UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 09: WELCOME BACK, KOTTER – pilot – Season One – 9/9/75, Gabe Kotter (played by Gabe Kaplan, center), a former Sweathog, returned to his Brooklyn high school to teach the new class of misfits, from left: Vinnie Barbarino (John Travolta), Arnold Horshack (Ron Palillo), Juan Epstein (Robert Hegyes) and Freddie “Boom-Boom” Washington (Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs)., (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
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“Up your nose with a rubber hose!”
While most of my high school peers were huddled around the proverbial water cooler on Friday mornings gushing about the latest episode of Welcome Back, Kotter, I was off in a different world — rooted in rural Virginia with the Waltons. CBS’s family drama was my go-to, airing opposite the Brooklyn-based antics of Gabe Kaplan and the “Sweathogs.”
Still, it didn’t take long before Kotter pulled me in. Eventually, I caught all 95 episodes — yes, even the troubled fourth season where the absences of Kaplan and John Travolta cast a long shadow. And today, on its 50th anniversary, we celebrate the sitcom that made high school lovable, laughable, and unmistakably ’70s.
From the Beginning
On September 9, 1975, ABC debuted Welcome Back, Kotter, a sitcom that introduced America to a raucous group of underachieving but endearing high schoolers — the Sweathogs.
Led by John Travolta as the swaggering Vinnie Barbarino, the crew included Arnold Horshack (Ron Palillo), Freddie “Boom Boom” Washington (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs), and Juan Epstein (Robert Hegyes), a self-proclaimed Puerto Rican Jew with a note from his mother for every occasion. These characters weren’t background players — they were the stars.
Gabe Kaplan played Mr. Kotter, a wisecracking teacher returning to James Buchanan High, his alma mater, to wrangle the very type of kids he once was. His banter with deadpan Principal Woodman (John Sylvester White) and his loving, eye-rolling wife Julie (Marcia Strassman) brought the series full circle, blending schoolyard shenanigans with heartfelt adult comedy.
Unlike prior school-set sitcoms like Our Miss Brooks or Room 222, Kotter put the focus squarely on the kids — and not just any kids, but the class clowns, the daydreamers, the ones no one expected much from. And that’s what made it revolutionary.
Why It Still Matters
Kotter wasn’t just funny—it was fresh, fast, and surprisingly tender. It reminded viewers that troublemakers could be thoughtful, that street smarts mattered too, and that sometimes the best teachers are the ones who’ve been through the wringer themselves.
To celebrate its golden anniversary, here are 10 memorable facts about the show that made “Sweathogs” a household name:
1. The Cast Had Chemistry—and It Showed
Much of the show’s charm came from the natural rapport among the Sweathogs. The actors reportedly became close friends off-screen, which translated into the effortless banter and playful pranks on-screen.
UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 09: WELCOME BACK, KOTTER – Cast – Pilot – 9/9/75, Gabe Kaplan (top center) played Gabe Kotter, the teacher of a class of delinquents called the Sweathogs at his former high school. His students were played by Robert Hegyes (left, as Juan Epstein), Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs (as Freddie “Boom Boom” Washington), John Travolta (as Vinnie Barbarino) and Ron Palillo (as Arnold Horshack), (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
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2. Arnold Horshack’s “Ooh! Ooh!” Almost Didn’t Happen
Ron Palillo’s signature catchphrase was no in the original script. He improvised it during rehearsals, and the producers liked it so much it became a defining trait of the character.
UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 09: WELCOME BACK, KOTTER – Ron Palillo – Pilot – 9/9/75, Ron Palillo played Arnold Horshack, the class clown of the Sweathogs, a class of delinquents in a Brooklyn high school., (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
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3. Vinnie Barbarino Was a Standout
John Travolta’s Vinnie was known for his cocky swagger and flirtatious antics. Audiences took notice and his portrayal helped cement Travolta’s early Hollywood stardom prior to Saturday Night Fever or Grease.
UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 09: WELCOME BACK, KOTTER – John Travolta – Pilot – 9/9/75, John Travolta played Vinnie Barbarino, the leader and ladies’ man of the Sweathogs, a class of delinquents in a Brooklyn high school., (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
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4. The Show Inspired Real-Life High School Visits
Gabe Kaplan, who drew on his own Brooklyn school experiences, occasionally visited real high schools to talk about education, humor, and life in the 1970s — blurring the lines between the TV world and reality.
UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 09: WELCOME BACK, KOTTER – pilot – Season One – 9/9/75, Gabe Kotter (played by Gabe Kaplan), a former Sweathog, returned to his Brooklyn high school to teach the new class of misfits. , (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
5. Iconic Theme Song
“Welcome Back” by John Sebastian became a Top 10 hit on the Billboard charts in 1976. Its catchy, upbeat tone perfectly captured the series’ sense of fun and optimism.
American musician John Sebastian, of the American folk-rock band The Lovin’ Spoonful, sings and plays his guitar on stage in London, England, August 28, 1970. (Photo by TPLP/Getty Images)
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6. A Ratings Zenith
At the height of its popularity, season two in 1976-77, Welcome Back, Kotter finished No. 13 overall for the season in primetime. The top-rated series was ABC’s Happy Days (followed by spinoff Laverne & Shirley at No. 2).
UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 09: HAPPY DAYS – Gallery – Season Three – 9/9/75, Pictured, top row, left: Henry WInkler (Fonzie), Tom Bosley (Howard), Anson Williams (Potsie), Marion Ross (Marion); bottom row, left: Donny Most (Ralph), Erin Moran (Joanie), Ron Howard (Richie), (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
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7. Marcia Strassman Wanted Out
While audiences took to Julie Kotter, Marcia Strassman was far less enthusiastic about her role. From early on, she felt her character was underwritten – often serving only as a sounding board for Gabe’s jokes – and even asked to be released from her contract during the first season. Strassman later admitted she found her time on the show “miserable,” though she remained for all four seasons.
UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 09: WELCOME BACK, KOTTER – pilot – 9/9/75, Gabe Kotter (Gabe Kaplan), a former Sweathog, returned to his Brooklyn high school to teach the new class of misfits. Marcia Strassman (Julie) played his understanding wife., (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
8. John Travolta and Gabe Kaplan’s Limited Final Season
By the show’s fourth and final season (1978–79), John Travolta had risen to “A-list” movie star status following Saturday Night Fever and Grease and appeared only occasionally as Barbarino. He was not the only cast member to scale back: Gabe Kaplan reduced his appearances due to contractual disputes with the executive producer and growing dissatisfaction with the show’s declining quality and behind-the-scenes conflicts.
Stephen Shortridge joined the cast as Beau De LaBarre, a smooth-talking, Southern transfer student who became the new “Sweathog.”
UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 23: WELCOME BACK, KOTTER – Season Two – 9/23/76, Robert Hegyes (Epstein), Ron Palillo (Horshack), Stephen Shortridge (Beau De Labarre), Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs (Freddie), Marcia Strassman (Julie), John Sylvester White (Mr. Woodman), (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
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9. A Long-Forgotten Spinoff
At a time when sitcom spin-offs were popping up everywhere, Pat Morita left Happy Days to headline Mr. T and Tina, a short-lived offshoot of Welcome Back, Kotter. Morita—later beloved as Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid—starred as Taro Takahashi, a Japanese inventor and widower who relocates from Cleveland to Chicago to work for an American company. Susan Blanchard co-starred as Tina Kelly, his scatterbrained housekeeper. Introduced in an episode of Kotter, Takahashi became the lead of one of the first network sitcoms to feature an Asian-American star. Unfortunately, the show lasted just five episodes before cancellation.
Unspecified – 1976: (L-R) Pat Morita wearing traditional Japanese kimono, June Angela, Susan Blanchard, Gene Profanato appearing in the ABC tv series ‘Mr T and Tina’. (Photo by Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
10. Two Other Spinoffs Were in Contention
During the height of Welcome Back, Kotter’s popularity, there was talk of a series called Horshack! that would have followed Ron Palillo’s character after leaving James Buchanan High. ABC filmed a backdoor pilot during the final season of Kotter, but it was not picked up to series.
Unspecified – 1976: (L-R) Helen Travolta, Elyssa Davalos, Andrea McArdle, Ron Palillo appearing in the unaired pilot for the ABC tv series ‘Horshak’. (Photo by American Broadcasting Companies via Getty Images)
ABC
Years later, Robert Hegyes confirmed that there was also mention of a new sitcom pairing Arnold Horshack, though that concept never made it past the development stage either.
UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 16: WELCOME BACK, KOTTER – “Basket Case” – Season One -, 9/16/75, Robert Hegyes (as Epstein), Ron Palillo (as Horshack)., (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
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As we celebrate five decades, we remember Welcome Back, Kotter — a show about belonging, about second chances, about a teacher who never gave up, and the students who never stopped making us laugh.
Here’s to 50 years of the unforgettable crew from Brooklyn. Welcome back, indeed.
All together now…
Welcome back
Your dreams were your ticket out
Welcome back to that same old place
That you laughed about
Well, the names have all changed
Since you hung around
But those dreams have remained
And they’ve turned around
Who’d have thought they’d lead you
(Who’d have thought they’d lead you)
Back here where we need you
(Back here where we need you)
Yeah, we tease him a lot
Cause we got him on the spot
Welcome back
Welcome back
Welcome back
Welcome back
Welcome back
Welcome back
UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 09: WELCOME BACK, KOTTER – pilot – Season One – 9/9/75, Gabe Kotter (played by Gabe Kaplan, middle row, right), a former Sweathog, returned to his Brooklyn high school to teach the new class of misfits, top row, left: Juan Epstein (Robert Hegyes), Arnold Horshack (Ron Palillo), Vinnie Barbarino (John Travolta, bottom left) and Freddie “Boom Boom” Washington (Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs). John Sylvester White played Assistant Principal Woodman, and Marcia Strassman played Gabe’s understanding wife, Julie., (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
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Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marcberman1/2025/09/09/welcome-back-kotter-at-50-remembering-tvs-lovable-sweathogs/
