Robert Hegyes

Robert Hegyes
Robert Hegyes in October 2008
Born	(1951-05-07)May 7, 1951 Perth Amboy, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	January 26, 2012(2012-01-26) (aged 60) Edison, New Jersey, U.S.
Cause of death	Heart attack
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1975–2012

Robert Hegyes (pronounced Hedges; May 7, 1951 – January 26, 2012) was an American actor best known for his portrayal of high school student Juan Epstein on the 1970s American sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter and as detective Manny Esposito on the 1980s American crime drama Cagney & Lacey.

Early life

Hegyes was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, to a Hungarian-American father, Stephen, and an Italian-American mother, Marie Dominica Cocozza. Hegyes was the oldest and had three siblings (Mark, Stephanie, and Elizabeth).

He grew up in Metuchen, New Jersey, and began acting in high school in the mid-1960s under the guidance of Metuchen High School theater teacher, Barton Shepard. Upon graduation from Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) where he completed his student teaching requirement at Haddon Township High School, with a B.A. in Speech/Theater and Secondary Education, Hegyes ventured to 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 U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt's birthplace, on East 20th Street. Hegyes 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 in the Willows. Robert managed to work a third performing job in Washington Square Park and at the Provincetown Playhouse as a member of the political improvisational guerrilla troupe, "Jack LaRumpa's Flying Drum & Kazoo Band."

Career

Hegyes in Welcome Back, Kotter, 1976

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, Hegyes 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 television producer James Komack and was cast to star in what was to become the award-winning ABC comedy, Welcome Back, Kotter. Hegyes portrayed the character of Juan Luis Pedro Felipo de Huevos Epstein (typically referred to as simply "Epstein"). The show lasted four seasons, from 1975 to 1979. Hegyes became one of the show's directors at age 25.

While on the show, he was the key force of the winning tug-of-war team on the 1976 edition of Battle of the Network Stars.

Hegyes guest starred in more than thirty television shows, including Saturday Night Live with Quentin Tarantino, NewsRadio, Diagnosis: Murder with Dick Van Dyke, The Drew Carey Show (in an April Fools' Day episode where the character Oswald was recast for a brief scene with Hegyes playing the role) and The Streets of San Francisco with Michael Douglas. He also appeared in the award-winning Volkswagen Passat commercial "The Chase" for director Kinka Usher. Hegyes appeared in Honeymoon Hotel with Jane Kaczmarek, Underground Aces with Melanie Griffith and Dirk Benedict, Bob Roberts with Tim Robbins, The Purpose with Mia Farrow, and Bar Hopping with Kevin Nealon.

Hegyes made his Los Angeles stage debut as "Chico Marx" in the Westwood and national touring company engagements of An Evening with Groucho. Upon returning from the tour, Hegyes was cast by producer Barney Rosenswieg to star as a series regular portraying undercover detective "Manny Esposito" in Cagney & Lacey. During this time he also appeared on the game show Pyramid from time to time.

Hegyes became "Artist-In-Residence" at his alma mater, Rowan University, teaching screenplay writing, acting for camera and public speaking, and was a guest lecturer in the Radio/Television/Film & Theater Departments. He was an adjunct instructor at Brooks College in Long Beach, California, where he taught essay writing and public speaking. Hegyes was a California Certified Secondary Education teacher, but had worked infrequently in recent years.

Having returned to live in his home town of Metuchen, New Jersey in 2009, Hegyes made his last public appearance in early January, 2012, reprising his "An Evening With Groucho" role as Chico Marx, this time in three performances of "The Marx Brothers: Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel," a staged radio play re-creating several episodes of the early-1930s broadcasts.

Personal life

Hegyes was married to Mary Kunes (1973–1977) having no children. He was married to Lynn O'Hare (1987–1993) having two children, Cassondra (Cassie) (born 1987) and Mac (born 1991). Hegyes was with Cynthia Wylie (1994–2007) having raised four children together: his two children from his third marriage as well as Alex (born 1988) and Sophia (born 1991)

Death

On January 26, 2012, after suffering from chest pains at his Metuchen, New Jersey, home, Hegyes died from an apparent heart attack at John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey. He was 60 years old. He was the cousin of rock singer Jon Bon Jovi.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref
1981	Underground Aces	Tico	Directed by Robert Butler

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref
1975–79	Welcome Back, Kotter	Juan Luis Pedro Phillipo de Huevos Epstein	Contract role
1975	The Streets of San Francisco	Richard "Richie" Martino	Episode: "School of Fear" (S 4:Ep 5)
1976	Tattletales	Himself	Episode: "March 15, 1976" (S 3:Ep 29)
	Match Game '76	Himself	Episode: "MG76-31" (S 4:Ep 31)
	Cos	Himself	Episode: "Night Club/Bay City Rollers" (S 1:Ep 5)
	The $20,000 Pyramid	Himself	Episodes: "Rita Moreno & Robert Hegyes" (S 4:Ep 39–44) "Anita Gillette & Robert Hegyes" S 4:Ep 50–55)
1977	The Brady Bunch Hour	Himself	Episode: "Episode 6" (S 1:Ep 7)
	The $20,000 Pyramid	Himself	Episodes: "Kate Jackson & Robert Hegyes" (S 5:Ep 39–44) "Loretta Swit & Robert Hegyes" (S 5:Ep 48–53)
	The Love Boat	Danny	Episode: "The Joker is Mild/First Time Out/Take My Granddaughter, Please: (S 1:Ep 6)
1978	Chico and the Man	Zoltan	Episode: "Raul Runs Away, part 2" (S 4:Ep 14)
1981	Lewis & Clark	Georgie	Episode: "The Uptight End" (S 1:Ep 5)
1983	CHiPs	Sweets	Episode: "Fox Trap" {S 6:Ep 16)
1986–88	Cagney & Lacey	Detective Manny Esposito	Contract role
1988	The $25,000 Pyramid	Himself	Episode: "Anne-Marie Johnson & Robert Hegyes"
1997	Mr. Rhodes	Juan Luis Pedro Phillipo de Huevos Epstein	Episode: "The Welcome Back Show" (S 1:Ep15)
1998	The Drew Carey Show	Himself	Episode: "What's Wrong with This Episode?" (S 3:Ep 22)
	Diagnosis Murder	Mr. Wolf	Episode: "Murder x 4" (S 6"Ep 10)
1999	L.A. Heat	Joe Goldfield	Episode: "Rap Sheet" (S 1:Ep 10)
2001	Black Scorpion	Speedbump	Epispde: "Home Sweet Homeless" (S 1:Ep 4)
2004	Living in TV Land	Himself	Episode: "Dick Van Patten" (S 1:Ep 1)
2007	TV Land Confidential	Himself	Episode: "Oddballs and Original Characters" (S 2:Ep 1)
	The Singing Bee	Himself	Episode: "Episode 117" (S 1:Ep 17)

External links

• Robert Hegyes at IMDb