I am a kid of the seventies. I Loved watching TV when it was on without the usefulness of a VCR to watch it later.. Therefore if on I think Thursday nights you missed “Welcome Back Kotter” you had to wait till it was repeated in the summer.
John Travolta was a star.. though my heart belonged to Horshack HA!. And we all loved Epstien.. Kotter’s wife was the first real TV WILF too..And then MILF later on. She was so hot.
All my friends in school watched it and almost every issue of Dynamite magazine had it too. And we all knew the theme song.
“Welcome back”.. John Sebastion… I don’t even need to look this shit up.. It’s in my brain for life. “Welcome Back Kotter” was one of my all time fave shows ever and I think I maybe only missed one or two in its existence.
John Travolta at the time did TV movies such as Boy in the Plastic Bubble” and went on to Movies and other success. But the others just did nothing and that in itself was sad. Epstein was typecast. Short of a few TV guest shots I never saw him again.
Robert Hegyes Did at the age of 60 today.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/26/robert-hegyes-dead_n_1234978.html?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl2|sec3_lnk1%26pLid%3D130530.

Peace Within Robert…
I can only imagine the notes your mom wrote for god…

“Welcome Back, Kotter: The Sit-In (#1.15)” (1976)
Juan Epstein: [Late at night in the dark classroom] Hey, Horshack. Tell me somethin’. Do you ever think about what God is like?
Arnold Horshack: Oh, yeah. I think he’s short. And he has a marvelous sense of humor. And a great laugh.
Vernajean Williams: Hey, God can do anything.
Freddie ‘Boom Boom’ Washington: He can?
Vernajean Williams: SHE can. You know, she sings just like Aretha Franklin.
Juan Epstein: Y’know, I think God is kinda tough, y’know? But he’s fair. Sorta like John Wayne in a white beard, y’know? “All right, pilgrims, move those clouds in a circle.”
Vinnie Barbarino: I got my own idea of what God is like. I know he’s a sharp dresser. He’s good lookin’. And of course he’s Italian.
Freddie ‘Boom Boom’ Washington: Yeah? Well, if you ask me, all that stuff about harps is a lot of jive. God is backed up by a jazz rhythym section. He got a piano, a bass guitar, and a drummer with a good right foot.
Julie Kotter: Well, I think God is love. And if he were here, he’d love my tuna casserole.
Juan Epstein: Hey, Mr. Kotter? What’s your feelings on this subject?
Gabe Kotter: Well, I think that, uh, God is everywhere.
Arnold Horshack: Even in liver?
Gabe Kotter: He’s everywhere. He’s in Times Square. He used to be in Ebbets Field. Spent a lot of time in Ebbets Field. He’s Moonlight in Vermont, Autumn in New York, all the standards. He’s everywhere… with the possible exception of Epstein’s gymn locker! Go to sleep!