Mr. Kotter!

In late 1975, inspired by both the new show WELCOME BACK, KOTTER, and a TV Guide cover illo, here is my attempt to draw comedian Gabe Kaplan.

I don't think I had ever tried caricature before, despite being exposed to it in MAD magazine and such, but I was very taken by that particular Guide cover, and tried to copy it. I was most interested in HOW the artist capture the things that "said" Horshack, Kotter, etc...All those facial traits and body language....

I seem to have paid a great deal of attention to the eyes, hairline, eyebrows....curls for the hair texture....

You can see my failed attempts to capture the likeness of Arnold Horshack to the left of the drawing...Looks oddly like an aged Fonzie...

A few years back, I read a wonderfully funny book by Kaplan, KOTTER'S BACK, which details his oddball prank letters to firms and establishments that take hi absolutely seriously. Great fun.