13 Facts About Ron Palillo

Ronald Gabriel Palillo was an American actor and teacher.

Ron Palillo was best known for his role as the endearingly dim-witted character Arnold Horshack on the ABC sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter.

Ron Palillo's father died of lung cancer when he was 10 years old.

Ron Palillo graduated from Cheshire High School and the University of Connecticut at Storrs, where he would teach in the 1990s.

Ron Palillo attended Fairfield University while pursuing a postgraduate degree.

Ron Palillo adopted the last name Palillo for his acting career.

In 1975, Ron Palillo was cast as Arnold Horshack, one of the misfit "sweathogs" in the high school sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, whose antics made him one of the standout characters of the series.

In 1996, Ron Palillo played himself in several episodes of the television sitcom Ellen, playing the love interest of Ellen's friend Audrey.

Ron Palillo spent a year on the daytime show One Life to Live and acted in Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, and the lead in The Curse of Micah Rood.

Ron Palillo was an artist, providing artwork for two children's books: The Red Wings of Christmas and A Gift for the Contessa.

Ron Palillo taught freshman drama at G-Star School of the Arts for Motion Pictures and Broadcasting in Palm Springs, Florida.

Ron Palillo died seven months after co-star Robert Hegyes, who died from a heart attack.

Ron Palillo is buried at St Lawrence Cemetery in West Haven, Connecticut.