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John Sylvester White Jr. (October 31, 1919 – September 11, 1988) was an American actor. [1] Best known as Mr. Michael Woodman in Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979).
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John Sylvester White was born on 31 October 1919 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for Welcome Back, Kotter (1975), Kojak (1973) and Search for Tomorrow (1951). He was married to Joan Alexander. He died on 11 September 1988 in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
- January 1, 1
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- January 1, 1
- Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
- Gabe Kaplan. Gabe Kaplan co-created Welcome Back, Kotter – where he also served as a writer and played the show's title role. As the snarky high school teacher, Kaplan shows the range of emotions involved with returning to his alma mater to teach this class of outcasts.
- John Travolta. With the resounding success of Pulp Fiction in 1994, it would be easy to assume that his role as Vincent Vega is what put John Travolta on the map.
- Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs. It was Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs who brought Sweathog Freddie Percy "Boom Boom" Washington to life. Known for his talents on the basketball court, Washington travels with an air of confidence.
- Ron Palillo. Ron Palillo's career started in the late '60s. He had a few minor roles on TV shows before being cast as Arnold Horshack, whose defining trait was his loud, deep laugh that sounded like a hyena's mating call.
John Sylvester White was born on October 31, 1919 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for Welcome Back, Kotter (1975), Kojak (1973) and Search for Tomorrow (1951). He was married to Joan Alexander. He died on September 11, 1988 in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
- October 31, 1919
- September 11, 1988
- Gabe Kaplan
- Marcia Strassman
- John Sylvester White
- John Travolta
- Ron Palillo
- Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
- Robert Hegyes
- Debralee Scott
- Stephen Shortridge
As Gabe Kotter
Stand-up comedian Gabe Kaplan was cast in the titular role as the affable and understanding Gabe Kotter, and he often used his stage presence when teaching the Sweathogs at James Buchanan High. Welcome Back, Kotter was launched as a vehicle for the funnyman, and he appeared in nearly every episode over its four-season run. However, he was missing for most of the final season of the show as Kaplan was having contract disputes with the network. Caplan's filmography was rather brief, but he did...
As Julie Kotter
The long-suffering wife of Gabe Kotter, Julie Cotter was brought to life by Marcia Strassman, and she perfectly embodied the character's loving nature that was balanced by her wish that Gabe would take things more seriously. She is also annoyed by the fact that Gabe allows his students to show up at their apartment unannounced, which leads to an episode where the couple actually split up briefly. Eventually, Julie worked at the school as a secretary and then as a substitute teacher. Strassman...
As Michael Woodman
The importance of a great sitcom villain is underrated and Welcome Back, Kotter characters like John Sylvester White's Vice Principal Michael Woodman were what made the show classic. While not downright villainous, Vice Principal Woodman was clearly the antagonist of the series, and White excelled at showing the character's contempt for the Sweathogs and Kotter. He butts heads with Kotter about his unorthodox approach to teaching, while he also becomes the butt of many jokes from the Sweathog...
As Vincent "Vinnie" Barbarino
The brash and arrogant Vinnie Barbarino was the role that made Travolta famous, and he was the most successful member of the cast of Welcome Back, Kotterby far. Barbarino's swaggering attitude and catchphrases made him a popular character, with him being the heartthrob of the school as well as the leader of the Sweathogs. However, Barbarino was also dim-witted and childish when he was not the center of attention. Travolta went from sitcoms to movies and found immediate success with an Oscar n...
As Arnold Dingfelder Horshack
Tapped to play the class clown of the Sweathogs, Ron Palillo made a splash as the lovable goofball Arnold Dingfelder Horshack. He fit nicely into the typical oddball sitcom character persona with his strange observations making for some of the most memorable moments in the series. Despite his bizarre behavior, he is one of the smartest members of the Sweathogs when it comes to schoolwork, though he feels out of place with the other students. Welcome Back, Kotter was Palillo's first role, and...
As Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington
One of the smartest Sweathogs, Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington went along with his classmates' antics but tried to be the voice of reason when he could. He even manages to take over as leader of the Sweathogs for a time but they grow tired of his bossy ways and reinstate Vinny. Washington is also one of the school's star athletes with his position on the basketball team. Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs was brilliantly cast in the role of Washington, and many of the actor's distinct and hilarious manner...
As Juan Luis Epstein
The best sitcoms are those with diverse characters who bring something different to the table, and Juan Epstein was perhaps the unique member of the cast of Welcome Back, Kotter. Epstein was the tough guy of the Sweathogs, and he was fiercely proud of his Puerto Rican and Jewish heritage. His small stature never affected his ability to be intimidating, though he could still be goofy and likable like the rest of the gang. After Welcome Back, Kotter, Hegyes made sporadic appearances on TV, incl...
As Rosalie "Hotsie" Totsie
A popular character during the show's first season, Debralee Scott played Rosalie "Hotsie" Totsie, a girl at James Buchanan High who was popular with the boys in the Sweathogs. She is the daughter of a strict reverend, which is partially the cause of her rebellious and promiscuous behavior, even if that reputation is revealed to be largely exaggerated. Scott had previously appeared in the George Lucas-directed film American Graffiti in 1973 and continued to play small roles in movies and TV t...
As Beauregard "Beau" De LaBarre
Introduced as a replacement for Vinnie Barbarino during the show's final season, Beauregard "Beau" De LaBerre introduced a bit of Southern charm to the cast of Welcome Back, Kotter. With John Travolta's Barbarino leaving the series, the show sought to find a new heartthrob character while also bringing in a character who was different from the New York City characters of the show. Actor Stephen Shortridge played the part appropriately grandiose to match his fellow Sweathogs, and he did what h...
- Dalton Norman
- Senior Staff Writer
John Sylvester White was born on October 31, 1919 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for Welcome Back, Kotter (1975), Hustling (1975) and The Law (1974). He was married to Joan Alexander. He died on September 11, 1988 in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
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