Where Were The Sweathogs' parents? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Dr. Thong · 11-27-2019, 07:54 PM

Aside from Mrs. Horshack (who we only got to see because she was part of the failed Horshack spinoff pilot), we never ever saw any of the other Sweathog parents.

There was even an fourth-season episode where they had a parent-teacher night and apparently, none of their parents were there. Or at least we never saw them.

I think it would have been interesting to see what they would have been like.

howilu · 11-28-2019, 11:27 AM

Definitely an unsolved mystery. Though Horshack's much married mom was seen a few times, we never saw the parents of the other sweathogs. Not even Beau's parents were seen or mentioned in the fourth season.

Chocolate Moose · 11-29-2019, 11:24 AM

We really only have clues about them.

Barbarino's mother was a saint.

Epstein's parents were Jewish and something else.

PracTz · 11-29-2019, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocolate Moose

We really only have clues about them.

Barbarino's mother was a saint.

Epstein's parents were Jewish and something else.

Sra. Epstein was Puerto Rican, I believe but we never saw her or Barbarino's sainted mother!

Of course, the fact that the Sweathogs' folks NEVER seemed to come to school even during times of duress on their sons' parts much less for parents' night, sporting events,etc. is a good indication that they'd long checked out of their sons' lives . Thus, the sons managed form their OWN family by re/creating themselves as Sweathogs- even capping it off by dragging Horshack along as their annoying tagalong kid brother [would any REAL criminal gang have recruited Horshack instead of just beating him up for kicks?] the Kotters' (taking turns) as their de facto, permissive if not coddling 'mother' and Mr. Woodman as their stern 'father' that they rebelled against.

TVFactFan · 11-29-2019, 01:50 PM

I dont think there was ever a reference made to Freddie's parents on the show

Dr. Thong · 11-30-2019, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PracTz

Thus, the sons managed form their OWN family by re/creating themselves as Sweathogs- even capping it off by dragging Horshack along as their annoying tagalong kid brother [would any REAL criminal gang have recruited Horshack instead of just beating him up for kicks?]

You're probably right.

I've always contended that if the Sweathogs acted the way they did in a real NY 1970s school, they would have gotten beaten up, each and every one of them.

In the early episodes, Epstein was portrayed as being more menacing and was the closest they came to conveying any real kind of menace, but eventually, Epstein became more like Chico Marx and was pretty harmless for the most part.

Cocoa8 · 10-17-2021, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PracTz

Sra. Epstein was Puerto Rican, I believe but we never saw her or Barbarino's sainted mother!

Of course, the fact that the Sweathogs' folks NEVER seemed to come to school even during times of duress on their sons' parts much less for parents' night, sporting events,etc. is a good indication that they'd long checked out of their sons' lives . Thus, the sons managed form their OWN family by re/creating themselves as Sweathogs- even capping it off by dragging Horshack along as their annoying tagalong kid brother [would any REAL criminal gang have recruited Horshack instead of just beating him up for kicks?] the Kotters' (taking turns) as their de facto, permissive if not coddling 'mother' and Mr. Woodman as their stern 'father' that they rebelled against.

I think his mom was Puerto Rican, and his dad Jewish. The actor was of Hungarian Jewish descent I be!ieve.

TVFactFan · 10-17-2021, 02:20 PM

would have been nice to see epstein's mother, the note writer

hatwink · 08-15-2022, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cocoa8

I think his mom was Puerto Rican, and his dad Jewish. The actor was of Hungarian Jewish descent I be!ieve.

Robert Hegyes was of Hungarian and Italian descent. Jon Bon Jovi was his cousin.

DEH55 · 03-16-2023, 11:18 PM

I think it would have added to the show if parents were shown. It makes no sense that they weren't. No parent teacher meetings? Lol

Dr. Thong · 03-18-2023, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEH55

I think it would have added to the show if parents were shown. It makes no sense that they weren't. No parent teacher meetings? Lol

On the other hand, never seeing "Epstein's Mother" was part of the ongoing gag with Epstein and his hilarious excuse notes to Mr. Kotter.

It would have been like seeing "Mrs. Wolowitz" on The Big Bang Theory -- sometimes it's better to have a mysterious off-camera character.

However, I think if Kotter were being made today, we would eventually see all their parents at some point.

TVFactFan · 03-18-2023, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

On the other hand, never seeing "Epstein's Mother" was part of the ongoing gag with Epstein and his hilarious excuse notes to Mr. Kotter.

It would have been like seeing "Mrs. Wolowitz" on The Big Bang Theory -- sometimes it's better to have a mysterious off-camera character.

However, I think if Kotter were being made today, we would eventually see all their parents at some point.

My Aunt is who 64 years old still today if you bring up Welcome Back Kotter the one thing she still remember is Epstein's Mother Note lol

opus · 03-18-2023, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

I dont think there was ever a reference made to Freddie's parents on the show

I'm pretty sure Freddie mentions his father in an early episode. If I catch it next week when Antenna starts up I'll come back in here with the details.

hatwink · 03-18-2023, 03:59 PM

Ellen Travolta was Arnold's mother.

Dr. Thong · 03-19-2023, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hatwink

Ellen Travolta was Arnold's mother.

Yes, but the only reason we ever saw her character was because she appeared in a two-part episode that was really a "backdoor pilot" for a Horshack spin off that thankfully, never happened.

I think what happened was, they shot the pilot, the network didn't think it was good enough to go to series and that was that.

Well, back then, producers like Komack didn't want to waste anything, so footage from that was repurposed into a two-part Kotter episode where we got to see into Horshack's private life outside of the school. And based on what I saw, I'm glad the network didn't give Horshack a spinoff.

Kotter was really based around Gabe and The Sweathogs and taking Horshack away from that ensemble would not have been good for the show.

11-27-2019, 07:54 PM	#1
Dr. Thong a/k/a "ACK!" Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 10, 2001 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 5,546	Where Were The Sweathogs' parents? Aside from Mrs. Horshack (who we only got to see because she was part of the failed Horshack spinoff pilot), we never ever saw any of the other Sweathog parents. There was even an fourth-season episode where they had a parent-teacher night and apparently, none of their parents were there. Or at least we never saw them. I think it would have been interesting to see what they would have been like.
	__________________ "Sunday has been cancelled due to lack of interest. That is all."

11-29-2019, 11:24 AM	#3
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,885	We really only have clues about them. Barbarino's mother was a saint. Epstein's parents were Jewish and something else.
	__________________ How long a minute is, depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on.

11-28-2019, 11:27 AM	#2
howilu Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: St. Louis Park, MN Posts: 1,958	Definitely an unsolved mystery. Though Horshack's much married mom was seen a few times, we never saw the parents of the other sweathogs. Not even Beau's parents were seen or mentioned in the fourth season.

11-29-2019, 01:50 PM	#5
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 98,978	I dont think there was ever a reference made to Freddie's parents on the show

10-17-2021, 02:20 PM	#8
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 98,978	would have been nice to see epstein's mother, the note writer

03-16-2023, 11:18 PM	#10
DEH55 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 19, 2020 Posts: 319	I think it would have added to the show if parents were shown. It makes no sense that they weren't. No parent teacher meetings? Lol

03-18-2023, 03:59 PM	#14
hatwink Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 19, 2004 Posts: 773	Ellen Travolta was Arnold's mother.