WELCOME BACK, KOTTER: THE ELECTION (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."
Vinnie runs for class president, and the other sweathogs assist his campaign, particularly his campaign manager Epstein, who enjoys resorting to scare tactics in order to secure votes. Gabe doesn't approve of these methods and gives Vinnie advice on how to run his campaign, asking him to project a better image and have a "vision" of what he wants for the school. In private Vinnie expresses frustration with Gabe's ideas, preferring simply to be himself instead of adopting a false persona for voters. Feeling inadequate for the position, Vinnie drops out of the race. However, his opponents Scott and Judy tell Gabe that they are dropping out as well due to pressure from the sweathogs.
The next day, Gabe calls Vinnie and Epstein into the teacher's lounge early to discuss the current situation. Vinnie, still frustrated, refuses to speak to Gabe directly, forcing Epstein to facilitate communication between the two. Gabe convinces Vinnie that it would be unfair to the other sweathogs to drop out, and that his anger towards Gabe shouldn't affect his decision to run. Vinnie says he only dropped out since Gabe wanted him to project a "phony image," and Gabe recalls that when he went to Buchanan as a student he wanted more than anything to be class president, but no one offered him any encouragement or support. Vinnie decides he'll run as "all sweathog and proud of it," which Gabe approves of. However, Gabe chides Epstein for his scare tactics, and debates with him when he tries to defend them. He tries to tell Vinnie that such a victory would be hollow, and brings in Judy and Scott to get them to allow them back into the race. All three candidates run in the election and Vinnie and the other sweathogs are crestfallen when Scott wins. Even Gabe feels as though he "lost," in a sense. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: October 7, 1975 8:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:25:11
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:48796
- 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
- Eric Cohen … Writer
- Tiffany York … 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
- Catarina Cellino … Cast, Maria
- Helaine Lembeck … Cast, Judy Borden
- Jeff Martin … Cast, Scott