WELCOME BACK, KOTTER: INHERIT THE HALIBUT (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 attempts to get the sweathogs to cough up money for their “late fund,” and Epstein, Vinnie, and Horshack inspect the money, which is hidden in a large fake rubber halibut. They discover that the money is not there and believe it was stolen. They suspect Freddie is responsible, as he was the class “treasurer,” but Gabe settles down his upset class. Their anger is intensified when Freddie arrives riding a new bicycle. He resents their accusations and refuses to answer them. Conflict amongst the class become more intense as further accusations are leveled against Epstein, Vinnie, and Horshack. Gabe tries to get them to reconstruct the events of the previous day, hoping to discover the true identity of the thief. However, this again bring suspicion against Freddie, and Gabe suggests organizing a trial in order to determine his guilt or innocence. Gabe offers to act as Freddie’s “defense counsel.”
The next day the mock trial begins, and the sweathogs become quite engrossed in their roles: Epstein acts as a bailiff, Horshack as the prosecuting attorney, and Vinnie as the judge. Gabe delivers an impassioned opening statement, although it is clear that the court intends to convict Freddie no matter what. Vernajean is called up as the first witness, and she testifies that Freddie purchased his bicycle for an amount roughly equivalent to what was stored in the halibut. Vice Principal Woodman is called up as a “surprise witness,” and he states that he witnessed Freddie counting money in the hallway, all in the form of change. Gabe cross-examines Woodman, calling his motives into question due to his longtime enmity towards the sweathogs. Gabe then calls Freddie to the stand and asks him if he took the money, but Freddie responds only with silence. During the course of Horshack’s cross-examination he accidentally breaks open the halibut; it turns out the money was still inside it the entire time, and the rupture causes it to spill out all over the classroom.
Gabe and Horshack discover that there is much more money in the halibut than they expected, and Gabe wishes to find out why. He continues with the trial and calls Horshack to the stand. He almost immediately confesses to putting money in the fish to deflect suspicion away from Freddie. Epstein is called to the stand and makes a similar confession, as does Vinnie. Vernajean also admits that she and some other members of the class also contributed to the money found in the halibut. This still does not explain who stole the money in the first place, and Vinnie asks the jury, made up of the rest of the class, to come to a verdict, and they decree that Freddie is guilty. Before he can be sentenced, however, Freddie produces a bank book made out in the sweathogs’ name, proving that he placed the money in a bank for safekeeping. He is angry that they never asked him where the money was, instead immediately assuming that he stole it. Everyone apologizes to Freddie, including Gabe, who admits that he too had doubts about Freddie’s innocence. The rest of the money is given to Freddie, who intends to place it in the bank as well. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: September 30, 1976 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:25:16
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:48845
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Brooklyn, N.Y.; High school teachers
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1975-1979
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- James Komack … Executive Producer
- Eric Cohen … Producer, Based on characters conceived by
- 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
- George Tricker … Writer
- Neil Rosen … 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
- Vernee Watson … Cast, Vernajean