‘Welcome Back, Kotter’ Cast Members We’ve Lost: Honoring the Stars Who Made the Sweathogs Soar

If you remember the phrase “up your nose with a rubber hose,” then you undoubtedly recall the Sweathogs of Brooklyn’s James Buchanan High and the show that featured them, Welcome Back, Kotter. Running on ABC from 1975 to 1979, it starred stand-up comic Gabe Kaplan as teacher Gabe Kotter, a former member of the Sweathogs himself who does his best to get his students to learn, using a combination of humor and genuine compassion.

Which is no easy task, of course, given that the Sweathogs aren’t exactly model students, but personality was not one of their shortcomings, whether it was Vinnie Barbarino (John Travolta) mugging for the camera, Juan Epstein flashing one of his many forged excuse notes or Arnold Horshack laughing like only he could. And holding it all together (barely) were the exasperated adults—Vice-Principal Woodman, Mrs. Julie Kotter and a steady rotation of side characters who just tried to survive the craziness that unfolded weekly.

The show was a hit out of the gate, making Travolta a teen idol, turning the theme song by John Sebastian into a radio smash and giving ABC another ratings winner at a time when TV sitcoms were embracing a more offbeat, working-class vibe. But sadly, a number of the familiar faces from Welcome Back, Kotter have since left us and what follows is a tribute to Robert Hegyes, Ron Palillo, Marcia Strassman, John Sylvester White, Debralee Scott and producer James Komack—each of whom helped bring the weird, wonderful and funny world of the Sweathogs to life.

Robert Hegyes (Juan Epstein)

Background: Robert Hegyes was born on May 7, 1951, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and raised in nearby Metuchen. Of Hungarian and Italian descent, Hegyes studied speech and theater at Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) in New Jersey before launching his acting career in the early 1970s. He gained early experience on stage, including work with children’s theater companies and regional plays, before landing his breakout role on Welcome Back, Kotter.

Life after Welcome Back, Kotter: Following the end of Kotter in 1979, Hegyes remained active in television. He had a recurring role as Detective Manny Esposito on the crime drama Cagney & Lacey during the 1980s and made guest appearances on shows such as NewsRadio, Diagnosis: Murder and CHiPs. Although he never again landed a role as high-profile as Epstein, he continued to work in acting, teaching and directing, particularly in educational settings.

Personal: Robert Hegyes was married and divorced twice and had four children. Later in life, he returned to his home state of New Jersey and became active in local community theater and arts education, teaching screenwriting and acting at Rowan University and elsewhere.

Death: Robert Hegyes died of a heart attack on January 26, 2012, at the age of 60 in Edison, New Jersey. He had reportedly experienced chest pains earlier that morning before being rushed to a hospital, where he passed away. His death came as a shock to many fans who remembered his portrayal of the streetwise, tough-talking, but lovable Juan Epstein as one of the highlights of Welcome Back, Kotter. And nothing beat those notes from “Epstein’s Mother” to Mr. Kotter to excuse him for not doing something he was supposed to.

Ron Palillo (Arnold Horshack)

Background: Ronald Gabriel Palillo was born on April 2, 1949, in Cheshire, Connecticut. A shy and artistic kid, he developed a love for acting early on and studied drama at the University of Connecticut. After graduating, Palillo joined a touring theater company and earned accolades for his stage work. His big break came when he was cast as Arnold Horshack on Welcome Back, Kotter—the nasally voiced, eager-to-please Sweathog with the signature “Ooh-ooh-ooh!” that became a pop culture catchphrase. Classic Kotter moment: “Horshack is a very respected name. It means the cattle are dy-ing.”

Life after Welcome Back, Kotter: Palillo found it difficult to escape the shadow of Horshack, a role that brought him fame but also typecasting. He continued to act on television, stage and in voiceover work, including a recurring voice role on the animated Rubik, the Amazing Cube. In the 1980s and 1990s, he shifted increasingly toward theater, appearing in regional productions and directing plays. He also taught drama at G-Star School of the Arts in Palm Springs, Florida, later in life.

Despite struggling with the limited opportunities that followed Kotter, Palillo maintained a love of performance and continued to work steadily, albeit mostly outside of the Hollywood spotlight. He was also a visual artist and illustrated several children’s books.

Personal: Palillo was openly gay and in a long-term relationship with Joseph Gramm, a retired actor and playwright. The couple lived together in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Palillo was passionate about education and the arts and was regarded by students and colleagues as a generous teacher and mentor.

Death: Ron Palillo died suddenly of a heart attack on August 14, 2012, at the age of 63. He reportedly collapsed at home and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. His passing came just months after that of his former co-star Robert Hegyes, making the loss particularly poignant for fans of the beloved 1970s series.

Marcia Strassman (Julie Kotter)

Background: Marcia Strassman was born on April 28, 1948, in New York City and raised in Passaic, New Jersey. She began her career as a teenager, replacing Liza Minnelli in an off-Broadway musical and later appearing as a singer on The Merv Griffin Show. In the mid-1960s, she had a brief pop music career, releasing singles like “The Flower Children” before turning her focus fully to acting. Prior to Welcome Back, Kotter, she had guest roles on The Patty Duke Show, Ironside and a recurring role on MASH* as Nurse Margie Cutler.

Life after Welcome Back, Kotter: Though often frustrated with her underused role as Gabe Kotter’s wife Julie on the show, Strassman remained a familiar face on television throughout the 1980s and ’90s. She had a key supporting role in the hit Disney film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) and its sequel Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992), playing Diane Szalinski opposite Rick Moranis. She also made guest appearances on popular shows like Magnum, P.I., The Rockford Files, Fantasy Island and Tremors. Strassman published a memoir in 2008 titled Life with a Side Order of Cancer, chronicling her battle with illness and life in Hollywood.

Personal: Strassman was married to director and producer Robert Collector from 1984 to 1989. They had one daughter, Elizabeth. In interviews, Strassman was candid about the challenges she faced on Kotter, particularly her frustrations with the creative direction of her character. Despite that, she remained appreciative of her fans and her body of work. She was also deeply involved in cancer advocacy in her later years.

Death: Marcia Strassman died on October 24, 2014, at her home in Sherman Oaks, California, following a seven-year battle with breast cancer. She was 66 years old. Her passing was met with tributes from fans and former co-stars, who remembered her for her warmth, wit and strength both on screen and off.

John Sylvester White (Mr. Michael Woodman)

Background: John Sylvester White was born on October 31, 1919, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He began his acting career on the stage and in early television, appearing in live anthology shows during the 1950s. Prior to his most famous role, White played Keith Barron on the soap opera Search for Tomorrow from 1951 to 1952. A character actor by trade, he worked steadily in supporting roles for years before gaining widespread recognition.

Life after Welcome Back, Kotter: White’s portrayal of Vice Principal Michael Woodman—stern, bureaucratic and frequently exasperated—became a memorable foil to Gabe Kotter and the Sweathogs. Following the show’s end in 1979, his on-screen appearances became rare. He had a small role in the 1983 TV movie The Day After, one of his final performances. By the mid-1980s, White had retired from acting and stepped away from public life.

Personal: John Sylvester White was married to actress Joan Stanton, best known for her work on radio as “Joan Alexander,” the voice of Lois Lane in the Adventures of Superman radio series and 1940s Fleischer cartoons. The two eventually divorced. Not much is publicly known about his later personal life, as he kept a low profile in his final years.

Death: White died of pancreatic cancer on September 11, 1988, in Waikiki, Hawaii, where he had moved after retiring. He was 68 years old. While his career was largely defined by a single role, his performance as the fussy and ultimately well-meaning Mr. Woodman remains a familiar favorite for fans of Welcome Back, Kotter, especially those who remember the hilarious antagonism between the character and the ever-rebellious Sweathogs.

Debralee Scott (Rosalie ‘Hotsy’ Totsy)

Background: Debralee Scott was born on April 2, 1953, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. She began acting at a young age and quickly found success in the 1970s with appearances in films like Dirty Harry (1971), where she played the ill-fated kidnapping victim, and American Graffiti (1973). On television, she became a fixture in sitcoms, playing sassy, street-smart characters with a comic edge. One of her best-known roles was as Rosalie “Hotsy” Totsy on Welcome Back, Kotter, the brassy classmate and occasional love interest to the Sweathogs.

Life after Welcome Back, Kotter: Scott continued acting steadily throughout the late ’70s and early ’80s. She had a recurring role as Cathy Shumway on the soap opera satire Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, and became a popular game show panelist on Match Game, Tattletales and The $20,000 Pyramid. She also co-starred in the short-lived series Angie, opposite Donna Pescow and Robert Hays. Her final acting credit came in the 1980s, after which she moved away from Hollywood and worked in radio and behind the scenes.

Personal: Scott was engaged to John Dennis Levi, a Port Authority police officer who was killed in the 9/11 attacks. She reportedly never fully recovered from the emotional trauma. She had previously dated actor Richard Dreyfuss and remained close to friends in the entertainment industry. Though she largely stepped out of the spotlight in her later years, she was known for her big laugh, warmth and larger-than-life personality.

Death: Debralee Scott died on April 5, 2005, just three days after her 52nd birthday. The cause of death was initially listed as natural causes, though some friends and family members believe the grief over her fiancé’s death played a contributing role in her declining health.

James Komack (Mr. Lazarus, Producer/Creator)

Background: James Komack was born on August 3, 1924, in New York City. He began his career as a nightclub comedian and stage actor, performing on Broadway in shows like Damn Yankees. Transitioning to television, he gained attention in the 1960s with a supporting role on The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, which he also produced. He quickly became known as a pioneering force behind character-driven sitcoms that blended comedy with sentimentality. Komack created and/or produced several popular shows, including Chico and the Man, Me and the Chimp and The Tony Randall Show.

Life after Welcome Back, Kotter: Komack’s biggest commercial hit was Welcome Back, Kotter, which he created based on the stand-up routines of Gabe Kaplan. Though the show made stars of its young cast, Komack remained the engine behind the scenes, overseeing the balance of humor, heart, and topicality. He occasionally appeared on the show as the school psychologist Mr. Lazarus. After Kotter, Komack struggled to replicate its success. He worked on a few pilots and television specials in the 1980s, but none had the same cultural impact.

Personal: Komack was married to Cluny Komack, a costume designer and wardrobe supervisor. The couple kept their lives relatively private. Komack was known as a hands-on producer and mentor to young talent, but also someone who could be combative in the writers’ room, particularly when he and Kaplan clashed over creative control of Kotter in later seasons.

Death: James Komack died of heart failure on December 24, 1997, at the age of 73 in Los Angeles. His legacy lives on through Welcome Back, Kotter, which captured a specific slice of 1970s American life with humor, empathy and style.