"Kotter and Son" casts the dependable Harold J. Stone as Gabe's Jewish father Charlie Kotter, who is traveling 1400 miles north from Fort Lauderdale to see his son (we are told that Gabe has a doctor brother named Melvin). We are also told that both parents live in Florida, which contradicts events in "The Telethon," depicting Kotter's mother to be watching the live broadcast from Brooklyn. Even Julie becomes exasperated by Charlie's incessant needling mere moments after his arrival, carping about everything under the sun, from the small sized apartment to bragging about Melvin, his rich doctor son, who Gabe remembers as a bed wetter (Charlie: "you were any different?"). Charlie Kotter wants to attend his son's class to see him work a few miracles with his students (Barbarino assumes that he's the bus driver). When the discussion turns to the Great Depression, Gabe does a series of impressions to impress both the Sweathogs and his own father, who finally admits that he's proud of his son. A nice ending finds Julie learning where her husband's joke telling ability comes from! Harold J. Stone was a veteran adept at both comedy and drama, the perfect choice for the one off appearance of Kotter Sr.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
