‘Welcome Back, Kotter’ star Gabe Kaplan left successful acting career for the world of high stakes poker (2024)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Gabe Kaplan is undoubtedly one of the most acclaimed actors in showbiz, who carved a niche for himself in his short-lived yet glorious career. With movies like 'Fat Break' and 'Lewis & Clark', Kaplan took his career to new heights and left his admirers with unforgettable performances. He played the eponymous teacher in the 1970s sitcom ‘Welcome Back, Kotter’ before leaving acting to become a professional poker champion.

As a child, Kaplan always dreamed of being a Major League Baseball player but he failed to make it onto a minor league team's roster. He then began working as a bellman at a New Jersey hotel, where many comedians performed during their tours. Those performances inspired Kaplan to pursue a career as a stand-up comedian. In 1964, Gabe practiced his stand-up act in dufferent venues including the Cafe Tel Aviv on 250 West 72nd Street in New York City. Success with his humor led Kaplan to tour the nation doing an act based on his Brooklyn upbringing.

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As a successful comedian, Kaplan made several appearances on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson’ from May 1973 to December 1974. He then recorded a number of comedy albums before steering his career toward acting. The actor earned his first break in 1975 when he started portraying the role of Mr Kotter in the ground-breaking sitcom 'Welcome Back, Kotter', according to Amomama. The series ran from 1975 to 1979, and Kaplan bought a home in Palm Springs, California with his earnings.

Gabe Kaplan’s Success in the World of Poker

After the end of 'Welcome Back, Kotter', Kaplan left acting to focus on financial ventures he had started while still on the show. He previously acknowledged that he wanted to focus his attention on something else after portraying Mr Kotter. "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,” he said as per Los Angeles Times. In addition to being a financial investor, Kaplan's new path led him to the worlds of poker and finance during the 1980s and 1990s when he worked on stocks, options, real estate, and getting businesses ready to go public, among other things.

In no time, Kalpan’s success in the poker world made him an undisputed champion, who won Amarillo Slim's Super Bowl of Poker Tournament in 1980. In 1990, the actor made another turn and began his poker broadcasting career by providing analysis for the World Series of Poker on ESPN. After conquering many milestones in his poker career, Kaplan recently retired from playing poker and broadcasting. He claimed he had loved his sixteen years of High Stakes Poker broadcasting and is now prepared to cherish those memories. "I had a blast doing High Stakes Poker, but the time has come for me to hang it up and empty my locker,” he told World Poker Tour.

Where is Gabe Kaplan now?

After the sitcom, Kaplan began a family and is now a proud father of a gorgeous daughter Rachel Kaplan, who was born in 1990. The star has kept her mother's identity a secret. Living a peaceful life, Kaplan was seen looking just unrecognizable in an adorable picture that his fan shared on the occasion of his 78th birthday. In contrast to his TV role who had thick black hair, Kaplan looked nearly bald in the latest pictures.

In 2018, the actor treated his fans by sharing a photo of himself and a pal on Twitter. The picture captured Kaplan and his friend wearing smiles on their faces and donning matching polo shirts, albeit of different colors and designs. The 'Fat Break' actor, who is currently retired, had a $30 million net worth as of 2014, according to the Richest. Most of the actor's income came from his work as a poker pundit and professional player. Despite his huge finances, the actor's pride lies in his lookalike daughter.

Who is Gabe Kaplan’s daughter?

Kaplan is a proud father to his daughter Rachel Kaplan, who is a famed singer on social media. The father-daughter duo were once photographed together at a screening of the comedy film 'Grand' in Las Vegas, Nevada. Despite her father’s huge success, Rachel loves to stay out of the spotlight. However, she is often seen sharing her singing videos on TikTok. In one of her recent videos, she was seen flaunting her guitar skills while singing ‘So This is Love’. Her followers were left touched by the performance. One fan said her "voice is so rich," while another noted that the singer's "voice is so beautiful.