Welcome Back, Kotter

Welcome Back, Kotter
Created by	Gabe Kaplan Alan Sacks
Starring	Gabe Kaplan Marcia Strassman John Sylvester White Robert Hegyes Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs Ron Palillo John Travolta Stephen Shortridge
Opening theme	"Welcome Back" performed by John Sebastian
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	95 (list of episodes)
Production
Running time	24–25 minutes, 30 minutes with commercials
Production company(s)	The Komack Company Wolper Productions
Distributor	Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Release
Original network	ABC
Original release	September 9, 1975 – May 17, 1979

Welcome Back, Kotter is an American sitcom starring Gabe Kaplan as a wisecracking high school teacher in charge of a racially and ethnically diverse remedial class called the "Sweathogs." It marked John Travolta's television debut role. Recorded in front of a live studio audience, it originally aired on ABC from September 9, 1975, to May 17, 1979.

The show stars stand-up comedian and actor Gabriel 'Gabe' Kaplan as the title character, Gabe Kotter, a wisecracking teacher who returns to his alma mater, James Buchanan High School in Brooklyn, New York, to teach a remedial class of loafers, called "Sweathogs." Kotter's class is held in Room 11. The school's principal is referred to, but rarely seen on-screen. The rigid vice principal, Michael Woodman (John Sylvester White), dismisses the Sweathogs as witless hoodlums, and only expects Kotter to contain them until they drop out or are otherwise banished. As a former remedial student, and a founding member of the original class of Sweathogs, Kotter befriends the current Sweathogs and stimulates their potential. A pupil-teacher rapport is formed, and the students often visit Kotter's Bensonhurst apartment, sometimes via the fire-escape window, much to the chagrin of his wife, Julie (Marcia Strassman).

The fictional James Buchanan High is based on the Brooklyn high school that Kaplan attended in real life, New Utrecht High School, which is also shown in the opening credits. Many of the show's characters were also based on people Kaplan knew during his teen years as a remedial student, several of whom were described in one of Kaplan's stand-up comic routines entitled "Holes and Mellow Rolls." "Vinnie Barbarino" was inspired by Eddie Lecarri and Ray Barbarino; "Freddie 'Boom Boom' Washington" was inspired by Freddie "Furdy" Peyton; "Juan Epstein" was partially inspired by Epstein "The Animal"; however, "Arnold Horshack" was unchanged.

Gabe Kotter is a flippant, but well-meaning teacher who returns to his alma mater, Buchanan High, to teach a group of remedial students known as the Sweathogs. Being a founding member of the original Sweathogs, Kotter has a special understanding of the potential of these supposedly "unteachable" students. On his first day on the job, he launches into a Groucho Marx impersonation. Kotter is married to Julie, with whom he eventually has twin girls, Robin and Rachel. It was confirmed by Julie in the episode "Follow the Leader (part 1)" that Gabe is Jewish. During season four, Kaplan had contract issues with the executive producer, and only appeared in a handful of episodes. In season four, the invisible principal John Lazarus retires, and Kotter becomes the vice-principal. Though he is said to maintain some social studies teaching duties, most of that season's shows are filmed outside his classroom (#11), or if in room 11, Mr. Woodman is teaching. To minimize Kotter's absence, scenes were shot in either the school's hallway, the schoolyard, or the principal's waiting area. Season four ended the series.

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