The cast of Welcome Back Kotter (Hegyes is top right in this photo)
Welcome Back Kotter was one of my favorite shows when I was a kid. And Juan Epstein was one of my favorite characters on the show. Hegyes (60) died of a heart attack in New Jersey.
Hegyes, who had a mop of dark curly hair, played Juan Luis Pedro Phillipo de Huevos Epstein on “Welcome Back, Kotter,” which also starred John Travolta, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs and Ron Palillo as wise-cracking students at a Brooklyn high school who were mentored by their teacher, played by Gabe Kaplan. It aired on ABC from 1975 to 1979.
Of Hungarian and Italian descent, Hegyes was born May 7, 1951, in Perth Amboy, N.J. He graduated from what is now Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J., and worked as a substitute teacher between acting jobs before landing the part in “Welcome Back, Kotter.”
After the show ended, he played Chico Marx onstage in a national touring production of “Groucho” with Kaplan in the title role. Hegyes later had a recurring part as Detective Manny Esposito on the 1980s TV police drama “Cagney and Lacey,” did stand-up comedy and tried writing screenplays.
But he would be best remembered for “Welcome Back, Kotter.”
Rest in peace, Hegyes. Thank you for the years of laughter you brought me as a kid. In remembrance, I’m taking the rest of the day off from work and blogging (I have a note from Epstein’s mother excusing me…)
Email This Post
⋅
Print This Post
HE’s not the only one we’ve lost. The guy who played Merlin in the 1981 film Excalibur has passed as well…
Loved this show…RIP brother…
RIP . May you find Peace in heaven, youll have many stories to share. God bless your family and may they have wonderful memories of you.
I heard when he reached his eternal destination he tried to pass a note asking to be excused …
“Signed, Epstein’s Mother’s Priest”
Twenty-three or so years ago I was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center right next door to his child’s room. At the time I was quite sick suffering from the side affects of chemotherapy, and could not talk because of this. At several points he and/or his wife would visit me. I treasure those moments as they made such an impact that I can remember them over the amnesic they gave to me.
I was very startled and saddened to hear of your tragic and unexpected passing. My heart goes out to his family in this trying time.