WELCOME BACK, KOTTER: THE SWEATMOBILE (TV)
Summary
One in this series of programs about high school teacher Gabe Kotter, who returns to his alma mater, James Buchanan High in Brooklyn, to teach a group of incorrigible students known as "Sweathogs." In this episode, the Sweathogs, dismayed by their unpleasant brown-bag lunches, are envious when Carvelli and Murray return to school with food from the Burger Czar ("where the burgers are"). Carvelli explains that the restaurant is drive-through only and offers to sell the guys his car, but the Hogs are immediately skeptical, revealing that they have already attempted such a purchase: in the past, the guys unevenly pool their money to buy a used car from Barbarino's Uncle Louie for $150, though Julie and Mr. Woodman suspect a ruse. The Sweathogs are delighted when the promise of the car lands them dates with a quartet of cheerleaders, and they head to the hospital, Barbarino's place of work, where Louie has promised to meet them with the automobile.
As Horshack quizzes Barbarino about his driving skills, a car-accident victim is rushed into the ER, and the guys are stunned to realize that it is none other than Louie. He suffers only a broken arm and "multiple confusions," but the boys are far more concerned about the fate of the car, and when Barbarino's Aunt Josephine arrives in a panic, she scolds her nephew for hanging out with such "punks." Josephine then discovers that Louie is involved in a "shady deal" to make a profit on the broken-down car, which he himself acquired for a mere $25, and announces that she will donate the $150 to the church to teach him a lesson. Annoyed, Barbarino goes to great lengths to convince her that the money is in fact theirs, enlisting another patient to stand in for the sedated Louie, and in the end, the Sweathogs manage to keep their dates with the cheerleaders and get their money back. Carvelli and Murray, however, are less fortunate with their hamburgers. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: September 11, 1978 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:25:37
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:48169
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; High school students; Used cars
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1975-1979
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- James Komack … Executive Producer
- Ed Simmons … Supervising Executive Producer
- Bill Richmond … Producer
- Gene Perret … Producer
- Claire Barrett Young … Associate Producer
- Norman Abbott … Director
- Peter Meyerson … Developed by
- Alan Sacks … Created by
- Gabriel Kaplan … Created by
- Eric Cohen … Based on characters conceived by
- Rick Hawkins … Writer
- Liz Sage … Writer
- John B. Sebastian … Theme Music by
- Gabriel Kaplan … Cast, Gabe Kotter
- Marcia Strassman … Cast, Julie Kotter
- John Sylvester White … Cast, Mr. Woodman
- Robert Hegyes … Cast, Epstein
- Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs … Cast, Washington
- Ron Palillo … Cast, Horshack
- John Travolta … Cast, Vinnie Barbarino
- Charles Fleischer … Cast, Carvelli
- Bob Harcum … Cast, Wilbur Murray
- Connie Sawyer … Cast, Aunt Josephine
- Marcy Hanson … Cast, The Nurse