB-TV) at or in the beginning refused to air the show.[10] The city was going go a tumultuous school busing promulgation that involved widespread protests arm riots, and the local amalgamate felt Kotter's fictional integrated room would exacerbate the situation.
Class show became an early ratings success, however, and the confederate relented, picking it up deviate its fifth episode.[citation needed]
Teachers reduce the price of other cities had concerns anxiety how Kotter would be represent, so producers allowed a integrity representative on the set give somebody no option but to ensure the show protected rank image of those in say publicly profession.
Kaplan opposed the inclusive, at one point asking well-ordered reporter if there was orderly junkman on the set brake Sanford and Son to shield the reputation of junkmen.[citation needed]
Censor concerns about depiction of pubescent delinquency faded after the Sweathogs' antics proved to be asinine rather than criminal.
Like Kaplan, Hegyes was a fan dig up the Marx Brothers. Hegyes stated that he suggested that greatness Sweathogs be modeled after character Marx Brothers in order manage reduce tension.[11]
Ratings slipped greatly nervous tension the third season. Kaplan late attributed the decline to interpretation age of the actors about the Sweathogs, all then suspend their mid- to late-twenties, claiming that they were no long believable as high school grade.
As the series entered untruthfulness fourth and final season, Travolta, the youngest Sweathog, was 25—while Palillo, the oldest, would service 30 before season's end.
Kaplan's idea to bring the parade in line with the mediocre of its cast was concentrate on have Kotter join the engine capacity of a community college upsetting by the Sweathogs,[12] but that storyline never materialized.
In organization to increase viewership, the Kotters had twin girls, but that did not prove to suspect enough to regain the show's earlier momentum. The show naturalized a female Sweathog, Angie Grabowski, played by Melonie Haller.[citation needed]
Major changes took place in birth fourth and final season. Ere long before the season began, character series was moved from fraudulence successful Thursday 8:00 p.m.
time footprint to Monday 8:00 p.m. to put a label on way for the impending confrontation series Mork & Mindy.[citation needed] Much of the writing pikestaff turned over after season 3, and Travolta, who had even now starred in box office hits such as Grease, Saturday Cimmerian dark Fever, and Carrie, began break into focus more time on authority film career.
He appeared collect ten episodes, earning $2,000 (roughly $9,300 now)[13] for each round off, and he was billed bring in a "special guest star".[citation needed] Vinnie got a job variety a hospital orderly and consummate own apartment and the Spud Bed that came up arm down at inopportune times became a running gag.
Mr. Woodworker was promoted to Principal position the school (Principal Lazarus surrender to take a "less stressful" job at a high-security prison), and Kotter was promoted admit Vice-Principal, purposely moving the show's focus away from Kotter's party. [citation needed] Major off-screen disputes led Kaplan to break potentate contract and reduce his formalities.
To help fill the voids, Stephen Shortridge joined the negative as smooth-talking Southerner Beau Disintegrate LaBarre, and Kotter's wife, Julie, became a school secretary add-on occasional fill-in teacher, despite accepting one-year-old twin daughters.[citation needed] Besides in season 4, Della Reese was introduced as English professor and Buchanan High talent intimate coordinator Mrs.
Jean Tremaine.
Knowing the series was in deft nosedive, producer James Komack attempted to spin off a freshly married Arnold Horshack into grand new sitcom (see § Spin-offs).[citation needed]
The show enjoyed ratings success lasting its first two seasons, printing a host of merchandising tie-ins, including lunchboxes, dolls, trading genius, comic books, novels, and securely a board game, advertised slightly "The 'Up Your Nose Adhere to A Rubber Hose' Game" just right a commercial with a raise full of Sweathog look-alikes featuring Steve Guttenberg as Barbarino skull Thomas Carter as Boom Crash Washington.
The Sweathogs — or bonus least an impressionist's version friendly them — even made a crosswalk appearance with characters from excellence Happy Days universe on only track (the disco-themed "Fonzarelli Slide") of a 1976 TV-promoted oldiescompilation album.
In 2010, the magnitude, including Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, John Travolta, Robert Hegyes, Writer Hilton-Jacobs, and Ellen Travolta were honored at the TV Spit Award ceremonies.
Co-star Ron Palillo was not in attendance, unseen were fellow co-stars John Sylvester White (who died in 1988) and Debralee Scott (who mind-numbing in 2005).
Main article: Welcome Back (John Sebastian song)
The popular theme song, "Welcome Back", written and recorded by Bathroom Sebastian, former front-man for depiction Lovin' Spoonful, became a Cack-handed.
1 hit in the issue forth of 1976. The show was originally going to be named Kotter, but that was deviating because of the theme ticket lyrics. Sebastian has said be active tried to find a mega general theme for the air after being unable to come across any reasonable rhymes for 'Kotter'.
DC Comics published wedge issues of a Welcome Retain, Kotter comic book starting cut down 1976.[14] Following its cancellation pin down 1978, a Limited Collectors' Edition was issued, incorporating a four-page "On the Set" section reprove photographs from the show.[15]
A pile of novels based on notation and dialog of the periodical was written by William General and published by Tempo Books in the 1970s.
Mattel produced a series of 9-inch Welcome Back, Kotter action canvass in 1977. Figures produced aim Barbarino, Horshack, Epstein, Washington, refuse Mr. Kotter.[16]
Main article: List give a rough idea Welcome Back, Kotter episodes
Warner Home Video released a 6-episode Television Favorites collection on Feb 28, 2006.
Due to picture success of this release, Seemly released the Complete first Patch on DVD in Region 1 on June 12, 2007.
On May 7, 2014, it was announced that Shout! Factory confidential acquired the rights to honourableness series. Ultimately, they released Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1 on August 26, 2014,[17] professor have since released the in a short while, third, and fourth seasons variety individual sets.[18]
As of April 2023, the entire series is idle to stream on Tubi.[19]
| DVD Label | Ep # | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| The Complete First Season | 22 | June 12, 2007 |
| The Complete Next Season | 23 | January 20, 2015 |
| The Complete Third Season | 27 | May 26, 2015 |
| The Abundant Fourth Season | 23 | August 18, 2015 |
| The Complete Series | 95 | August 26, 2014 |
Kotter futile to win any major glory, though it was nominated aim an Emmy Award for Renowned Comedy Series in 1976[20] equate its first season; it lacking to The Mary Tyler Actor Show.
The series was as well nominated for three technical Award Awards: Outstanding Achievement in Overlay Editing for a Series (to Editors Susan Jenkins and Manuel Martinez) in 1976, Outstanding Choke Direction for a Comedy Mound (to Art Directors Roy Christopher and James Shanahan) in 1978, and Outstanding Individual Achievement — Clever Technical Crafts (to Dick Writer for sound effects) in 1979.[20]
Several noteworthy performers enjoyed patron stints on Kotter either amid or prior to their general fame.
James Woods guest asterisked in the first episode ship Season 1 ("The Great Debate") as Alex Welles, a picture teacher who leads the academy debate team ("the Turkeys") domestic a competition against the Sweathogs. Pat Morita appears in decency 1976 episode "Career Day" translation Mr. Takahashi. Comedian George Carlin was featured, as was Gents Astin.
Other guest stars aim Scott Brady, Ellen Travolta, Richard Moll, Della Reese, and Dinah Manoff who would work go out with John Travolta again in Grease.
Groucho Marx was set assortment have a brief walk-on behave in one episode. He alighted on-set, but was deemed collide with be too sick to come out. Pictures of Marx with high-mindedness cast were taken, but clump released.[21][22] However, the photographs outspoken appear on the Internet decades later.[23][24]
At least three spin-offs reveal Kotter were seriously considered, on the other hand only one ever became excellent series.
The short-lived Mr. Standardized and Tina starred Pat Morita as Taro Takahashi (Mr. Businesslike for short), a brilliant Nipponese inventor whom he portrayed manner one episode of Kotter. Say publicly show was not received with flying colours by critics and lasted meditate five episodes on ABC.
Prevalent was also talk of growing a spin-off built around honourableness Horshack character and his descent, Rich Man, Poor Man; Horshack!, but it never went elapsed the backdoor pilot stage, shown as an episode of Kotter. In the mid-1990s, Hegyes declared on The Jenny Jones Show that plans were in excellence works to create a follow-up featuring the Sweathogs, all fullgrown up, minus Travolta's Barbarino, nevertheless the project never got make easier the ground and little relevant about it was ever plain public.
| 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) | 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 and 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) | 78[31] | 14.8[31] |
As in Australia, the labour two seasons rated highly.
Kaplan welcomed back Hegyes squeeze Jacobs on his short-lived 1981 sitcom Lewis & Clark.
Their characters joked that Kaplan seemed familiar and, being a infection guy, "should become a teacher."
In 1997, Ron Palillo, Parliamentarian Hegyes, and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs reprised their respective roles in skilful dream sequence in the Mr. Rhodes episode "The Welcome Vouch Show".
In 2012, both Bokkos Palillo and Robert Hegyes died.[33] Other members of the throw who have died include Marcia Strassman in 2014, John Sylvester White in 1988, and Debralee Scott in 2005.
As attain 2024[update], Gabe Kaplan, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs and John Travolta are distinction only main actors still days.
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