Welcome Back Kotter Trivia Quiz

Answer: Boom Boom

Freddie was the hip black student in the class. He was the athlete in the class because of his basketball skills. His nickname, "Boom Boom", came from the fact that he walked around pretending to play the bass guitar. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.

Answer: Hansen

Julie Kotter, nee Hansen from Nebraska, was Gabe Kotter's wife in the series. She was constantly cooking her famous tuna casserole, which was notorious and everyone hated. During the series she eventually became a secretary at the school and later a substitute teacher after Gabe was promoted to vice principal.

Answer: Brooklyn

The series took place in Brooklyn, New York which is one of New York's five boroughs. The boroughs consist of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island AKA the borough of Richmond. Back in the day, the toughest neighborhoods were in Brooklyn.

Answer: James Buchanan High School

The name of the high school was James Buchanan. It was the same school that Mr. Kotter attended prior to becoming a teacher. He was a founding member of the original Sweathogs in the same remedial class while he attended school there.

Answer: History and Social Studies

Mr. Kotter actually had a total of eight classes. He had the Sweathogs for History and Social Studies only and for homeroom first thing in the morning. Homeroom was only for a very brief time.

Answer: Dingfelder

Arnold Dingfelder Horshack was the sheepish Sweathog. When he laughed, it was on the inhale and not like a normal laugh which would be more on the exhale. It sounded like he was gasping for air and was similar to a donkey braying. If Mr. Kotter asked a question in class and Horshack wanted to say something. he would put up his hand, wave it crazily, and yell out "Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh!"

Mrs. Horshack's maiden name was also Dingfelder. She was played by actress Ellen Travolta who was John Travolta's oldest sibling.

Ron Palillo (nee Paolillo), who played Horshack, sadly passed away as the result of a heart attack in 2012. He was 63 years old.

Answer: The cattle are dying

Arnold was definitely the class clown as well as being sheepish. He could be very endearing and disarming at times as well. To quote Arnold discussing his name: "You know, Horshack is a very old and respected name; it means 'the cattle are dying'."

Answer: Maria Teresa Angelino

Mrs. Barbarino's name was Maria Teresa Angelino Barbarino. Her husband called her Margie though. His mother's name may not have been mentioned on more than one episode.

Vinnie could be quite an idiot but was also the guy that got all the girls. If he was asked too many questions at once, or something he didn't quite get, he'd squeeze his face between his hands and blurt out "I'm so confused?"

Answer: Bibbermann

During the early episodes, Juan Epstein was the class tough guy. Later on he became more of a wiseguy. He had an excuse note for anything and everything. Mr. Kotter would read them aloud and the excuses were ridiculous. The notes were always signed "Epstein's mother".

When Juan was introduced to Mr. Kotter, he asked him "Your mother's Puerto Rican?" Epstein replied "No, my father, my mother's a Bibberman."

Sadly, Robert Hegyes, who played Epstein, passed away from a heart attack in 2012. He was 60 years old.

Answer: Rachel and Robin

Julie gave birth to twin girls Rachel and Robin during the second part of a three part episode which aired in the fall of 1977. The three parter was titled "And Baby Makes Four". When Julie first went into labor, the vice principal, Mr. Woodman, came to Kotter's class to tell him his wife was in labor. Before he could get anything out, Kotter repeatedly threw him out for interrupting his class. Finally Mr. Woodman resorted to announcing it over the school's loudspeaker system.

The twin babies Rachel and Robin were the real life sisters Beth and Kay Kearney. In 1990 Gabe Kaplan became a father. His real life daughter was named Rachel. He never said who the mother was though.

Answer: Lincoln

Freddie's father's name was Lincoln as he mentioned in the episode "The Great Debate". Freddie was wearing a coat and talking to Mr. Kotter about it. He said that it was worn during the famous Lincoln-Douglas debate. When Mr. Kotter questioned it, Freddie said, "I wore this coat when my father, Lincoln, beat the daylights out of my brother Douglas!"

Answer: George Carlin

The inimitable George Carlin played DJ Wally "The Wow" Wechsel. The Sweathogs went to the local radio station and got a chance to be on the air. Listeners called to hear more of only Freddie Washingington, which went right to his head.

Wally "The Wow" was a former Sweathog who was called "The Weasel" when he was in school.

Answer: Lazarus

John (Jack) Lazarus was the never seen principal of Buchanan High. Juan Epstein was seen at times coming and going from his office. Juan had always been on a first name basis with him and called him Jack. It is true that Lazarus was never seen on camera.

He was principal for the first three seasons of the series and Mr. Woodman was promoted to principal in the fourth season which was the last.

Answer: Murray

Bob Harcum played Murray, who was Carvelli's dimwitted sidekick. He would parrot everything that Carvelli said. In one instance Carvelli's line was "If you don't mind me asking, what kind of surgery?" Before anyone could answer Murray piped in with "Cahvelli wants to know, what kinda surgery." The spelling of Cahvelli was how Murray pronounced the name.

Another time Carvelli was talking to someone and said "That's what I'm trying to find out." Murray piped right in with "He said, that's what he's trying to find out." Sometimes he'd refer to him as 'my man Cahvelli'.

Answer: Thirteen

Although on the internet you will find his name listed on sites as Juan Luis
Pedro Felipo de Huevos Epstein; it is incorrect. His name is Juan Sanchez Jose Martinez Guadalupe Sandoval Ortega Valdez Jesus Angel Cordero de Huevos Epstein. He is also the III.

I was not able to confirm these names on any websites whatsoever. I taped the "Beaus Jest" episode of "Welcome Back Kotter." It was the third episode from season four. The year was 1978. Juan was hiding in the boys bathroom of the school from a man who he thought was going to kill him. He passed his "last will and testament" out of the bathroom stall on a roll of toilet paper. Juan passed the toilet paper out to Freddie and Beau and as Freddie unrolled and read it he said "I, Juan Sanchez Jose Martinez Guadalupe Sandoval Ortega Valdez Jesus Angel Cordero de Huevos Epstein III" etc., etc. So it's easy to confirm Juan's names.