"Welcome Back, Kotter" (1975) TV series 1975-1979

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Creators:

Gabe Kaplan
Alan Sacks

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

9 September 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A compassionate teacher returns to his inner city high school of his youth to teach a new generation of trouble making kids.

Plot Keywords:

School | High School | Teacher | Insult | Inner City

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Marcia Strassman	...	Julie Kotter (92 episodes, 1975-1979)
John Sylvester White	...	Mr. Michael Woodman (92 episodes, 1975-1979)
Robert Hegyes	...	Juan Epstein (92 episodes, 1975-1979)
Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs	...	Freddie 'Boom Boom' Washington / ... (92 episodes, 1975-1979)
Ron Palillo	...	Arnold Horshack (91 episodes, 1975-1979)
Gabe Kaplan	...	Gabe Kotter (79 episodes, 1975-1979)
John Travolta	...	Vinnie Barbarino (78 episodes, 1975-1979)

Also Known As:

"Kotter" (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min (95 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

ABC Television Center - 4151 Prospect Avenue, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

The Komack Company Inc.

Trivia:

During the opening theme we see a sign that says "Welcome to Brooklyn: The 4th Largest City In America". The sign was located on the Brooklyn side of The Verrazano Narrows Bridge which connects Staten Island and Brooklyn.

Quotes:

Gabe Kotter: Did I ever tell you about my Uncle Max?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "South Park: Cripple Fight (#5.2)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Welcome Back

Awkward adolescence of television

We all go through the gawky phase of adolescence, and television was no different. Welcome Back Kotter was a goofy show in the '70s and remains campy to this day.

One of its most redeeming features lies in the fact that it is like the professional equivalent of embarrassing baby pictures of those involved (regular or guest stars) in the series who have gone on to fame and success in more meaty projects.

At least, that's how it is for those of us who are old enough to remember that simple decade when half the population was into hemp and the other polyester, but young enough to do so without nostalgia. Kotter was and is a kids' show, but even for the seventies it was an unholy amalgam of Elvis and Beaver Cleaver.