First, Epstein.
Now Horshack is gone.
Actor Ron Palillo died suddenly this morning of a heart attack
at his home in Florida. He was 63.
Palillo is, of course, best known for playing Horshack on
Welcome Back Kotter from 1975 through 1979. The Horshack
character became well loved for his laugh and the eagerness with
which his he raised his hand in Mr. Kotter’s class.
Palillo’s death comes less than eight months after co-star
Robert Hegyes suddenly
died of a heart attack. This leaves John Travolta and Lawrence
Hilton-Jacobs as the only surviving Sweathogs.
After Welcome Back Kotter went off the air, Palillo had
trouble finding work. He did the occasional guest spot on
TV shows like The A-Team, Murder, She Wrote and Cagney
& Lacey. At one point, Palillo actually played himself on
Ellen for
a few episodes.
In recent years, Palillo taught acting at a performing arts high
school in West Palm Beach, Florida and was due to begin teaching
another year of classes next week.
