'Welcome Back Kotter' Epstein Dies

Actor Robert Hegyes aka "Epstein" from the 1970s TV show "Welcome Back, Kotter" has died at age 60 of a heart attack.

Born in 1951, Robert Hegyes was best known for portraying Juan Luis Pedro Phillipo de Huevos Epstein on the successful television series that made co-star John Travolta a superstar.

Robert Hegyes earned his B.A. degree in Speech/Theater and Secondary Education before starring on Broadway and auditioning for TV producers as a young actor.

Hegyes was eventually cast by producer James Komack as Juan Epstein on the award-winning ABC comedy, "Welcome Back, Kotter," the show on which he ultimately became a director.

In the days since "Kotter," Robert Hegyes appeared on many television episodes, specials and series, as well as in several Hollywood movies, before teaching writing and public speaking at Brooks College in Long Beach, CA as a California state certified college teacher.

While the industry is saddened at the loss of a great actor, and Southern California students mourn the passing of a great college teacher, millions of 1970s high school students have lost a piece of their youth with the death of Robert Hegyes.

"Welcome Back, Kotter" was a show set in a high school that had a huge fan base of real-life high school students during the late '70s.

Back then, the Sweathogs became an extension of the circle of friends at school.  To many middle-aged Americans today, Robert Hegyes' sudden death feels like the loss of an old friend from high school.