Bye Bye Mrs. Kot-ter
October 27, 2014 7:51 AM Subscribe
Marcia Strassman most famous as Mrs. Kotter, but also known for roles on M*A*S*H, Honey I Shrunk The Kids, and her brief foray into music recording has died of breast cancer at 66.
Related: Robert Hegyes, Ron Palillo, RIP
Related: Robert Hegyes, Ron Palillo, RIP
Way too young. Was I the only person that had a wicked crush on her? Both on M*A*S*H and Welcome Back.
So long, Mrs. Kotter.
Also, fuck cancer.
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posted by bondcliff at 8:13 AM on October 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
So long, Mrs. Kotter.
Also, fuck cancer.
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posted by bondcliff at 8:13 AM on October 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
Was I the only person that had a wicked crush on her?
Um, no. There are at least two of us.
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posted by octothorpe at 8:18 AM on October 27, 2014 [3 favorites]
Um, no. There are at least two of us.
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posted by octothorpe at 8:18 AM on October 27, 2014 [3 favorites]
~Was I the only person that had a wicked crush on her?
~Um, no. There are at least two of us.
~Three
Four.
She was the only reason I watched that show.
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posted by Thorzdad at 8:27 AM on October 27, 2014
~Um, no. There are at least two of us.
~Three
Four.
She was the only reason I watched that show.
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posted by Thorzdad at 8:27 AM on October 27, 2014
Plus she was a terrific comic foil for Gabe Kaplan. One of the most believable husband-and-wife pairings in TV history.
posted by jonmc at 8:28 AM on October 27, 2014 [10 favorites]
posted by jonmc at 8:28 AM on October 27, 2014 [10 favorites]
~Was I the only person that had a wicked crush on her?
~Um, no. There are at least two of us.
~Three
Four.
She was the only reason I watched that show.
I was in grade school in the late seventies and upon reflection, I notice that many of the important women in my life over the decades had large proportions of Julie Kotter and Bailey Quarters in their personalities.
One of the most believable husband-and-wife pairings in TV history.
Also to my my mind one of the earlier examples of the goofy-looking husband/conventionally-attractive wife pairing that resolved to the benefit of actors like Ray Romano, Jim Belushi and Kevin James decades later.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:51 AM on October 27, 2014 [10 favorites]
~Um, no. There are at least two of us.
~Three
Four.
She was the only reason I watched that show.
I was in grade school in the late seventies and upon reflection, I notice that many of the important women in my life over the decades had large proportions of Julie Kotter and Bailey Quarters in their personalities.
One of the most believable husband-and-wife pairings in TV history.
Also to my my mind one of the earlier examples of the goofy-looking husband/conventionally-attractive wife pairing that resolved to the benefit of actors like Ray Romano, Jim Belushi and Kevin James decades later.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:51 AM on October 27, 2014 [10 favorites]
Oh, 66 is way too young. Is anyone but Travolta left alive from WBK?
posted by dejah420 at 9:15 AM on October 27, 2014
posted by dejah420 at 9:15 AM on October 27, 2014
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posted by Smart Dalek at 9:17 AM on October 27, 2014
posted by Smart Dalek at 9:17 AM on October 27, 2014
Is anyone but Travolta left alive from WBK?
well, travolta's not really alive per se. he entered a vegetative state once l. ron hubbard stripped away his engrams.
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 9:27 AM on October 27, 2014 [6 favorites]
well, travolta's not really alive per se. he entered a vegetative state once l. ron hubbard stripped away his engrams.
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 9:27 AM on October 27, 2014 [6 favorites]
Is anyone but Travolta left alive from WBK?
Of the main cast, there is also Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs and of course Gabe Kaplan. Kaplan retired from show business decades ago and became a highly successful professional poker player. Maybe five years ago he returned to doing the occasional stand-up gig. I saw him in Montreal, where he came out and introduced himself then paused for several seconds, then said, "Right now half of you are explaining to the other half of you who I am."
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:28 AM on October 27, 2014 [11 favorites]
Of the main cast, there is also Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs and of course Gabe Kaplan. Kaplan retired from show business decades ago and became a highly successful professional poker player. Maybe five years ago he returned to doing the occasional stand-up gig. I saw him in Montreal, where he came out and introduced himself then paused for several seconds, then said, "Right now half of you are explaining to the other half of you who I am."
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:28 AM on October 27, 2014 [11 favorites]
...Julie Kotter and Bailey Quarters...
I'll...um...be right back...
posted by Thorzdad at 9:46 AM on October 27, 2014 [4 favorites]
I'll...um...be right back...
posted by Thorzdad at 9:46 AM on October 27, 2014 [4 favorites]
~Was I the only person that had a wicked crush on her?
Me too, and I'm super gay, which makes it even better.
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posted by sonascope at 9:47 AM on October 27, 2014 [4 favorites]
Me too, and I'm super gay, which makes it even better.
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posted by sonascope at 9:47 AM on October 27, 2014 [4 favorites]
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Now I wonder if their relationship was the prototype for "characters tell jokes to each other at the end" that was such a fun part of Vicar of Dibley. More shows should do that, it would have lightened up Battelstar Galactica considerably.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 9:48 AM on October 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
Now I wonder if their relationship was the prototype for "characters tell jokes to each other at the end" that was such a fun part of Vicar of Dibley. More shows should do that, it would have lightened up Battelstar Galactica considerably.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 9:48 AM on October 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
Was I the only person that had a wicked crush on her?
Definitely not. The idea of a beautiful woman who would put up with a regular diet of bad jokes from a schlub probably kept me alive during high school.
posted by yerfatma at 9:55 AM on October 27, 2014 [4 favorites]
Definitely not. The idea of a beautiful woman who would put up with a regular diet of bad jokes from a schlub probably kept me alive during high school.
posted by yerfatma at 9:55 AM on October 27, 2014 [4 favorites]
Eh, some of his jokes were funny. The one about the parrot and the butcher still kills me.
posted by jonmc at 9:58 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by jonmc at 9:58 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
Mrs. Kotter, Bailey, Susan Dey--television pretty much programmed my libido for the next 20 years. I had no idea that Ron Palillo or Robert Heyges had passed away. This night I made a Welcome Back Kotter reference when we asked my ten-year-old daughter something while she played with a tablet and she answered "Who?"
In a way, for a brief period, they were my friends growing up.
posted by mecran01 at 10:06 AM on October 27, 2014 [3 favorites]
In a way, for a brief period, they were my friends growing up.
posted by mecran01 at 10:06 AM on October 27, 2014 [3 favorites]
The wife and I are watching the reruns on this all-rerun network called MeTV. We've been watching for the last few months (they air about 5-6 episodes a week) and we're finding that it's a pretty decent show, at least in the first season or so. When we started, it was deep into the final (fourth) season and it was mostly sad to watch. But man, that first season's pretty sharp, if dated.
And yes, Ms Strassman (and her big 70s glasses) will be missed.
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posted by grubi at 10:06 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
And yes, Ms Strassman (and her big 70s glasses) will be missed.
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posted by grubi at 10:06 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
Dang. Too young. I also loved all those women as a child. This thread makes me feel normal. That is a rare feeling.
posted by seasparrow at 10:27 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by seasparrow at 10:27 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
RIP, Mrs. Kotter.
I thought I was the only one that rode the Laurie Partridge/Bailey Quarters/Julie Kotter train. Susan Dey was of course in my teen years but the other two struck a deep chord in me, not just because of their beauty but they often seemed the sanest, smartest people in the room.
posted by Ber at 10:36 AM on October 27, 2014 [5 favorites]
I thought I was the only one that rode the Laurie Partridge/Bailey Quarters/Julie Kotter train. Susan Dey was of course in my teen years but the other two struck a deep chord in me, not just because of their beauty but they often seemed the sanest, smartest people in the room.
posted by Ber at 10:36 AM on October 27, 2014 [5 favorites]
Ron Palillo and Robert Hegyes also died too young, in their early 60s. I hope this isn't a new curse for the others.
posted by Melismata at 10:37 AM on October 27, 2014
posted by Melismata at 10:37 AM on October 27, 2014
Add me to the crush list; thanks to her character, the course of of my heart was set on smart, funny, women of understated beauty for the rest of my life.
posted by KingEdRa at 10:44 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by KingEdRa at 10:44 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
Also, shouldn't Barbara Feldon/Agent 99 be on the Laurie Partridge/Bailey Quarters/Julie Kotter train?
Such lovely ladies, all.
posted by sonascope at 11:05 AM on October 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
Such lovely ladies, all.
posted by sonascope at 11:05 AM on October 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
She also had a minor hit in the 1960s with the song Flower Children. I think she may be credited with popularizing the term, although "flower power" is credited to the manager of the Seeds, Lord Tim Hudson.
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posted by jonp72 at 11:23 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
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posted by jonp72 at 11:23 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
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This leaves Gabe Kaplan, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs and John Travolta as the surviving cast members...
posted by Chuffy at 11:32 AM on October 27, 2014
This leaves Gabe Kaplan, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs and John Travolta as the surviving cast members...
posted by Chuffy at 11:32 AM on October 27, 2014
Also, shouldn't Barbara Feldon/Agent 99 be on the Laurie Partridge/Bailey Quarters/Julie Kotter train?
Lynda Carter...oh my.
posted by Chuffy at 11:33 AM on October 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
Lynda Carter...oh my.
posted by Chuffy at 11:33 AM on October 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
.
nth-ing her position as a childhood role model for qualities I would want in a wife, including tolerance for my odd sense of humor.
jonmc wrote: "The one about the parrot and the butcher still kills me."
I did a bit of searching, and found a reference to a joke that not only was very familiar (warning: slyt - but it happens to be the the WBK theme song, so also appropriate; joke is contained in the second comment) but that I had encountered years before Kotter:
Is this the same Parrot joke?
posted by 1367 at 11:53 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
nth-ing her position as a childhood role model for qualities I would want in a wife, including tolerance for my odd sense of humor.
jonmc wrote: "The one about the parrot and the butcher still kills me."
I did a bit of searching, and found a reference to a joke that not only was very familiar (warning: slyt - but it happens to be the the WBK theme song, so also appropriate; joke is contained in the second comment) but that I had encountered years before Kotter:
Is this the same Parrot joke?
posted by 1367 at 11:53 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
1367 - yeah, that's the one.
posted by jonmc at 11:57 AM on October 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by jonmc at 11:57 AM on October 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
Kotter: Julie, baby, did I ever tell you about my uncle Ben?
Julie: No. Did he make rice?
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posted by NedKoppel at 1:26 PM on October 27, 2014 [3 favorites]
Julie: No. Did he make rice?
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posted by NedKoppel at 1:26 PM on October 27, 2014 [3 favorites]
.
Saw the bad news first on Mark Evanier's blog, where, as a writer on "Kotter", he regrets "I don't have much of... a personal remembrance of this fine lady". Mostly because she was given so little to do on the show.
I have also compared Mrs. Kotter to Bailey Quarters on WKRP, but Jan Smithers did get more opportunity to shine, even in Loni Anderson's semi-literal shadow.
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:45 PM on October 27, 2014
Saw the bad news first on Mark Evanier's blog, where, as a writer on "Kotter", he regrets "I don't have much of... a personal remembrance of this fine lady". Mostly because she was given so little to do on the show.
I have also compared Mrs. Kotter to Bailey Quarters on WKRP, but Jan Smithers did get more opportunity to shine, even in Loni Anderson's semi-literal shadow.
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:45 PM on October 27, 2014
Tenth on the crush list, here. And yes, fuck cancer to hell.
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posted by Kinbote at 3:24 PM on October 27, 2014
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posted by Kinbote at 3:24 PM on October 27, 2014
I was more likely to crush on Debralee "Hotsie Totsie" Scott myself. It seemed like every 1970s boy wanted the babysitter that looked like Debralee Scott. Anyway, it was a great era for brunettes on TV, wasn't it?
posted by jonp72 at 6:15 AM on October 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by jonp72 at 6:15 AM on October 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
There was also Mork's Mindy in the same mold. All of them doing the same, "Oh, you..." thing.
Maybe Diane from Cheers was where the girl would start to punch back a bit.
posted by Trochanter at 6:40 AM on October 28, 2014
Maybe Diane from Cheers was where the girl would start to punch back a bit.
posted by Trochanter at 6:40 AM on October 28, 2014
Eh, some of his jokes were funny.
Don't get me wrong, I liked them, I was just growing to realize not everyone thought Monty Python and Dungeons and Dragons were the best of life.
posted by yerfatma at 11:58 AM on October 28, 2014
Don't get me wrong, I liked them, I was just growing to realize not everyone thought Monty Python and Dungeons and Dragons were the best of life.
posted by yerfatma at 11:58 AM on October 28, 2014
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