Robert Hegyes, the Jersey-born actor who played Jewish Puerto Rican wheeler-dealer Juan Luis Pedro Phillipo de Huevos Epstein on the 1970s classic "Welcome Back Kotter," died from an apparent heart attack after suffering chest pains at his Metuchen, New Jersey home this morning. He was 60.
I was strangely attracted to him as a kid. Only 60, that's a bummer!
ReplyDeleteWow, that's young! Too soon.
ReplyDeleteRest In Peace. I had a HUGE crush on him as a kid. The fact that he made me laugh so hard milk came out my nose was Bonus!
ReplyDeleteEpstein's Mother
ReplyDeleteSaw him on a Love Boat rerun recently. He looked a uncannily like Slash from Guns ''n Roses.
ReplyDeleteAwww...I loved Epstein!!! I agree with the others about having a bit of a crush on him...I was definitely more into Juan than Vinnie-I thought Vinnie was a dope! LOL!
ReplyDeleteWay too young. RIP Robert. Gone too soon. Thanks for the laughs!
RIP, watched all these in reruns...love loved it...starting with the theme song..
ReplyDeleteRIP... he was always my favorite Sweathog =(
ReplyDelete@Nutty, I can see that. He also looks like he can be in the E Street Band.
ReplyDeleteThis news breaks my heart. RIP.
ReplyDeleteOh Liittle Juan! RIP
ReplyDeleteRIP, Robert. I always thought he really was Jewish/Puerto Rican, but I just read he was Hungarian/Italian. He said he modeled his Juan character on his idol, Chico Marx.
ReplyDeleteEpstein is sick and will not be in school today.
ReplyDeleteSigned, Epstein's Mother.
RIP, my favorite Sweathog!
Funny how in that pic none of them look like believable high school-age students. I never noticed it as a kid.
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ReplyDeleteI loved this show as a kid. So shoot me (with rubber bullets). I'm a Puerto Rican Jew - roll the "R's". Rest in Peace, Juan Epstein/Robert Hegyes. Another piece of my childhood has blown into the ether. :(
ReplyDeleteOh NO ! Not Epstein ! He was a cutie ! And he DOES resemble Slash.
ReplyDeleteI'm just shocked that I live right by Metuchen, NJ and didn't know he lived in the area. Rest in Peace.