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High school sitcoms have always been a mixed bag, largely because the issues kids are dealing with at that age beg for a more nuanced take than the half-hour format can provide. Godawful shows like "Saved by the Bell," "Head of the Class" and "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper" are the low standard a high school sitcom has to clear nowadays, so we need to count our blessings when something as wonderful as Mike O'Brien's "A.P. Bio" and the currently airing Brian Jordan Alvarez's "English Teacher" arrives.

Before those two sitcoms, the bar was set reasonably high by Gabe Kaplan's "Welcome Back, Kotter." Based in part on Kaplan's sitcom act, the comedian stars as Gabe Kotter, a former underachiever who returns to his old Bensonhurst Brooklyn neighborhood to teach at the high school that used to seem like a prison to him. He's now in charge of a new batch of knuckleheads,...

As an avid child of television, Friday nights were something to look forward to as ABC had the coolest shows from 8-11 p.m. Nestled between The Patridge Family and The Odd Couple was Room 222, more a dramedy than a straightforward sitcom. As school let out in January 1974, the network clearly wasn’t done with classes as just over a year later, they debuted a true sitcom: Welcome Back, Kotter.

The series ran until May 1979, and its superb casting catapulted John Travolta to superstardom. Born from standup comic Gabe Kapler’s routines about his Brooklyn high school experiences, the premise saw Gabe Kotter return to his alma mater, James Buchanan High, this time as a teacher. He was assigned the lowest performing students, dubbed the Sweathogs, of which he was once one.

Filmed before an audience on videotape, it closely resembled the other popular half-hour shows of the era.

Burbank, CA – “Welcome Back, Welcome Back, Welcome Back!” For the first time ever, all episodes from the classic TV series are brought together in one set with the release of Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series on DVD on June 11th, available for purchase online and in-store at major retailers. Get ready to binge on all 95 episodes, and go down memory lane as our favorite high school teacher, Gabe Kotter, returns to his childhood inner-city high school to teach a new generation of trouble-making kids.

Welcome Back, Kotter premiered in 1975 and aired for four seasons. The series was nominated for four Emmy Awards®, including Outstanding Comedy Series in 1976. The original cast includes a young John Travolta playing Vinnie Barbarino in his first principal TV role. The series also stars Gabe Kaplan as Gabe Kotter, Marcia Strassman as Julie Kotter, John Sylvester White as Mr. Woodman, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs as Washington, Robert Hegyes as Epstein,...

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People like to tell you that film and television are basically interchangeable now, but that is far from the truth. Each medium has its own strengths, and while they utilize similar filmmaking techniques, the stories told in one medium are not necessarily suited to be transported to the other. In the case of television, stories are heavily reliant on a sturdy ensemble. Being a more condensed art form, films can so easily hone in on the inner life of one character, but with a long-running TV series, spending all your time with one person would become monotonous and give you a false sense of the world they inhabit.

This is especially true of sitcoms. Comedy is built on action and reaction, and to build that kind of back-and-forth, you are going to need a cast of characters to show up...

Disney is going miniature again.

Slash Film reports that Walt Disney Pictures has cast Josh Gad, 38, in an upcoming reboot of the popular 1989 movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The movie will take place decades after the first, with Gad starring as the grown-up son of scientist Wayne Szalinski.

Comedic actor Rick Moranis starred as Wayne in the first movie, which followed as he accidentally shrunk his young kids and their neighbors. The group of kids battles the seemingly innocuous elements in the backyard as they struggle to make it back into the house so that Wayne can turn them back.

In the mid-1970s, ABC introduced a pair of unique comedies that tried to shake things up a little bit. One was the Hal Linden cop sitcom Barney Miller, while the other was stand-up comedian Gabe Kaplan’s high school-set Welcome Back, Kotter. The premise of the latter (which introduced John Travolta to the world) had Gabe playing Gabe Kotter, a teacher with a sense of humor who takes a job at his alma mater, James Buchanan High School, located in Brooklyn, New York. He’s given a classroom of juvenile delinquents known as the Sweathogs, and assigned by school assistant principal Michael Woodman to keep them “contained” until they either drop out or somehow manage to graduate. But, instead, Kotter, who was one of the original Sweathogs in his youth, tries to connect with them to make them better people in the process. It sounds more like a serious drama (going way back,...

Welcome Back, Kotter indeed. Recently, it was announced the '70s TV show is coming to Antenna TV.The classic ABC sitcom starred Gabe Kaplan as Gabe Kotter, a teacher who returns to his high school to teach a class of slackers known as the "Sweathogs." The cast also included John Travolta, Marcia Strassman, John Sylvester White, Ron Palillo, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, and Robert Hegyes. The show ran for four seasons before ending in 1979.Read More…...

With both The Hatton Garden Job in UK cinemas now, and We Still Steal the Old Way available on DVD from today, I thought i’d take a look at my favourite Top Five Heist/Crime Caper Movies… In order (for a change) they are:

5) In Security

In Security tells the story of best friends Kevin and Bruce, who are co-owners of a failing home security company in a town with no crime. As a last ditch effort to drum up some business, they start robbing the neighbors to instill fear and create a need for their services but bullets fly when they unwittingly rob the wrong guy – a suburban drug lord with a penchant for kitchen gadgets.

It’s fair to say I love a good goofball crime caper, but In Security however has much more than being just a “crime caper” going for it. For one it stars one of my favourite actors,...

It was the final big American film and TV awards ceremony before the Oscars, and the one most likely to indicate who will be going home with Academy awards in a month’s time. Find out if Hollywood’s most celebrated actors perfect their speeches ... or losers’ faces

Screen Actors Guild awards 2015: the winners in pictures

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A quick-fire night then with a couple of surprises thrown in, mostly in TV.

Uzo Aduba started the evening by winning best female actor in a comedy series for her work in Orange is the New Black, which follows the Globes giving their equivalent to Gina Rodriguez.

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Costner is back and… well… that’s it.

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Naomi Watts on the other hand is clearly very happy to be there. Zach Galifianakis takes the piss out of Julianne Moore’s “When I was on As the World Turns” moment,...

Marcia Strassman passed away at 66, an Internet death hoax surrounds actor Judd Nelson, Chlöe Grace Moretz opens up about why shooting sex scenes can be a “family affair,” and more in First Dibs.

Honey I Shrunk the Kids star Marcia Strassman passed away at 66 after battling cancer. [MTV] The Breakfast Club star Judd Nelson is not dead. [Hollywood Life] Chlöe Grace Moretz talks about shooting sex scenes with her family in the room. [Elle] Daniel Radcliffe was asked about being a sex symbol and his response was perfect. [BuzzFeed] Sofia Vergara shares a steamy picture from the Magic Mike Xxl set. Bless her heart. [Cosmopolitan] http://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/movies/news/a32518/sofia-vergara-magic-mike-xxl-photo/?src=spr_TWITTER&spr_id=1440_103794616 What is your Love & Hip Hop name? Find out here. Jessica Simpson rocks short hair and she “don’t care.” [Instagram/@jessicasimpson] Empire debuts its Mocking Jay Part 1 covers. [Empire]

[Photo Credit: Empire]

Gisele Bündchen supports her hubby Tom Brady‘s 51-point victory over Chicago.

Marcia Strassman passed away at 66, an Internet death hoax surrounds actor Judd Nelson, Chlöe Grace Moretz opens up about why shooting sex scenes can be a “family affair,” and more in First Dibs.

Honey I Shrunk the Kids star Marcia Strassman passed away at 66 after battling cancer. [MTV] The Breakfast Club star Judd Nelson is not dead. [Hollywood Life] Chlöe Grace Moretz talks about shooting sex scenes with her family in the room. [Elle] Daniel Radcliffe was asked about being a sex symbol and his response was perfect. [BuzzFeed] Sofia Vergara shares a steamy picture from the Magic Mike Xxl set. Bless her heart. [Cosmopolitan] http://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/movies/news/a32518/sofia-vergara-magic-mike-xxl-photo/?src=spr_TWITTER&spr_id=1440_103794616 What is your Love & Hip Hop name? Find out here. Jessica Simpson rocks short hair and she “don’t care.” [Instagram/@jessicasimpson] Empire debuts its Mocking Jay Part 1 covers. [Empire]

[Photo Credit: Empire]

Gisele Bündchen supports her hubby Tom Brady‘s 51-point victory over Chicago.

Marcia Strassman, who played Gabe Kaplan's wife, Julie, on the 1970s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, has died. She was 66.

Strassman died at her Sherman Oaks, California, home on Friday after battling breast cancer for seven years, her sister, Julie Strassman, said Sunday.

"They gave her 2½ years to live, but she lasted much longer," she said. "She was very courageous."

Strassman had numerous roles on television and in film during her five-decade career. She played nurse Margie Cutler on the first season of M.A.S.H. before her breakout role on Kotter.

The show was about a teacher returning...

Marcia Strassman, who played Gabe Kaplan's wife, Julie, on the 1970s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, has died. She was 66. Strassman died at her Sherman Oaks, California, home on Friday after battling breast cancer for seven years, her sister, Julie Strassman, said Sunday. "They gave her 2½ years to live, but she lasted much longer," she said. "She was very courageous." Strassman had numerous roles on television and in film during her five-decade career. She played nurse Margie Cutler on the first season of M.A.S.H. before her breakout role on Kotter. The show was about a teacher returning...

The actress passed away on Saturday after a seven-year battle with cancer.

Marcia Strassman, perhaps best known for her lead roles in Welcome Back Kotter and Honey I Shrunk the Kids, passed away on Saturday, Oct. 25, in her Sherman Oaks, Calif. home. She was 66.

"She was the funniest, smartest person I ever met," the actress' sister Julie Strassman told Deadline. "And talented. She knew everything. Now I won’t be able to call her and ask her questions."

Photos: SNL Stars We've Lost

Curb Your Enthusiasm director Bob Weide was one of the first to break the news of his friend's death, tweeting: "So sad that a sweet friend, kind person & wonderful actress Marcia Strassman lost her brave battle with cancer today."

So sad that a sweet friend, kind person & wonderful actress Marcia Strassman lost her brave battle with cancer today. pic.twitter.com/4gQ4MEvEal

— Bob Weide (@BobWeide) October 26, 2014

"She had more friends than anyone in the...

Marcia Strassman, best known for roles in the '70s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter and ‘90s movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, has died at the age of 66. The actress passed away on Saturday, Oct 25, after a long battle against breast cancer, her sister Julie Strassman confirmed to Variety. In Welcome Back, Kotter, Strassman played the role of title character Gabe Kotter's wife. The show, which ran for 4 years on ABC, also starred a young John Travolta. She also played the role of the scientist mom in [...]...

Marcia Strassman, a star of the TV series 70s Welcome Back, Kotter and the film Honey I Shrunk the Kids, died of breast cancer at the age of 66 on Oct. 25.

Marcia Strassman Dead At 66

Strassman battled breast cancer for seven years up to her death. She is survived by Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Collector, her daughter, her sister Julie Strassman, and her brother Steven Strassman.

“She was the funniest, smartest person I ever met – and talented. She knew everything. Now I won’t be able to call her and ask her questions,” said Julie Strassman.

Strassman first got her big break on television in 1975 when she won a starring role on the hit show Welcome Back, Kotter opposite Gabe Kaplan and John Travolta.

No stranger to television, Strassman was a frequent guest star on shows throughout the 80s. In 1989, she starred as Diane Szalinski – the mother – in Honey I Shrunk the Kids opposite Rick Moranis.

Actress Marcia Strassman, best known as Julie Kotter on Welcome Back, Kotter, passed away at the age of 66 following a battle with breast cancer. Strassman was a TV mainstay throughout the '70s and '80s, appearing on shows including The Love Boat, Third Watch, M*A*S*H, and Magnum P.I., as well as playing Rick Moranis’s wife in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. "So sad that a sweet friend, kind person & wonderful actress Marcia Strassman lost her brave battle with cancer today,” tweeted her friend director Bob Weide.

Actress Marcia Strassman, who gained fame as Julie Kotter in ABC’s “Welcome Back, Kotter,” has died. The show centered around her TV husband (Gabe Kaplan), who returned to his Brooklyn school to teach a classroom full of misfits that included future film star John Travolta. Ms. Strassman died on Friday. She was 66 years old.Ms. Strassman’s death was announced by producer and friend Bob Weide on Twitter::So sad that a sweet friend, kind person & wonderful actress Marcia Strassman lost her brave battle with cancer today. pic.twitter.com/4gQ4MEvEal— Bob Weide (@BobWeide) October 26, 2014 A veteran star of stage and screen, […]...

Marcia Strassman has died at the age of 66. The actress made a name for herself in Hollywood with performances on the classic TV show Welcome Back, Kotter and in Disney's hit movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, when she starred opposite Rick Moranis. According to her sister, Julie Strassman, Marcia had been battling breast cancer for seven years when she passed at her home in La's Sherman Oaks neighborhood on Saturday. "She was the funniest, smartest person I ever met," said Julie. "And talented. She knew everything. Now I won't be able to call her and ask her questions." Marcia moved to La to pursue a career as a singer when she was 18. She later found success in front of the camera, garnering roles on The Patty Duke Show and M*A*S*H. But there was a lot more to Marcia than the life she led in the limelight.

Marcia Strassman -- perhaps best known for playing the mom from the "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" movies -- died Saturday after a long battle with breast cancer. She was 66. She got her first big recurring role on "M*A*S*H" playing Nurse Cutler ... but struck it big playing the part of Julie Kotter, Gabe Kaplan's wife on "Welcome Back, Kotter." "Curb Your Enthusiasm" director Bob Weide, a long-time friend of Strassman's, was...

Actress Marcia Strassman, a former star of TV's “Welcome Back, Kotter,” has died at the age of 66 after a seven-year battle with breast cancer, TheWrap has confirmed. Her death was noted in tweets this weekend by singer and actress Cher and director Bob Weide. Strassman was best known for her role in “Kotter,” in which she played the wife of Gabe Kaplan's character, but she also starred in the hit 1989 film “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” and its 1992 sequel, “Honey, I Blew Up the Kid.” See photos: Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2014 The ‘Welcome Back, Kotter’ cast reunites at the 9th Annual TV.

Actress Marcia Strassman, known for Welcome Back, Kotter and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, has died. She was 66. Strassman's death was confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter by her sister Julie Strassman and her friend, director Bob Weide. Strassman, who had been battling breast cancer, died Friday at her home in Los Angeles. See more Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2014 Weide and Cher both posted online about her death. "So sad that a sweet friend, kind person and wonderful actress Marcia Strassman lost her brave battle with cancer today," Weide tweeted Oct. 25. Cher tweeted that Strassman was a

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Actress Marcia Strassman has passed away after a long battle with breast cancer, according to Deadline. She was 66. Her sister, Julie Strassman, confirmed the news to the publication Sunday afternoon. "She was the funniest, smartest person I ever met, and talented," she shared. "She knew everything. Now I won't be able to call her and ask her questions." When she was 18, Marcia left her hometown in New Jersey to travel west to Los Angeles in hopes of turning her dreams into a reality. In 1975, she received her breakout role in the TV hit, Welcome Back Kotter, where she played Gabe Kaplan's wife. Soon after, the actress received a steady amount of roles in projects such as...

Marcia Strassman, whose TV credits included M*A*S*H and Welcome Back, Kotter, died on Saturday after a seven-year fight with breast cancer, our sister site Deadline reports. She was 66.

Strassman’s professional acting career began in 1964 with appearances on The Patty Duke Show, before playing Nurse Margie Cutler in several episodes of TV’s M*A*S*H adaptation.

On ABC’s Welcome Back, Kotter, which ran from September 1975 to June 1979, she costarred as Julie Kotter, wife to Gabe Kaplan’s titular Brooklyn school teacher.

Strassman’s most recent TV credits include a 2004 stint on Third Watch, TV...

Reviewed by Chris Wright, MoreHorror.com

Reeker (2005)

Directed By: Dave Payne

Written By: Dave Payne

Starring: Devon Gummersall (Jack), Derek Richardson (Nelson), Tina Illman (Gretchen), Scott Whyte (Trip), Arielle Kebbel (Cookie), Michael Ironside (Henry), Eric Mabius (Radford), Marcia Strassman (Rose), David Hadinger (The Reeker), Les Jankey (Trucker), Carole Ruggier (Mom), Paul Butcher (Kid), Stephen Ziotnick (Officer Ben), Christopher Boyer (Officer Mansfield), Wesley Thompson (Officer Taylor)

“Reeker” is an interesting take on a slasher film. The decade of the slasher has long past so most films that take on that sub-genre are repetitions of previous movies that many of us have long watched. I was impressed that “Reeker” took a formula that has been beaten to death and added a nice twist to it.

“Reeker” centers on a bunch of young adults stranded in a desert rest stop only to be soon attacked by a mysterious creature while they are all having visions.

Actor Ron Palillo has passed away suddenly at the age of 63. He died at his Florida home early this morning, according to his friend Stacy Sacco. Jacqueline Stander, an agent for Palillo, told NBC that the actor had a heart attack and passed away in his sleep.

He was best known for playing "Sweathog" Arnold Dingfelder Horshak on the hit TV series Welcome Back, Kotter. The show aired from 1975-79 on ABC and featured a young John Travolta as well as Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, John Sylvester White, Robert Hegyes, Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs, Melonie Haller, and Stephen Shortridge.

Patillo had other supporting TV roles over the years and provided voices in various animated TV series like Laverne and Shirley in the Army and Darkwing Duck. He also had starring roles in musical productions like Amadeus, Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf? and Guys and Dolls.

Hit comedy show from the '70s, "Welcome Back, Kotter," is back in the spotlight after the sudden death of cast member, Robert Hegyes, who played Juan Epstein, passed away on Thursday.

"Extra" takes a look at the show's memorable cast members... where are they now? Take a look!

The Cast of 'Welcome Back, Kotter': Where Are They Now?John Travolta

As the tough-talking Vinnie Barbarino, John Travolta has made a name for himself in...

Robert Hegyes, who played Juan Epstein on '70s sitcom "Welcome Back, Kotter," died Thursday from an apparent heart attack. He was 60.

The actor, whose health had been steadily declining for the past two years, suffered chest pains at his New Jersey home before going into full cardiac arrest. He died at JFK Medical Center in Edison.

Hegyes is best remembered for his role on "Kotter" as the Jewish/Puerto Rican wisecracking student, Juan Luis Pedro Phillipo de Huevos Epstein,...

Actor Robert Hegyes, best known for playing Sweathog Juan Epstein on Welcome Back, Kotter, has died. The Star-Ledger reports he suffered an apparent heart attack at his New Jersey home earlier this morning. He was 60 years old.

Hegyes played Epstein on ABC's hit sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter for all four seasons, starring alongside Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, John Sylvester White, Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs, Ron Palillo, and John Travolta.

The actor said that he modeled the "Juan Luis Pedro Philippo DeHuevos Epstein" character after Chico Marx, whom he later played in a national touring production of A Night With Groucho. Most of the Kotter cast reunited at last year's TV Land Awards to celebrate the sitcom's 35th anniversary.

Hegyes also co-starred on Cagney & Lacey as Detective Manny Esposito and guest-starred on other beloved shows like The Love Boat, NewsRadio, Diagnosis Murder, The...

The National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund’s (Nbcc) enticing 11th Les Girls event takes place Monday, October 17, 2011 in Hollywood.

Hosted by Julie Bowen [Modern Family] and directed by Jason Alexander [Seinfeld], the event is expected to attract a host of celebrities, including Brian Batt [Mad Men], Laura Bell Bundy, Sarah Chalke [Mad Love], Katie Finneran [I Hate My Teenage Daughter], Kate Flannery [The Office,], Peri Gilpin [Make It Or Break It], Melora Hardin [The Office], Jane Leeves [Hot in Cleveland], Arleen Sorkin, Marcia Strassman, Gina Torres, Steven Weber, Marissa Jaret Winokur and many others.

The show is an irreverent and wickedly funny cabaret—a great evening of entertainment made possible by the donated performances of some of Hollywood’s top personalities. Les Girls continues to raise funds to benefit the National Breast Cancer Coalition, which works to increase funding for breast cancer research and make sure that low income and uninsured women have access to treatment. No long speeches on this night; just outrageous fun for a great cause!

Read more...

Hollywood loves a big, scary beast, but what about super-sizing the humble human? Clip joint looks up magic mega-moments

Tinseltown has been convincingly developing the magnificence of the mighty in the animal kingdom for decades. A simple shift in perspective transformed King Kong (1933) from a large ape into a monster. Similarly the terror in Tremors (1990) lies not in the idea that we're being chased by sand worms, but that they're half-a-mile long.

Hollywood likes to super-size, to make things larger than life, but when it comes to clumsy old humanity it's much harder to make size scary. The Amazing Colossal Man (1957) looked corny, Allison Hayes's 50ft Woman looked bored, even on the attack. Jason and The Argonauts's (1963) bronze behemoth Talos had the stuff, but he was technically an automaton.

Human giants are smaller, sillier and far less malevolent. Their stomping ground is the cartoon or the gentle family comedy.

Ronald Reagan, Knute Rockne: All American Kay Francis, William Powell, Myrna Loy, Jean Harlow: Packard Campus Movies Thursday, September 1 (7:30 p.m.) The Wanderers (Orion, 1979) Set against the urban jungle of 1963 New York's gangland subculture, this coming of age teenage movie is set around the Italian gang the Wanderers. Directed by Philip Kaufman. With Ken Wahl, John Friedrich and Karen Allen. Action drama. Rated R. Color, 117 min. Thursday, September 8 (7:30 p.m.) Mildred Pierce (Warner Bros., 1945) A housewife-turned-waitress finds success in business but loses control of her ungrateful teenaged daughter. Directed by Michael Curtiz. With Joan Crawford, Zachary Scott and Ann Blyth. Drama. Black & White, 111 min. Selected for the National Film Registry in 1996. Friday, September 9 (7:30 p.m.) Pre-code Drama Double Feature Jewel Robbery (Warner Bros., 1932) A wealthy, married woman becomes captivated by a debonair jewel thief. Directed by William Dieterle. With Kay Francis and William Powell. Comedy,...

Over the weekend, the cast of Welcome Back, Kotter reunited for the annual TV Land Awards -- Gabe Kaplan ("Mr. Kotter"), John Travolta ("Vinnie Barbarino"), Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs ("Freddie 'Boom Boom' Washington"), Robert Hegyes ("Juan Epstein"), and Marcia Strassman ("Julie Kotter").

Ron Palillo ("Arnold Horshack"), who's attended the ceremony in the past when it was held in Los Angeles, was scheduled to appear but was apparently not feeling well. Ellen Travolta, John's sister, who occasionally played Horshack's mother, was on hand.

Good Morning America and Access Hollywood took advantage of the occasion to interview the former castmates. You can watch that below and can see the on-stage reunion this Sunday night on TV Land.

What do...

Some of the biggest stars in sitcom history reunited this weekend in NYC -- for the 9th Annual TV Land Awards ! The casts of " The Cosby Show ," " Family Ties ," " Welcome Back Kotter " and " The Facts of Life " were all on hand at this year's event. The "Cosby" cast -- including Bill Cosby , Tempestt Bledsoe , Keshia Night Pulliam , Phylicia Rashad , Malcolm-Jamal Warner , Raven Symone and Sabrina Le Beauf picked up " The Impact Award " at the show. The " Family Ties " cast -- including Michael J. Fox , wife Tracy Pollan , Meredith Baxter , Michael Goss , Justine Bateman and Tina Yothers -- went home with the " Fan Favorite Award ." Other award winners: John Travolta reunited with "Kotter" co-stars Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs , Marcia Strassman , Robert Hegyes , Ellen Travolta and Gabe Kaplan for the " 35th Anniversary Award ." "Facts of Life"-ers Cloris Leachman , Kim Fields , Mindy Cohn , Charlotte Rae , Lisa Whelchel , Geri Jewell and Nancy McKeon accepted the...

Either TV Land’s audience is getting younger or we’re getting older. (Don’t answer that.) The network has announced that the cast of The Facts of Life will reunite next month for the first time in 20 years to accept the Pop Culture Award at the 2011 TV Land Awards. That’s Mindy Cohn (Natalie), Kim Fields (Tootie), Nancy McKeon (Jo), Lisa Whelchel (Blair), and Charlotte Rae (Mrs. Garrett). George Clooney is curiously left off the announcement. I’m hoping for at least a taped message.

What facts of life did you glean from the show? For me, it was...

The Sweathogs will be back in primetime next month. Some of them, anyway.

TV Land will honor the 1970s sitcom "Welcome Back, Kotter" at this year's TV Land Awards, and its most famous cast member, John Travolta, will be on hand to accept the 35th Anniversary Award. He'll be joined by co-stars Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (Freddie), Ron Palillo (Horshack) and Marcia Strassman (Julie Kotter).

Missing from the cast -- at least for now -- are series star and co-creator Gabe Kaplan, and Robert Hegyes, who played Juan Epstein. TV Land does say that "more cast members" will be announced later.

Kaplan, incidentally, has carved out a nice post-comedy career as a poker player. He's won more than $1 million over the years at various poker events, and until recently he was the host of "High Stakes Poker" on Gsn.

The TV Land Awards are scheduled to tape on April 10 in New York...

As part of the upcoming TV Land Awards, TV Land will be reuniting members of the cast of Welcome Back, Kotter. The ABC sitcom was a huge success and in its early years helped launch the career of John Travolta.

At this point, the reunion will include Travolta ("Vinnie Barbarino"), Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs ("Freddie 'Boom Boom' Washington"), Ron Palillo ("Arnold Horshack"), and Marcia Strassman ("Julie Kotter"). Other participants are still being added so hopefully that means that Gabe Kaplan ("Mr. Kotter") and Robert Hegyes ("Juan Epstein") will also take part.

I believe the last time there was a Welcome Back, Kotter reunion was as part of ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration. For the 2003 event, Kaplan, Travolta, Hilton-Jacobs, Palillo, Hegyes, and Strassman all reunited on-stage. Travolta even briefly reprised his popular character for some shtick with Kaplan.

Here' the press release about the...

John Travolta will reunite with the cast of his beloved 1970s sitcom, "Welcome Back, Kotter," at the TV Land Awards 2011.

John, along with former "Kotter" co-stars Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Ron Palillo and Marcia Strassman, will reassemble in New York City to accept the 35th Anniversary Award at this year's TV Land Awards for their work on the hit 70s series.

"Welcome Back, Kotter" ran for five seasons and revolved around an inner-city high school teacher, Mr. Kotter, played by Gabe Kaplan, who returns to his alma mater to teach a new generation of under-achieving misfits nicknamed the "Sweathogs."

Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Welcome Back, Kotter will receive the 35th Anniversary Award at the 2011 TV Land Awards, which tape April 10 and air April 17. John Travolta will reunite with his fellow cast members to accept the honor. (“What?…Where?”) As of now, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (Freddie “Boom Boom” Washington), Ron Palillo (Arnold Horshack) and Marcia Strassman (Mr. Kotter’s wife, Julie) are confirmed to join Vinnie Barbarino. Other names will be announced.

Previously announced 2011 honorees include Regis Philbin (Legend Award), Family Ties (Fan Favorite Award) and The Cosby Show (Impact Award). Welcome Back, Kotter starred comic Gabe Kaplan as Gabe Kotter, a man who returns...

He's Vinnie Barbarino. Again!

John Travolta will revive his classic "Welcome Back, Kotter" role in a cast reunion at the TV Land Awards, airing April 17th. TV Guide reports that he'll be joined by fellow Sweathogs Ron Palillo (Arnold Horseshack), Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (Freddie Washington), and Marcia Strassman (Mrs. Kotter), and the site says that they're working on securing teacher and leader, Gabe Kaplan.

Also at the Awards will be the casts of "The Cosby Show" and "Family Ties," making it a 70's and 80's bonanza.

Wonder if Travolta will have to change up his hair piece in order to make a more realistic appearance?

As for his current career, Travolta is set to star as mobster John Gotti in an upcoming film with Clint Eastwood.

For more, click over to TV Guide.

Photo:...

John Travolta is to reunite with his Welcome Back, Kotter co-stars at the annual TV Land Awards in April.

The Grease star kickstarted his career in the high-school sitcom, playing dumb student Vinnie Barbarino, before finding fame on the big screen, and now he's heading back to class at the TV Land Awards in New York, when he will meet up with his former colleagues Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Ron Palillo and Marcia Strassman.

The comedy show will celebrate its 35th anniversary at the gala.

This year's awards take place at New York's Javits Center. Other honourees include beloved TV personality Regis Philbin (Legend Award), sitcom Family Ties (Fan Favorite Award) and The Cosby Show (Impact Award).

Last year, two-time Oscar champ Tom Hanks ("Philadelphia," "Forrest Gump") took to the stage of the TV Land Awards with the rest of the "Bosom Buddies" cast to accept an anniversary prize. This year, two-time Oscar nominee John Travolta ("Saturday Night Fever," "Pulp Fiction") will be on hand with the gang from "Welcome Back, Kotter." It is 35 years since Travolta became a teen idol as one of the misfits taught by Mr. Kotter (Gabe Kaplan) in this ABC laffer. While Kaplan's attendance is not yet confirmed but his on-screen wife Marcia Strassman will be part of the tribute, as will two of Travolta's fellow "sweathogs" -- Lawrence Hilton Jacobs and Ron Pallilo. This year's awards take place on April 10 at New York's Javits Center and air one week later on the cablecast. Previously announced honorees include Regis Philbin (Legend Award), “Family Ties” (Fan Favorite Award) and &ldquo...

John Travolta will reunite with the cast of Welcome Back, Kotter at the TV Land Awards 2011 where the 1970s sitcom will receive the 35th Anniversary Award. Welcome Back, Kotter, which ran from 1975-1979, revolved around an inner-city high school teacher, Mr. Kotter (Gabe Kaplan) who returns to his alma mater to teach a new generation of under-achieving misfits nicknamed the “Sweathogs.” No word yet if Kaplan, on whose real-life experiences the comedy was based, will be at the reunion, but scheduled to appear with Travolta are co-stars Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Ron Palillo and Marcia Strassman. Previously announced honorees at this year's TV Land Awards include Regis Philbin (Legend Award), Family Ties (Fan Favorite Award) and The Cosby Show (Impact Award).

In a Screen Actors Guild election that was widely considered a referendum on merger with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, proponents of that idea emerged with a clear mandate.When the results of SAG's 2010 national board of directors election were announced Sept. 23, MembershipFirst, the SAG faction that emerged from the group of actors who helped scuttle merger in 2003, lost the fight for all 13 Hollywood-based national seats up for grabs to its rival faction, the pro-merger Unite for Strength. MembershipFirst partisans had held all 13 of those seats. The loss hands the coalition of Hollywood, New York, and regional moderates who had held a slim majority of the national seats—and who have been vocal in support of merger—a commanding boardroom advantage.Even more striking is MembershipFirst's loss of its majority on the Hollywood board. Unite for Strength won an overwhelming 33 of 35 open seats. Ufs, formed in...

Michael Douglas made an emotional appearance via video at the massive Stand Up To Cancer television event on September 10.

“Cancer doesn’t care how many Oscars you’ve won or how many tough guys you’ve played,” said the actor, who is currently battling stage 4 throat cancer.

A huge number of stars took part in the event – simulcast live and commercial-free on ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Bio, Discovery Health, E!, G4, HBO, HBO Latino, Mlb Network, mun2, Showtime, Smithsonian Channel, The Style Network, TV One, and VH1 – including Elizabeth Banks, Kathy Bates, Sir Richard Branson, Michael Chiklis, George Clooney, Baron Davis, Emily Deschanel, Bill Hader, Dorothy Hamill, Anne Heche, Cheryl Hines, Randy Jackson, George Karl, Dr. Jon Lapook, Rob Lowe, Jane Lynch, Marlee Matlin, Shareen Mitchell, Olivia Munn, Lisa Niemi, Kelly Osbourne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Passmore, Will Smith, Sam Trammell, Denzel Washington, Aaron Yoo, Renee Zellweger, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tatyana Ali,...

SAG yesterday released the official list of candidates for its upcoming national board elections. Notably, all of the open seats in La (the Hollywood Division) are held by MembershipFirst members, which means that, as was the case last year, Mf can at best maintain its level of representation on the national board. More likely, it will lose some of its board seats.

On the Hollywood divisional board, Mf could gain or lose, as all division seats are up every year. This contrasts with the national board, where approximately 1/3 of the 69 seats are up in any given year. The president and secretary-treasurer, who are ex officio members of the board, have two-year terms, and are not up for election this year.

Ballots in Hollywood and New York will be mailed on August 24 with a return deadline and tabulation on September 23. Election results are expected to be announced that evening.

The Hollywood...

Jeff Garlin, Ron Perlman, Clark Gregg and Gabrielle Carteris are among the candidates from the Unite for Strength party vying for seats on the Screen Actors Guild's national and Hollywood Division boards.

Ufs announced Wednesday its full slate of 35 candidates, which includes 15 Hollywood board incumbents and a number of first-timers. Ballots go out to Hollywood Division members August 24 and must be returned by Sept. 23, when results will be tallied.

A first round of preliminary discussions with employers for a new TV-theatrical contract begins four days later. That deal expires June 30.

The Ufs party, which is part of a majority coalition that now runs the guild, was founded in 2008 in the midst of inter-union strife and took the hotly contested presidency last fall with its candidate Ken Howard.

"I'm inspired by our candidates," said Howard. "These are smart, dedicated SAG members who are passionate about protecting actors. They represent the diversity...

Apparently, there was a Tremors series that was released on Syfy in 2003. There is an interesting story here as the series was aired out of order. Episode 6 followed episode one and episode 2 was released following episode 7 (Wiki). How is that for confusion? The series was released on iTunes in 2007 and now Paramount Home Entertainment is releasing the series, March 9th. The show, which includes thirteen episodes, and DVD details are below (a Tremors 4 is on the way).

The synopsis for Tremors: The Series:

"Perfection Valley, Nevada is a quaint little town. The inhabitants live peaceful, tranquil lives. Most of the time. Perfection is home to the Graboid, El Blanco. El Blanco is a 30-foot worm creature who hunts prey by sound. It is an endangered species, so as long as El Blanco is around, Perfection can't be bulldozed by any greedy developers. To protect their home, the people of...

Michael Gross and Tremors may never actually go away. A few months ago we passed along rumors from an industry source that Universal was drilling down for a mid-year 2009 release of Tremors - The Complete Series. But by mid-year, we unfortunately followed up with a report that Universal Studios had apparently buried those DVD plans. Today, however, Universal has dug the title back up, dusted it off, and formally announced it for release on March 9th...

Synopsis:

Travel back to the small town of Perfection, Nevada, in this fun and action-packed 2003 Sci-Fi Channel series based on the popular "Tremors" films. As if dealing with the subterranean beasties wasn't enough, the locals have their hands full with overbearing tourists, government agents, mobsters, a gene-blending project called Mixmaster, and animal activists who stand up for "Graboid" rights. Michael Gross, Victor Browne, Marcia Strassman, and Christopher Lloyd star. <> Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital...

AFTRA announced the results late Wednesday of its Los Angeles Local elections. The seats in play included those on the national and local boards, and delegates to the AFTRA national convention this summer.

This election cycle carried extra weight because it arrived in the midst of voting on SAG's controversial TV-theatrical contract and because of the candidacy of several dual card-holders running for office despite their antagonism toward AFTRA.

As it happens, Membership First partisans did pick up some local and national board seats -- vocal AFTRA critics Anne-Marie Johnson and Alan Ruck were elected to the AFTRA national board, and David Jolliffe was elected to the L.A. Local board.

The complete results are as follows:

Actor Ron Morgan was re-elected president of AFTRA Los Angeles and will begin his new two-year term July 1; he ran unopposed. Morgan also was elected to the national board for a four-year term,...