Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete First Season Comes to DVD June 12

"Welcome Back, Your Dreams Were Your Ticket Out..."

Fans will recall such memorable catchphrases as "up your nose with a rubber hose" when the first full season of Welcome Back, Kotter, one of the 70's biggest comedy hits, is released on DVD June 12, 2007 from Warner Home Video (WHV). Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete First Season will include all 22 episodes from the show's first season, as well as never-before-seen exclusive bonus material, in a four-disc collector's set and will retail for $29.98.

Available for the first time ever on DVD, Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete First Season follows the life of teacher and former "Sweathog" Gabe Kotter (Gabriel Kaplan). Kotter returns to his former high school to teach the same remedial class in which he himself had been a student as a teenager. Still referred to as the "Sweathogs," the lovable losers and delinquents of Buchanan High accept their new teacher as they provide a nonstop string of laughs.

Welcome Back, Kotter is an Emmy-nominated series, which originally aired on ABC from September 1975 to May 1979. The show launched the career of John Travolta, who portrayed the role of heartthrob Vinnie Barbarino. The series also starred Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs as the always cool Freddie "Boom-Boom" Washington, Robert Hegyes as the tough Juan (Luis Pedro Phillipo de Huevos) Epstein, Ron Palillo as the sheepish Arnold Dingfelder Horshak, Marcia Strassman as Julie Kotter and John Sylvester White as Mr. Michael Woodman. During season one, award-winning, renowned film and television actor James Woods makes a guest appearance in the show's first episode, titled The Great Debate, portraying drama teacher Alex Welles. The first season of Welcome Back, Kotter received two Emmy nominations, including one for Outstanding Comedy Series.

"Welcome Back, Kotter is one of the 70's biggest television comedies. It was unique in the sense that it featured a set of multicultural characters and also tackled some serious social issues but always managed to remain fresh, funny and entertaining," commented Rosemary Markson, WHV Vice President, TV Marketing. She added, "Welcome Back, Kotter is one of those memorable shows that has made its mark on the history of American pop culture. Decades after its initial broadcast, television audiences still remember it fondly, making it a terrific addition to TV DVD collections."

DVD Features:
- Actors' Original Screen Tests - includes John Travolta, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Marcia Strassman, Robert Hegyes and Ron Palillo.

- Only a Few Degrees From a Sweathog - An entertaining featurette which illustrates how all roads lead to Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. The original Sweathogs reflect on the influence of the show, their personal experiences and memorable moments.