Pop Culture Flashback: Kotter is Welcomed Back (Sept. 9)

1975 – Welcome Back [Gabe] Kotter

Not only did Gabe Kaplan co-create the sitcom that he starred in (Welcome Back Kotter), but the inspiration for the show came from his own life in high school. The show also helped to make John Travolta a big star

The cast from "Welcome Back Kotter" — Robert Hegyes, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Gabe Kaplan, John Travolta and Ron Palillo from *Welcome Back Kotter (ABC via TVDB)*

Co-created by Gabe Kaplan, Welcome Back Kotter was a hit show about the classroom. It is about a teacher who returns to his own high school, the James Buchanan High School in Bensonhurst. It was a fictional version of Kaplan’s own school in Brooklyn (the real school is featured during the show’s opening credits) and many of the characters were based on Kaplan’s real classmates.

In the fictional story, Gabe Kotter was a founding member of lazy students known as the “Sweathogs”. Years later, his classroom was full of them. With no motivation, these kids would eventually drop out of school. So instead of babysitting this crew, Kotter found unique ways to inspire his class. The class role call included Vinnie Barbarino (John Travolta), Freddie ‘Boom Boom’ Washington (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs), Juan Epstein (Robert Hegyes) and Arnold Horshack (Ron Palillo). When his day was done, he went home to Mrs. Kotter – Julie (Marica Strassman).

Not a Hit for Everyone

Though Welcome Back Kotter was an instant hit for ABC, Boston’s local affiliate (WCVB-TV) refused to air the show due to the city’s controversial busing program which had caused protests and riots. The network was concerned that the show would only make matters worse. However, since the show usually portrayed the Sweathogs’ antics as juvenile rather than destructive, the show was brought to the Boston TV screens starting with the fifth episode.

In 1976, the show’s theme song, written and recorded by John Sebastian from The Lovin’ Spoonful, became a #1 hit. Lunchboxes were made and Mattel even created a set of Welcome Back Kotter action figures. However, the show’s ratings began to slip in during the third season. To bolster ratings, Angie Grabowski (Melonie Haller) was added as the first female Sweathog. Kotter also became the father of twin girls.

By the fourth season, Travolta became a big movie star. He was only able to appear in ten episodes. Kaplan himself also reduced his appearances on the show. As the show was winding down, three spin-offs were considered including one called Rich Man, Poor Man; Horshack! which was never developed outside of a backdoor pilot episode.

1926 – NBC is Formed

The National Broadcasting Company (NBC), a radio and television network was formed on this day in 1926. It is the oldest major broadcast network in the U. S. and frequently referred as the “Peacock Network” due to its peacock logo, which originally became a symbol of NBC when it started broadcasting in color. (NBC’s streaming service is also called Peacock.)

The three-note chimes came about at a Georgia Tech football game of all places. Someone from the network heard the three notes asked for permission to use them for NBC. The chimes were heard for the first time in 1931 and became the first audio trademark.

1850 – California Becomes the 31st U.S. State

Frogger game show — Damon Wayans Jr. and Kyle Brandt, hosts of the goofy gameshow, *Frogger (Peacock)*

2021 – ‘Frogger’ Becomes a TV Show

Billed as the classic video game reimagined as a real-life obstacle course, Frogger began airing on the Peacock streaming service on this day.

Hosted by Kyle Brandt and Damon Wayans Jr., the course did resemble the arcade game but here, the frogs (human contestants) had to do more than just get across a busy highway in hopes of winning $100,000.

This game show is odd in that despite that large usage of water, the show takes place indoors with no audience cheering anyone on. Each contestant has three “lives”, like in the game. If they fall in the water, they lose a life. This show is still airing, but don’t expect a “season 2”.

SATURDAY MORNING TV

Remember watching your favorite cartoons with a bowl of cold cereal? Here are some that began airing on this day. How many do you remember?

1978 – When Witchipoo Met the Bay City Rollers

Witchipoo from H.R. Pufnstuf and The Bay City Rollers — Billie Hayes as Witchipoo and The Bay City Rollers *(Wikimedia Commons)*

It appeared that Sid & Marty Krofft may have run out of ideas when The Krofft Superstar Hour (actually 90 minutes long) aired on this day in 1978. The creators took the same formula from their earlier show, The Krofft Supershow and basically swapped in The Bay City Rollers for Kaptain Kool and the Kongs. Then they added a few goofy skits, a live audience and a couple of new mini shows. The result was more of a variety show with characters from previous Krofft shows including Witchipoo (Billie Hayes) from H.R. Pufnstuf, and Horatio J. HooDoo (Charles Nelson Reilly) from Lidsville. Jay Robinson (from Dr. Shrinker) also appeared as Dr. Deathray.

Superstar It just didn’t work. The “Rollers” were poor actors, and their thick accents were hard to understand. The recurring segments Horror Hotel and Lost Island were mishmashes of Krofft’s earlier and better shows. Ultimately, the expensive production just didn’t resonate with audiences. Two months into broadcasting the show, Superstar was cut down to 30 minutes and was renamed The Bay City Rollers Show. However, by January of the next year, the show had been dropped from NBC’s schedule.

1967: The Adventures of Jonny Quest

This science fiction adventure show was a little more realistic than other cartoons of the day which made some parents nervous. Inspired by radio serials, each episode featured Jonny, Hadji, Dr. Benton Quest, Race Bannon and the family pug, Bandit in a different adventure each week.

1972: The Brady Kids

Each of the Brady kids voiced their cartoon character for this Filmation show during Season 1. The kids would do on adventures along with Mop Top, the family dog, Marlon, a magical bird and two pandas – Ping and Pong – for some reason.

1972: Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space

Although still enjoyable, this was a misstep in these adventures. The girl band accidentally gets shot into space! It’s a good thing that smart girl Val knows how to fly the ship! Each episode had the crew almost making a trip back to Earth, but bitter Alexandra manages to foul things up every time. Typical.

1978: Jason of Star Command

Craig Littler played Jason, a “space-age soldier of fortune” tasked with defeating “the most sinister force in the universe: Dragos, master of the Cosmos.” Dragos was played by James Doohan who also played Scotty on Star Trek. In fact, he left this Filmation to appear in the first Star Trek movie.

1989: Beetlejuice

Based on the Tim Burton movie of the same name, this show centers on Lydia Deetz and her buddy Beetlejuice who go back and forth between the “mortal world” and the “Neitherworld” where monsters live. Danny Elfman did the theme song.

Other TV Shows That Debuted on This Day:

1967: Fantastic Four; Spider-Man; Journey to the Center of the Earth; George of the Jungle; The Herculoids; Shazzan; Moby Dick and Mighty Mightor; The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure; The Road Runner Show; Young Samson & Goliath; Birdman and the Galaxy Trio
1972: The Osmonds; The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie; Kid Power; The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan, The New Scooby-Doo Movies; The Flintstone Comedy Hour; Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids; CBS Children’s Film Festival; The Houndcats; The Roman Holidays; The Barkleys; Sealab 2020; Runaround; Around the World in Eighty Days
1978: Yogi’s Space Race; Godzilla; Fabulous Funnies; Buford and the Galloping Ghost; Jana of the Jungle; The Fantastic Four; The Freedom Force
1989: Camp Candy; Captain N: The Game Master; The Karate Kid
1995: The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries; Gadget Boy and Heather; Earthworm Jim
2000: Teacher’s Pet