WELCOME BACK, KOTTER: CAREER DAY {SECOND SEASON PREMIERE} (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."
Gabe hosts a career day at the school, and one of the speakers is Mr. Takahashi, a Japanese inventor working for an electronics manufacturer. The sweathogs cannot resist asking a series of inappropriate questions, annoying Takahashi. He demonstrates one of his inventions, a miniature transistor radio concealed in his clothes. However, the sweathogs continue to mock him, causing Takahashi to complain to Vice Principal Woodman. After school, Gabe takes Vinnie, Horshack, Washington, and Epstein to apologize to Takahashi. He accepts the apology and, upon learning about his low salary, offers Gabe a lucrative job with one of his company’s manufacturing plants. The sweathogs try to decline on his behalf, convinced that there is no possibility that Gabe would want to leave them, although he seems to give the offer some serious consideration. Takahashi gives Gabe a week to deliberate on the matter.
He discusses the matter with Julie, who is eager for the chance to improve their living situation. Takahashi comes to visit them, although Gabe tells him that he has not yet decided about the job. Vice Principal Woodman arrives, also seeking the job offer, although Takahashi does his best to ignore him. The sweathogs voice their opposition to Gabe leaving by dressing up as karate students and claiming that they will fight to keep him at Buchanan High. Takahashi understands their resistance and apologizes for inadvertently creating a situation, but at the same time denigrates the sweathogs for their behavior towards him. Gabe comes to the realization that he gains a great deal of satisfaction from his teaching job and that he would not be happy at another job, announcing that he intends to stay at Buchanan. Takahashi respects his decision and leaves as Gabe extols the virtues of being a teacher to his class. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: September 23, 1976 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:25:06
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:48844
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; High school teachers; Asian American Pacific Islanders Collection
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1975-1979
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- James Komack … Executive Producer
- Eric Cohen … Producer, Based on characters conceived by, Writer
- George Yanok … Producer
- Michael Manheim … Associate Producer
- Bill Hobin … Director
- Peter Meyerson … Developed by
- Gabriel Kaplan … Created by, Based on characters conceived by
- Alan Sacks … Created by, Based on characters conceived by
- 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
- Pat Morita … Cast, Mr. Takahashi
- George Yanok … Cast, Ferguson