thedailywhat:

RIP: Robert Hegyes, best remembered for his role as Epstein on the 1970’s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, passed away today in a New Jersey hospital near his home.

He was 60.

Hegyes, who had been in poor health for some time, developed chest pains this morning and was rushed to the emergency room at JFK Medical Center in Edison. On the way, Hegyes went into full cardiac arrest. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

Born to a Hungarian-American father and an Italian-American mother, Hegyes was raised in Metuchen, which he continued to call home throughout his life.

Getting his first big break starring in the off-Broadway play Naomi Court, it wasn’t long after that he was cast in the role that came to define his career — Sweathog Juan Luis Pedro Phillipo de Huevos Epstein.

After Kotter, Hegyes made several one-off appearances on several TV shows, and later earned a recurring role on CBS’s Cagney & Lacey as Det. Manny Esposito.

He retired from acting, but remained actively involved in the craft, teaching courses and writing screenplays. Most recently, Hegyes expressed interest in directing, but his health problems kept him from realizing his ambition.

[star-ledger.]