Rarely-Seen Kotter from ‘Welcome Back, Kotter’ Appears Nearly Hairless at 78 — He Left Acting & Has a Daughter

• Rarely-seen Gabe Kaplan, commonly known as Mr. Kotter from "Welcome Back, Kotter," looked nearly hairless as he celebrated his 78th birthday.
• Kaplan left acting and revealed why he "didn't miss performing at all" as he ventured into another profession.
• He also started a family and is now a dad of a beautiful grown-up daughter who fans say is "insanely talented."

Gabe Kaplan is an actor, writer, and poker player who grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He starred in productions such as "Fat Break" and "Lewis & Clark."

Before he gained these titles, Kaplan had a dream of becoming a major league baseball star, which he never pursued as he wasn't athletic enough. He ventured into acting instead, and became well-remembered for playing Mr. Kotter in the sitcom, "Welcome Back, Kotter."

In the series, which premiered on September 9, 1975, the actor played a high school teacher at his former high school. He was in charge of unruly and underachieving remedial students called "Sweathogs."

After the sitcom ended in 1979, Kaplan left acting to focus on financial ventures he had started while still on the show. He confessed that after playing Mr.Kotter, he wanted to put his energy into something else:

"Maybe I just wasn't a show-biz type. I didn't miss performing at all. I had created Kotter, and I didn't want to create another show."

Kaplan's new road led him to become a financial investor, working on commodities, stocks, real estate, options, and getting firms ready to go public. He also became a professional poker player in the 1980s and 1990s.

Kaplan was so successful in poker that he became a champion player. In 1980, he bagged a $10,000 buy-in in Amarillo Slim's Super Bowl of Poker Tournament for $190,000.

In 1990, Kaplan started his poker broadcasting career with a commentary of the World Series Poker at ESPN. In 2005, the actor finished 3rd in the World Poker Tour Event at the Mirage in Las Vegas. He also finished 2nd in 2005 at the WSOP $5000 Limit Hold 'Em Event.

After his successes on the poker table, Kaplan retired from both playing and broadcasting. He said he had enjoyed sixteen years broadcasting at High Stakes Poker and was ready to hold on to the memories:

"I had a blast doing High Stakes Poker, but the time has come for me to hang it up and empty my locker."

Kaplan, who is now 78, started a family after the show and has a grown-up daughter. He was recently spotted looking different from his younger days.

How Does Kotter Look Like Now?

Kaplan turned 78 on March 31, 2023. That day, a fan shared the actor's picture on Facebook and captioned it, "I'm wishing the talented and funny Gabe Kaplan a very happy birthday today. He is the best!"

Kaplan, who held his daughter closely, was in a soft white cardigan and khaki trousers.

The photo showed just how much the actor had changed over the years since he played Mr. Kotter. Unlike his TV character, who had thick black hair, Kaplan now looks nearly hairless.

However, Kaplan and his friend were all smiles in the photo. The actor was dressed in a purple polo shirt and light gray trousers, while his friend was in a matching light gray polo shirt and dark gray trousers.

Back in 2018, the actor also shared a picture with a friend on his Twitter account where he was also noticeably nearly hairless, with the front of his head bald.

In the photo where Kaplan revealed they were "discussing the rematch," the friends wore smiles on their faces and donned matching polo shirts, albeit of different colors and designs. Kaplan was in a purple polo shirt and light gray trousers, while his friend was in a green polo shirt with light gray stripes and dark gray trousers.

Kaplan, who is now in his retirement period, had a net worth of $30 million as of 2014. The actor gained his income from being a professional poker player and poker commentator as well as from his financial investments. Despite his huge returns, the actor's pride lies in his lookalike daughter.

Who Is Gabe Kaplan’s Daughter?

Kaplan has one daughter, Rachel Kaplan, born in 1990. The actor has kept information about her mother private. He has also never revealed if he is a married man.

Rachel is a singer and looks just like her dad, even inheriting his father's prominent nose. They were once photographed together at a screening of the comedy film "Grand" in Las Vegas, Nevada, and they looked alike down to their bright smiles and cheekbones.

Kaplan, who held his daughter closely, was in a soft white cardigan and khaki trousers. Rachel also looked gorgeous in khaki pants and a green chiffon blouse.

The two seem to enjoy each other's company. Kaplan once tweeted about dining with Rachel at a New York restaurant and sharing a table with the legendary actor Paul Sorvino.

Rachel is also talented in her craft, as his father was. The singer, who plays guitar, shares her music on her TikTok account, where her fans commend her work and leave positive comments about her voice.

In one post of Rachel singing while playing her guitar, fans were awed by her voice. One said her "voice is so rich," while another noted it was "so beautiful." "Omg you are insanely talented!!!" a fan also said in awe.

When Rachel shared another TikTok playing a song called "In Dreams," fans were also touched by her performance. One thought it was "Very good," while another person said, "You sound really good, keep going girl…."

Fans who loved Rachel's performances even promised to follow and share her content so she could get more visibility.

Kaplan has succeeded in parenting as well as his career. His daughter Rachel is a highly talented singer. The actor, who said he is done with showbiz, may make a comeback to the screens as he is said to be working with the original creator of "Welcome Back, Kotter" to develop a new movie musical.

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