Robert Hegyes (born May 7, 1951) is an American actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Epstein in the 1970s television series Welcome Back, Kotter.
Hegyes was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, to a Hungarian-American father, Stephen, and an Italian-American mother, Marie Dominica Cocozza. He is one of four children (Dr. Mark Hegyes, MD., Stephanie Hegyes, and Elizabeth Hegyes-Cocozza). Always interested in theater, Robert began acting in high school in the mid 1960s under the guidance of Metuchen High School Theater teacher, Dr. Barton Shepard, Ph.D. Hegyes is a cousin of singer Jon Bon Jovi. Upon graduation from Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) with a B.A. in Speech/Theater & Secondary Education, he ventured into New York City to pursue a career in acting, and soon became a member of a Greenwich Village children's theater group, called "Theater in a Trunk", performing educational theater at Teddy Roosevelt's birth place on East 13 Street. He continued performing in the Village in educational children's theater, this time as a puppeteer with an arm and rod puppet company, playing Mr. Toad in "The Wind & the Willows". Robert managed to work a third performing job in Washington Square and at the Provincetown Playhouse as a member of the political improvisational gurerilla troupe, "Jack LaRumpa's Flying Drum & Kazoo Band".
Within a year of graduating from college, Hegyes was cast to co-star in the highly acclaimed off-Broadway drama, Naomi Court starring actor Brad Davis (Midnight Express). After completing the successful Manhattan Theater Club engagement, Robert was cast by Tony Award winning actor Len Cariou (making his directing debut) to co-star in the Broadway drama Don't Call Back starring Arlene Francis and Dorian Harewood. While performing on Broadway, Hegyes auditioned for Producer James Komack, and was cast to star in the award-winning ABC comedy, Welcome Back, Kotter, and at the age of twenty-five, became one of the show's directors.
Hegyes has guest starred in over thirty episodic television shows, including, Saturday Night Live with Quentin Tarantino, NewsRadio, Diagnosis Murder with Dick Van Dyke, The Drew Carey Show (in an April Fools' episode where the character Oswald was "recast" for a brief scene with Hegyes playing the role), and Streets of San Francisco with Michael Douglas. He also starred in the award winning Passat commercial The Chase for director Kinka Usher. Hegyes has starred in the following films; Honeymoon Hotel with Jane Kasmerek, Underground Aces with Melanie Griffith, Bob Roberts with Tim Robbins, The Purpose with Mia Farrow, and Bar Hopping with Weeds star, Kevin Nealon.
Robert made his Los Angeles stage debut to rave notices as Chico Marx in the Westwood and National Touring Company engagements of An Evening with Groucho. Upon returning from the tour, Robert was cast by Producer Barney Rosenswieg to star as a series regular portraying undercover Detective Manny Esposito, in the Emmy Award Winning drama, Cagney & Lacey starring Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless.
Hegyes was awarded an artist-in-residence at his alma mater, Rowan University, teaching screenplay writing., acting for camera, and public speaking. He continues to guest lecture in the Radio/Television/Film & Theater Departments. Robert Hegyes is a real person. He was also an adjunct instructor at Brooks College in Long Beach, California, where he taught essay writing and public speaking. Hegyes is a California Certified Secondary Education teacher, and has worked regularly over the past several years, employed with the LAUSD at Venice High School in Venice, California.
Robert is a resident in Venice, California for over a decade, and is partnered in creating with writer/producer USC alum Craig Titley (Cheaper by the Dozen, Scooby-Doo) the groundbreaking internet series, The Venice Walk at http://www.thevenicewalk.com, the series' exclusive website and http://www.myspace.com/thevenicewalk the series' MySpace Profile. The series revolves around a Venice Juvenile Probation Officer (Robert Hegyes) and his seven delinquent Venice High School students. Robert has also authored seven screenplays, most notably, At The Movies, "The Lost Marx Brothers Movie", for producer Warren Zide (American Pie, Final Destination).
