Welcome Back, Kotter Cast: Where They Are Now (2024)

Welcome Back, Kotter is best remembered as one of the defining sitcoms of the 1970s, but what has its cast been doing since the show went off the air? Airing for four seasons from 1975 to 1979, the comedy series captured the zeitgeist of that complicated era and transcended its genre by actually having something to say about the state of inner-city schools at the time. Hilarious and poignant in equal measure, the series was relatively short-lived by sitcom standards, but it had a massive impact on popular culture. Its success was due in large part to its memorable cast, some of whom went on to become bona fide stars.

The personality of the Welcome Back, Kotter cast was put on full display in every episode, and it stood out from most other sitcoms because of its genuine tone and over-the-top humor. Usually considered one of John Travolta's breakout roles, it was a launching pad for the young actor's career, and he wasn't the only cast member to find success because of Welcome Back, Kotter. Though it wasn't without its controversial elements, the series was a time capsule to the decade it was made, and catchphrases like "up your nose with a rubber hose" became permanent fixtures in pop culture.

Gabe Kaplan

As Gabe Kotter

Stand-up comedian Gabe Kaplan was cast in the titular role as the affable and understanding Gabe Kotter, and he often used his stage presence when teaching the Sweathogs at James Buchanan High. Welcome Back, Kotter was launched as a vehicle for the funnyman, and he appeared in nearly every episode over its four-season run. However, he was missing for most of the final season of the show as Kaplan was having contract disputes with the network.

Caplan's filmography was rather brief, but he did land starring roles in films like the TV movie Groucho (1982), which allowed him to play his idol from the Marx Brothers movies. Kaplan was most recently heard lending his voice to an episode of the irreverent dark comedy series BoJack Horseman in 2018. Caplan also made a name for himself in the world of poker, becoming considered one of the best players in the world and serving as a commentator for several televised tournaments.

Marcia Strassman

As Julie Kotter

The long-suffering wife of Gabe Kotter, Julie Cotter was brought to life by Marcia Strassman, and she perfectly embodied the character's loving nature that was balanced by her wish that Gabe would take things more seriously. She is also annoyed by the fact that Gabe allows his students to show up at their apartment unannounced, which leads to an episode where the couple actually split up briefly. Eventually, Julie worked at the school as a secretary and then as a substitute teacher.

Strassman was no stranger to TV before WBK, and she had previously had stints on The Patty Duke Show and M*A*S*H*. Afterward, she continued to work mostly in TV but landed a starring role in the Disney film series Honey, I Shrunk the Kidsstarring Rick Moranis in the '80s and '90s. Strassman continued to work up until 2014 whenshe passed away suddenly at the age of 66.

John Sylvester White

As Michael Woodman

The importance of a great sitcom villain is underrated and Welcome Back, Kotter characters like John Sylvester White's Vice Principal Michael Woodman were what made the show classic. While not downright villainous, Vice Principal Woodman was clearly the antagonist of the series, and White excelled at showing the character's contempt for the Sweathogs and Kotter. He butts heads with Kotter about his unorthodox approach to teaching, while he also becomes the butt of many jokes from the Sweathogs.

John Sylvester White had a brief career in show business with bit parts in shows like Kojack before Welcome Back, Kotter. He was also well known for playing the role of Keith Barron on the soap opera Search for Tomorrow. He also made sporadic guest appearances on shows like Kojack and Baretta. He was also married to Joan Alexander for a time who was the voice of Lois Lane on the radio version of "The Adventures of Superman". White died in 1988 at the age of 68.

John Travolta

As Vincent "Vinnie" Barbarino

The brash and arrogant Vinnie Barbarino was the role that made Travolta famous, and he was the most successful member of the cast of Welcome Back, Kotter by far. Barbarino's swaggering attitude and catchphrases made him a popular character, with him being the heartthrob of the school as well as the leader of the Sweathogs. However, Barbarino was also dim-witted and childish when he was not the center of attention.

Travolta went from sitcoms to movies and found immediate success with an Oscar nod for his role in 1977's Saturday Night Fever followed by the iconic musical Grease. Following a decline in his career, Travolta made one of the biggest Hollywood comebacks of all time when Quentin Tarantino cast him as Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction. He went on to star in '90s hit movies like Get Shorty, Face/Off, and Broken Arrow. Though no longer a leading man in high-profile movies, Travolta remains the biggest name to come out of the Welcome Back, Kotter cast.

Ron Palillo

As Arnold Dingfelder Horshack

Tapped to play the class clown of the Sweathogs, Ron Palillo made a splash as the lovable goofball Arnold Dingfelder Horshack. He fit nicely into the typical oddball sitcom character persona with his strange observations making for some of the most memorable moments in the series. Despite his bizarre behavior, he is one of the smartest members of the Sweathogs when it comes to schoolwork, though he feels out of place with the other students.

Welcome Back, Kotter was Palillo's first role, and he was initially meant to star in his own spinoff series (as Horshack) that never came to fruition. He followed the show up with a slew of guest spots on shows like The Love Boat and CHiPs where he would mostly play other oddball characters throughout the '80s. Palillo worked frequently in movies and TV, including Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, but returned to the theater later in his life and made only small cameo appearances in sitcoms like Ellen. Palillo passed away at the age of 63 in 2012.

Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs

As Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington

One of the smartest Sweathogs, Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington went along with his classmates' antics but tried to be the voice of reason when he could. He even manages to take over as leader of the Sweathogs for a time but they grow tired of his bossy ways and reinstate Vinny. Washington is also one of the school's star athletes with his position on the basketball team.

Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs was brilliantly cast in the role of Washington, and many of the actor's distinct and hilarious mannerisms made the character pop. Welcome Back, Kotter was his first major role, and Hilton-Jacobs found equal success in movies and TV with parts in series like Roots in 1977 and L.A. Heat in 1989. Hilton-Jacobs was a constant presence on TV all throughout the '00s and '10s, and even provided a voice for the 2022 cartoon series The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.

Robert Hegyes

As Juan Luis Epstein

The best sitcoms are those with diverse characters who bring something different to the table, and Juan Epstein was perhaps the unique member of the cast of Welcome Back, Kotter. Epstein was the tough guy of the Sweathogs, and he was fiercely proud of his Puerto Rican and Jewish heritage. His small stature never affected his ability to be intimidating, though he could still be goofy and likable like the rest of the gang.

After Welcome Back, Kotter, Hegyes made sporadic appearances on TV, including playing detective Manny Esposito on the 1980s American crime drama Cagney & Lacey. He also appeared as himself on game shows and largely stuck to stage work. Hegyes' last onscreen appearance came in a 2007 episode of The Singing Bee, and he would later pass away in 2012 at the age of 60.

Debralee Scott

As Rosalie "Hotsie" Totsie

A popular character during the show's first season, Debralee Scott played Rosalie "Hotsie" Totsie, a girl at James Buchanan High who was popular with the boys in the Sweathogs. She is the daughter of a strict reverend, which is partially the cause of her rebellious and promiscuous behavior, even if that reputation is revealed to be largely exaggerated.

Scott had previously appeared in the George Lucas-directed film American Graffiti in 1973 and continued to play small roles in movies and TV throughout the '70s and '80s. She had left Welcome Back, Kotter in season 1 after scoring a part on the Norman Lear sitcom Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. Scott appeared in two of the Police Academy films in the mid-80s before slowly transitioning to work behind the scenes. Scott passed away at the age of 52 in 2005.

Stephen Shortridge

As Beauregard "Beau" De LaBarre

Introduced as a replacement for Vinnie Barbarino during the show's final season, Beauregard "Beau" De LaBerre introduced a bit of Southern charm to the cast of Welcome Back, Kotter. With John Travolta's Barbarino leaving the series, the show sought to find a new heartthrob character while also bringing in a character who was different from the New York City characters of the show.

Actor Stephen Shortridge played the part appropriately grandiose to match his fellow Sweathogs, and he did what he could to save a show on its last legs. Shortridge worked almost exclusively in TV over his brief career on shows like The Love Boat and Fantasy Island, and he made his final onscreen appearance in the 1989 movie Say Anything. Stephen Shortridge departed show business after 1989 to pursue other artistic endeavors as a painter.