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Quiz about Welcome Back Kotter
Quiz about Welcome Back Kotter

Welcome Back Kotter Trivia Quiz


This quiz is about one of my very favorite sitcoms from the 1970's titled "Welcome Back Kotter". I'm still watching reruns! You'll have to be a fan to do well at this quiz.

A multiple-choice quiz by feedyourhead. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
feedyourhead
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
369,441
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
8 / 15
Plays
592
Last 3 plays: Guest 68 (6/15), Guest 67 (12/15), Guest 75 (9/15).
Question 1 of 15
1. The main characters in this sitcom were Gabe Kotter the teacher and four of his Sweathog students named Freddie Washington, Juan Epstein, Vinnie Barbarino, and Arnold Horshack. The Sweathogs were students in the remedial class. What was Freddie Washington's nickname? Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. Mr. Kotter's wife was named Julie and she was from Nebraska. What was Julie's maiden name? Hint


Question 3 of 15
3. "Welcome Back Kotter" took place in New York. Which of the below boroughs of New York did the show take place in? Hint


Question 4 of 15
4. Mr. Kotter's class was for remedial students. The students were called the Sweathogs. What was the name of the high school they attended? Hint


Question 5 of 15
5. What two subjects does Mr. Kotter teach? Hint


Question 6 of 15
6. Arnold Horshack had an unusual middle name that was also his mother's maiden name. What was it? Hint


Question 7 of 15
7. There was one episode of "Welcome Back Kotter" in which Arnold Horshack explained what the name Horshack meant. What did it mean? Hint


Question 8 of 15
8. At times when someone would say something about Vinnie Barbarino's mother he would reply: "Not my mother, my mother's a saint." What was Vinnie's mother's name? Hint


Question 9 of 15
9. Juan Epstein described himself as a Puerto Rican Jew. His mother was from the Jewish side of the family. What was her maiden name? Hint


Question 10 of 15
10. Gabe and Julie Kotter had two daughters who were twins. What were their names? Hint


Question 11 of 15
11. In one episode of the show, the name of Freddie Washington's father was mentioned. What was his father's first name? Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. In one episode, a disc jockey at a local radio station was one of the main characters. He went by the name of Wally "The Wow" Wechsel. What actor/comedian played Wally? Hint


Question 13 of 15
13. What was the name of the never seen principal of the school in the "Welcome Back Kotter" series? Hint


Question 14 of 15
14. In several episodes of the show the actor Charles Fleischer played a character named Carvelli. He was a nemesis to the Sweathogs and always had a sidekick/lackey with him. What was the name of this lackey? Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. From his first name Juan to his surname Epstein, how many names total does Juan actually have? We won't count the III (3rd) at the end of his names or the de before one of his names. This one is tricky. Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 27 2024 : Guest 68: 6/15
Mar 25 2024 : Guest 67: 12/15
Mar 23 2024 : Guest 75: 9/15
Mar 22 2024 : Guest 24: 9/15
Mar 13 2024 : Guest 72: 6/15
Mar 07 2024 : Guest 98: 9/15
Mar 03 2024 : Guest 107: 15/15
Feb 23 2024 : Guest 207: 9/15
Feb 17 2024 : Guest 96: 12/15

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The main characters in this sitcom were Gabe Kotter the teacher and four of his Sweathog students named Freddie Washington, Juan Epstein, Vinnie Barbarino, and Arnold Horshack. The Sweathogs were students in the remedial class. What was Freddie Washington's nickname?

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.
2. Mr. Kotter's wife was named Julie and she was from Nebraska. What was Julie's maiden name?

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.
3. "Welcome Back Kotter" took place in New York. Which of the below boroughs of New York did the show take place in?

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.
4. Mr. Kotter's class was for remedial students. The students were called the Sweathogs. What was the name of the high school they attended?

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.
5. What two subjects does Mr. Kotter teach?

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.
6. Arnold Horshack had an unusual middle name that was also his mother's maiden name. What was it?

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.
7. There was one episode of "Welcome Back Kotter" in which Arnold Horshack explained what the name Horshack meant. What did it mean?

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'."
8. At times when someone would say something about Vinnie Barbarino's mother he would reply: "Not my mother, my mother's a saint." What was Vinnie's mother's name?

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?"
9. Juan Epstein described himself as a Puerto Rican Jew. His mother was from the Jewish side of the family. What was her maiden name?

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.
10. Gabe and Julie Kotter had two daughters who were twins. What were their names?

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.
11. In one episode of the show, the name of Freddie Washington's father was mentioned. What was his father's first name?

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!"
12. In one episode, a disc jockey at a local radio station was one of the main characters. He went by the name of Wally "The Wow" Wechsel. What actor/comedian played Wally?

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.
13. What was the name of the never seen principal of the school in the "Welcome Back Kotter" series?

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.
14. In several episodes of the show the actor Charles Fleischer played a character named Carvelli. He was a nemesis to the Sweathogs and always had a sidekick/lackey with him. What was the name of this lackey?

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'.
15. From his first name Juan to his surname Epstein, how many names total does Juan actually have? We won't count the III (3rd) at the end of his names or the de before one of his names. This one is tricky.

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.
Source: Author feedyourhead

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor guitargoddess before going online.
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