Robert Hegyes Movies
- 1980
Jill Robinson's Bed-Time-Story, inspired by actual events, was the source for the made-for-TV A Cry for Love. Divorcee Susan Blakely, with no alimony and two kids to support, begins turning to amphetamines. While at her lowest ebb, she meets Powers Boothe, an alcoholic and three-time loser in marriage--who, incredibly, turns out to be the ideal man for her! Joseph Bologna and Renee Taylor were the guiding hands behind the Cry For Love teleplay. The film debuted on October 20, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In the tradition of This Is Spinal Tap, producer/ director/ star Tim Robbins' Bob Roberts is a satire disguised as a documentary. Robbins plays the titular Roberts, a wealthy, well-connected young man running for a senatorial seat in Pennsylvania. On the surface, Roberts is an ingratiating glad-hander, a sincere believer in the restoration of such intangibles as national pride, family values, etc. But the longer Roberts is followed about by documentary filmmaker Brian Murray, the more we become aware that the candidate is a textbook case of cynicism and contempt. Only Giancarlo Esposito, a reporter for an underground newspaper, is willing to dig beneath Roberts' veneer--a habit that leads to the film's ironic conclusion. Several well-known actors make cameo appearances as TV commentators, notably Tim Robbins' longtime partner Susan Sarandon. Bob Roberts started out as a Tim Robbins-directed short subject for the TV series Saturday Night Live, then was expanded into a $4 million feature. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Robbins, Giancarlo Esposito, (more)
- 1982
The made-for-TV For Lovers Only was the pilot film for a potential series titled Honeymoon Hotel. Set in the Poconos, the story takes place in a fancy honeymoon resort managed by Vernon Bliss (Andy Griffith). Belying his name and professional, Bliss is far from Blissful, especially when bickering with his daughter (Deborah Raffin) and her husband, a would-be playwright (Gary Sandy). Guest stars on this first and last installment of Honeymoon Hotel include Katherine Helmond, Gordon Jump, Sally Kellerman and Jane Kaczmarzak. Look closely and you'll spot Tracy Pollan in a bit. Financed by Caesars Palace Productions, For Lovers Only was first telecast October 15, 1982. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
This is the first of the series' "Spot The Mistakes" episodes, with 50 glaring on-screen errors liberally sprinkled throughout the proceedings. The plot gets under way when one of Mr. Wick's mean-spirited firing procedures literally backfires (with a crossbow!), leaving Drew (Drew Carey) in charge of the store. Magnanimously, Drew announces that he will not fire anyone for any reason during his reign--whereupon Larry (Ian Gomez) decides to take adavantage of Drew's generosity in a spectacular fashion! When this episode was originally networkcast on April Fools' Day of 1998, the viewers at home were invited to contact the network and list the various and sundry "mistakes", with a $25,000 prize awaiting the person who spotted the most boo-boos. (For the episode's subsequent ABC rerun on September 2, 1998, superimposed pop-ups appeared on screen to reveal the errors; it is this "augmented" version which currently runs in syndication). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
Eminent Shakespearean actor Maurice Evans guest stars as Leopold Summer, a history teacher dismissed from his job because he is a firm proponent of corporal punishment. Upon learning that one of his former colleagues has been shot in a tough high school, the already disturbed Summer goes completely off the deep end. Setting up a "classroom" in a deserted warehouse, Summer kidnaps several indolent high schoolers, chains them to desks, and forces them to learn history at gunpoint! Bernie Kopell (The Love Boat) appears unbilled as Summers' ex-boss, while among the imperiled students is future Welcome Back, Kotter costar Robert Hegyes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
- Add Welcome Back, Kotter: Season 01 to QueueAdd Welcome Back, Kotter: Season 01 to top of Queue
The pilot episode of Welcome Back Kotter finds history and social studies teacher Gabe Kotter (Gabriel Kaplan) taking charge of the remedial class at Brooklyn's James Buchanan High School, some ten years after he had graduated from the same class. Despite his status as a former "Sweathog", Gabe has a lot of trouble riding herd over such "unteachable" 10th graders as Barbarino (John Travolta, Horshack (Ron Palillo), Epstein (Robert Hegyes) and Washington (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs), and by the end of the first day he is sadly informing his wife Julie (Marica Strassman) that he intends to quit. Gabe is prevented from doing so when the "Sweathogs" tell him how much they really like and appreciate him--much to dismay of our hero's longtime nemesis, Buchanan's scowling vice-principal Woodman (John Sylvester White). Incredibly, this pilot show was NOT the debut episode of Welcome Back, Kotter's first season: Instead it was shown third, after episodes in which the sweathogs match wits with a snotty debate team, and in which Washington contemplates dropping out to become a basketball star. Though audiences of the time were probably confused by the chronological mixup, they quickly picked up on the comic rhythm of the show, especially those scenes in which Kotter's charges indulge in their pet hobb of "ranking"--that is, topping each other's insults. Before long, all of America was rooting for Kotter's sweathogs and booing the efforts of Mr. Woodman to undermine Kotter--which including finding an academic loophole forcing Gabe to retake his high school finals! Among the first season's best episodes are "Whodunit", in which student Rosalie "Hotsy" Totzie gets even with the sweathogs for underservedly tagging her with a "fast" reputation; "No More Mr. Nice Guy", in which Kotter and Woodman unexpectedly exchange personalities when Woodman takes over teaching the class one day; "Arriverdci Arnold", wherein the nerdy Horshack is promoted to a "smart" class--and hate it); "Follow the Leader", a two-part power struggle with Barbarino and Washington vying for the unofficial position of class leader; and "Dr. Epstein, I Presume", in which Epstein displays a hitherto unsuspected talent as a veterinarian. In addition to the actors mentioned above, Season One features a number of recurring characters: Vernee Jean Williams (Vernee Watson), who in one installment is talked out of marrying Washington by his pals; supersmart Judy Borden (Helaine Lembeck), whom Barbarino despises until she helps him improve his grades; and Todd (Dennis Bowen) and Maria (Catarina Cellino). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, (more)
- 1976
The opening episode of Welcome Back Kotter's second season finds Buchanan High School teacher Gabe Kotter (Gabe Kaplan) considering the idea of giving up his "sweathog" class to accept a job with a Japanese inventor, played by Pat Morita. Other noteworthy guest stars appearing this year are John Astin as a ghoulish museum curator who convinces Kotter's students that they're being stalked by a mummy; Valerie Curtin as a student teacher who has her hands full with the sweathogs until Gabe comes to her rescue; veteran western star Scott Brady as an ill-tempered gym teacher who punches remedial student Vinnie Barbarino (John Travolta) right in front of a group of his female admirers; Harold J. Stone as Kotter's hyper-judgemental; George Carlin and Fred Grandy (what a combo!) in an episode wherein Kotter's student Epstein (Robert Hegyes) becomes a popular radio DJ; and Ellen Travolta, the sister of series costar John Travolta, in the first of several appearances as "Mrs. O'Hara", this time in a two-parter in which the nerdish Horshack (Ron Palillo) thinks about quitting school to support his family. In addition to the aforementioned "regular" sweathogs (plus Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs as Freddie "Boom-Boom" Washington), Charles Fleischer, future voice of cartoon star Roger Rabbit, makes his intial appearance this season as Carvelli, Barbarino's tough-guy rival from another school; by the end of Season Three, Carvelli will have transferred into Kotter's class at Buchanan High. Season Two ends with the news that Gabe's ever-lovin' wife Julie (Marcia Strassman) is pregnant with twins. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, (more)
- 1977
- Add Welcome Back, Kotter: Season 03 to QueueAdd Welcome Back, Kotter: Season 03 to top of Queue
As Season Three of Welcome Back, Kotter gets under way, Julie Kotter (Marcia Strassman), the wife of Buchanan High School's funniest teacher Gabe Kotter (Gabriel Kaplan), gives birth to twin daughters. Before long, the babies are being hugged and coddled by the four prankish-but-lovable remedial students in Gabe's home room, better known as the "sweathogs": Vinnie Barbarino (John Travolta, Juan Epstein (Robert Hegyes), Horshack (Ron Palillo) and Washington (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs). This situation leads to one of the season's funnier episodes, in which Gabe peers into the future when his twin daughters are grown up and he and the sweathogs are all doddering oldsters! Joining the cast halfway through the season is Melonie Haller as Angie Globagoski, a defiant underachiever whose goal in life is to be the first "female sweathog." Evidently she doesn't meet that goal, inasmuch as she has been written out the show by season's end. Another recurring character appears in the form of Murray (Bob Harcum), a remedial student from another school who frequently matches wits (such as they are) with Buchanan's sweathogs. By the end of Season Three, both Murray and his pal Carvelli (Charles Fleischer) will have transferred to Buchanan, possibly as means of "cast insurance" should costar John Travolta, whose star was ascending rapidly via such films as Carrie and Saturday Night Fever), decide to break his contract and quit the show (PS: He didn't). Ironically, although it was Travolta's character Vinnie who was expected to exit at any moment, it is Gabe Kotter who considers "dropping out" of Buchanan to pursue a career as a stand-up comic (with material supplied by his students) in the two-part episode "There's No Business Like Show Business". Other third-season episodes worth mentioning are a brace of Welcome Back Kotter "specials", "The Sweathogs Back-to-School Special" and "The Sweathogs Christmas Special", both of which consist primarily of highlights from earlier seasons. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, (more)
- 1978
The fourth and final season of Welcome Back Kotter opens as capricious remedial-class teacher Gabe Kotter (Gabriel Kaplan) is promoted to vice principal of Buchanan High School, replacing his long-time nemesis Mr. Woodman (John Sylvester White)--who in turn has moved up the food chain to full principal. Meanwhile, Kotter's students--aka the "sweathogs"--have all gotten off-campus jobs, following the example of self-appointed class leader Vinnie Barbarino (John Travolta), who has left school to work as a hospital orderly. This move was made primarily to accommodate the ever-increasing motion picture commitments of John Travolta, who makes only a handful of appearances this season. As a potential replacement for the swaggering Vinnie, Stephen Shortridge joins the cast as Southerner Beau De Labarre, a charming prankster with above-average intelligence who has landed in the remedial program because of his propensity for wreaking havoc--which he has done with considerable success in the seven previous schools from which he has been expelled. Another noteworthy cast addition is Irene Arranga, as lonely, insecure student Mary Johnson, who makes her first appearance in "Once Upon a Ledge" as a would-be suicide who is brought back to her sense by--of all people--Mr. Kotter's nerdiest student, Arnold Horshack (Ron Palillo). By series' end, Arnold and Mary will have become husband and wife, much to the amazement of Horshack's "cooler" classmates Epstein (Robert Hegyes) and Washington (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, (more)
- 1984
- R
This melodrama chronicles a couple's attempt to deal with a failing marriage in the '80s. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
Jim Wynorski and John Terlesky teamed to write and direct this low-budget action thriller, zoning in on the adventures of agent John Lacy (Daniel Baldwin), due to be married to news anchor Wendy Lane (Erika Eleniak). Former agent Bill Stenwick (Richard Tyson) steals a weapon that kills humans yet leaves crops and buildings undamaged. Lacy goes in pursuit, hoping to complete the case before his wedding day. Shown at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Erika Eleniak, (more)
- 1980
- PG
For a film that barely received a theatrical release, Just Tell Me You Love Me has certainly gotten an inordinate amount of television exposure over the last decade. Could this have anything to do with the presence of Lisa Hartman in the cast? Whatever the case, the film is an extremely laid-back tale of three young confidence tricksters, working the resort towns. The larcenous threesome ply their trade on unsuspecting business executives, with the expected conners-get-conned-themselves results. Hardly a film of significance, Just Tell Me You Love Me is a pleasant time filler if you've got nothing else to do on a Saturday afternoon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
- PG
Ever wonder what happens to your car when you give it to a parking lot attendant? Find out in this zany slapstick comedy set in an exclusive Beverly Hills Hotel. There the attendants gleefully smash and bash the expensive cars of patrons while trying to get them parked. The story really perks up when an enamored and fabulously wealthy sheik joins the attendants in hopes of attracting a certain beautiful woman. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
