Ron Palillo, “Horshack,” Dead at 63

The actor who played Horshack on Welcome Back Kotter has died unexpectedly at the age of 63 after suffering a heart attack.

Ron Palillo‘s longtime partner Joseph Gramm discovered his lifeless body around 4:00am this morning at their Palm Beach, Florida home. Palillo was later pronounced dead at the hospital. In recent days Palillo had developed a bad cough and had a doctor’s appointment scheduled for today. Sadly, he never made it. We hear he was a heavy smoker.

Horsack was always my favorite on Welcome Back Kotter as a kid.

Besides acting, Palillo was also an artist who illustrated two children’s books, taught at the University of Connecticut and G-Star School of the Arts for Motion Pictures and Broadcasting in Florida, and appeared on Broadway numerous times.

RIP, Horshack!