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TV's 'Horshack' Dead at 63

Actor Ron Palillo of 'Welcome Back, Kotter' has heart attack

By John Johnson,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 14, 2012 12:50 PM CDT

(Newser) – Aww. Horshack is dead at age 63. Actor Ron Palillo, who played "Arnold Horshack" on Welcome Back, Kotter in the 1970s, died this morning at his home, reports the Palm Beach Post. He hadn't been ill, and TMZ says he had a heart attack. Palillo's oddball character was one of the Sweathogs in Mr. Kotter's class, along with John Travolta's Vinnie Barbarino, of course. If Horshack had a catch phrase, it was probably his, "Ooh, ooh, ooh, Mr. Kotter!" as he raised his hand in class.

Palillo had been teaching acting classes the last few years in Palm Springs. “He just couldn’t have been more fun and intelligent or talented," a friend tells the Post. "He was an amazing human being."

Ron Palillo arrives at the TV Land Awards in 2008 in Santa Monica, Calif.
Ron Palillo arrives at the TV Land Awards in 2008 in Santa Monica, Calif.   (AP Photo/Mark Mainz)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 16 comments
Nxxxx
Aug 15, 2012 12:43 AM CDT
You guys are becoming so insensitive when it comes to death. Why does Ron Palillo get a condescending AWW? Because he was a goofy foil on a 1970s sitcom? Makes his less meaningful to you? Means we're allowed to make fun? If you aren't trying to add lameass gags to stories, you're writing lazy-as-hell bullshit. Some of you can't write a summary any better than the mediocre ones that used to appear on the Usergrid. Often you were scooped on those, too.
MisterE
Aug 14, 2012 9:59 PM CDT
AIDS always gets you in the end.
dawnarun
Aug 14, 2012 5:53 PM CDT
And now, years later, I finally get the joke for the "Welcome Back, Potter" sketch SNL did for Harry Potter. Maybe when I'm in my 40s jokes and questions on Jeopardy will stop going over my head... Ah well, Rest in peace mister.
 

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