(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Welcome Back Kotter fans are mourning the loss of Robert Hegyes who played Epstein on the show in the 1970′s. Hegyes died of a heart attack at the age of 60 Thursday after suffering chest pains at his home in Metuchen, New Jersey. Hegyes was also a regular on Cagney & Lacey and was a guest star on shows including Saturday Night Live, Diagnosis Murder and The Drew Carey Show.
Hegyes brother Mark told U.K’s Daily Mail, “the American TV star, who starred alongside John Travolta in the classic 70s sitcom, was not in good health after suffering a heart attack a couple of years ago.” Hegyes’ performance as one of the tough remedial students known as the Sweathogs at the fictional James Buchanan High in Brooklyn helped Welcome Back Kotter win an Emmy nomination for outstanding comedy series in 1976. He also took on the mantle of director for several episodes.
Hegyes, who portrayed Kotter’s Juan Luis Pedro Phillipo de Huevos Epstein, later played to rave reviews on Broadway as Chico Marx in An Evening With Groucho Marx. There was even talk a few years ago of reviving the Epstein character for a new sitcom, but that didn’t pan out. Here’s a look at some favorite Epstein moments:
Sweathogs at the 35th Anniversary reunion on Good Morning America:
Battle Of The Network Stars in 1976:
A few other Hegyes appearances:
And the opening Kotter theme song, R.I.P. old friend…
joe
January 27, 2012 5:18 pm
kotter was one of my favorite shows from the 70′s next to chico and the man!!!! r.i.p. robert we all will miss ya’
Gerry meyer
January 30, 2012 11:24 am
I liked welcome back kotter, i thought it was a funny, good and one of the best t.v. shows of all time. I hope they bring welcome back kotter for the rememberance of robert hegyes, it would be a great send off for him. I thought the whole cast was great, and very funny, please bring welcome back kotter back. Good bye Epstein.