“Sweathogs, class is in session.” — It’s hard to believe, but it’s been 45 years since audiences bid farewell to Mr. Kotter and The Sweathogs. The brainchild of Gabe Kaplan and Alan Sacks, “Welcome Back, Kotter” premiered in 1975 with a cast of relatively, at the time, unknown actors. The show, a true cultural phenomenon, centers around Gabe Kotter, who serves as a home-room teacher to a rag-tag group of students led by Vinnie Barbarino (John Travolta), Arnold Horshack (Ron Palillo), Freddie “Boom-Boom” Washington (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs), and Juan Epstein (Robert Hegyes), who was voted “Most Likely to Take a Life” by his fellow classmates! Filled to the brim with laughs, fun catchphrases, and an infectious theme song, it didn’t take long for the series to catch fire and become a national sensation. Over the course of the series’ four-season run, it landed several nominations, including Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for Ron Palillo and John Travolta, respectively, as well as winning the People’s Choice Award for Favorite New TV Comedy Program in 1976. However, its biggest achievement was leaving the audience in stitches week in and week out (at least for the first few seasons!)
If you’re a long-suffering fan of the show, hungry for a heaping helping of nostalgia, we’ve got some great news for you! Raise your hand if “Oooh-ooooh-oooh” you know the answer! Fans of the series can relive the show’s glory days with the June 11th release of ‘Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series’ on DVD. This new set marks the first time ever that all 95 original episodes from the iconic sitcom have appeared together in one amazing set. This 12-disc set serves as the perfect gateway to revisit some of the most interesting characters to ever roam the hallowed hall of Buchanan High School. You won’t regret it. — “Signed, Epstein’s mother.”
