Did 'Welcome Back Kotter' Cause Gabe Kaplan to Give Up Comedy?? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 10-10-2010, 07:09 PM

Gabe Kaplan ("Welcome Back, Kotter") became a professional gambler.

catlover79 · 10-11-2010, 01:24 AM

I don't know...I don't think he's given up comedy ENTIRELY - in 2007 he published a hilarious book. He also appears to have mended fences with his TV wife, Marcia Strassman, in recent years.

TV Knowledge Fan · 10-11-2010, 03:00 AM

...although Gabe was in a bitter fight with producer James Komack over creative control of the show during its third season; he lost, and was rarely seen during the fourth [and final] season as a result {that's the season where some viewers wondered, "Aren't the Sweathogs a little too old for this kind of nonsense?"}. His next series, co-produced by Johnny Carson's production company, was "LEWIS & CLARK", a short-lived NBC series (1981-'82, about a city guy running a "cowboy bar" with his country friend/partner), that came and went. That's when Kaplan decided to turn his attention to "other things", like becoming a professional poker player. Lately, he's concentrated on somewhat "reactivating" his comedy chops...

catlover79 · 10-11-2010, 02:35 PM

Not only did James Komack have to deal with the losses of Kaplan and Travolta on WBK - his other show, Chico & The Man, was reeling from the passing of Freddie Prinze. I don't think he was that involved in show biz after both shows left the air, and he died in 1997.

I agree - the final season of Kotter was painful. I read someplace when those episodes aired on Nick at Nite years ago - the ratings took a nosedive. They had been pretty good when the episodes from the first three seasons had aired. History repeating itself?? I think so.

10-10-2010, 07:09 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Did 'Welcome Back Kotter' Cause Gabe Kaplan to Give Up Comedy?? Gabe Kaplan ("Welcome Back, Kotter") became a professional gambler.
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10-11-2010, 01:24 AM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	I don't know...I don't think he's given up comedy ENTIRELY - in 2007 he published a hilarious book. He also appears to have mended fences with his TV wife, Marcia Strassman, in recent years. Attached Images
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10-11-2010, 03:00 AM	#3
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	Not "KOTTER".... ...although Gabe was in a bitter fight with producer James Komack over creative control of the show during its third season; he lost, and was rarely seen during the fourth [and final] season as a result {that's the season where some viewers wondered, "Aren't the Sweathogs a little too old for this kind of nonsense?"}. His next series, co-produced by Johnny Carson's production company, was "LEWIS & CLARK", a short-lived NBC series (1981-'82, about a city guy running a "cowboy bar" with his country friend/partner), that came and went. That's when Kaplan decided to turn his attention to "other things", like becoming a professional poker player. Lately, he's concentrated on somewhat "reactivating" his comedy chops...

10-11-2010, 02:35 PM	#4
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Not only did James Komack have to deal with the losses of Kaplan and Travolta on WBK - his other show, Chico & The Man, was reeling from the passing of Freddie Prinze. I don't think he was that involved in show biz after both shows left the air, and he died in 1997. I agree - the final season of Kotter was painful. I read someplace when those episodes aired on Nick at Nite years ago - the ratings took a nosedive. They had been pretty good when the episodes from the first three seasons had aired. History repeating itself?? I think so.