Welcome Back, Kotter

Welcome Back, Kotter was an American television sitcom that aired on the ABC television network from 1975 until 1979. The title character was a teacher who taught students in the same Brooklyn, New York public high school from which he himself had graduated, James Buchanan High School. His often unruly students were known as the "Sweathogs." The central Sweathogs were Vinnie Barbarino, a handsome dimwit; Juan Epstein, a tough Puerto Rican; Freddy "Boom Boom" Washington, an athletic African-American; and Arnold Horshack, the class clown known for his wheezing laugh.

The regular cast members included:

• Gabe Kaplan as Gabe Kotter, the title character.
• Marcia Strassman as Julie Kotter, his wife.
• Jonathan Sylvester White as Mr. Michael Woodman, Mr. Kotter's immediate superior
• John Travolta played sweathog Vinnie Barbarino.
• Ron Palillo played sweathog Arnold Horshack.
• Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs played sweathog Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington.
• Robert Hegyes played sweathog Juan Epstein.

Major changes took place in the fourth and final season. John Travolta, then one of the biggest stars on television, began to focus more time on his film career and appeared in less than half of the episodes that year, now billed as a "special guest star." Meanwhile, Gabe Kaplan's problems with the new writing staff led to limited appearances by the title character. To help fill the voids, Stephen Shortridge joined the cast as smooth-talking southern sweathog Beau DeLaBarre, and Kotter's wife, played by Marcia Strassman, became a substitute teacher at the school. Many fans consider the fourth season to be the worst, often singling out the departure of Travolta as the cause of the show's demise.

In the mid-1990s, cast member Robert Hegyes announced on the Jenny Jones talk show that plans were in the works to create a spin-off of the show featuring the Sweathogs all grown up. The project, however, never got off the ground.

The show had a particularly memorable theme song, written and performed by John Sebastian, formerly of the Lovin' Spoonful.