WELCOME BACK, KOTTER: ONE OF OUR SWEATHOGS IS MISSING (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." Epstein gets into a fight with Todd Ludlow, one of the school's football players, over Epstein insulting his girlfriend. Todd emerges victorious and Epstein, sporting a black eye, is unwilling to face the other sweathogs, afraid of being branded a "loser." Gabe convinces him to go to class, but the other sweathogs mock him and Epstein storms out in a fury. He remains missing for three days, and the other sweathogs set up an improvised call center, scouring the city streets looking for him. Soon Gabe receives word from Julie that Epstein is in his apartment and has locked himself in his bathroom. Gabe arrives and tries to convince Epstein to come out of the bathroom. Esptein agrees, but only if no one will look at him, as he feels too ashamed. He claims he plans to run away and only stopped by to say goodbye; he feels as though he is worthless unless he is tougher than everyone else. Gabe tries to explain that the other sweathogs are concerned about him, and that he has more potential beyond just his fists, that ultimately his worth as a person is defined by more than just his ability to beat other people up. The other sweathogs arrive and invite him to come back to school, offering him the chance to get revenge on Todd. However, Epstein agrees with Gabe and says that he shouldn't need to prove himself by beating him up. Washington protests that Gabe is ignorant of the realities of their lives and that they must resort to violence, but Gabe disagrees and says that such attitudes will prevent them from moving on with their lives. Julie gets Epstein to call his mother and tell her that he's coming home, and the other sweathogs start to agree with Epstein and Gabe. All of them return to school together. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: October 18, 1975 8:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:25:13
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:48940
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1975-1979
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- James Komack … Executive Producer
- Alan Sacks … Producer, Created by, Based on characters conceived by
- Thomas Hill … Associate Producer
- Bob LaHendro … Director
- Peter Meyerson … Developed by
- Gabriel Kaplan … Created by, Based on characters conceived by
- Marilyn Miller … Writer
- John B. Sebastian … Music by
- Gabriel Kaplan … Cast, Gabe Kotter
- Marcia Strassman … Cast, Julie Kotter
- John Sylvester White … Cast, Vice Principal Michael Woodman
- Robert Hegyes … Cast, Juan Luis Pedro Felipo de Huevos Epstein
- Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs … Cast, Freddie "Boom Boom" Percy Washington
- Ron Palillo … Cast, Arnold Horshack
- John Travolta … Cast, Vinnie Barbarino
- Dennis Bowen … Cast, Todd Ludlow
- Vernee Watson (See also: Vernee Watson-Johnson) … Cast, Vernajean Williams