Gabe Kaplan
Encyclopedia
Gabriel W. "Gabe" Kaplan (born March 31, 1945) is an American
comedian
, actor
, poker commentator, and professional poker
player.
He was born in Brooklyn, New York
. He is best known for his role as Gabriel "Gabe" Kotter in the 1970s sitcom, Welcome Back, Kotter
, but he has become more visible in recent years in relation to the popularity of poker, especially the "No-Limit Texas Hold-'Em"
type, particularly as co-host and joint commentator, with A.J. Benza
, on previous seasons of High Stakes Poker
on GSN. Kaplan was replaced by fellow comedian and celebrity poker player Norm Macdonald
for the show's seventh season.
player. However, he was unable to make the roster of a minor league team and decided to pursue other interests. He began working as a bellman
at a hotel in Lakewood, New Jersey
. Touring comedians would sometimes perform at the hotel, and Kaplan began to work toward his own career as a stand-up comedian.
Kaplan's comedy was successful, and he toured the country with his act based on his childhood experiences in Brooklyn. He appeared five times on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
from May 1973 to December 1974. During this period he also recorded the comedy album Holes and Mello-Rolls, which included long routines about his high-school days, among other topics; the sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter
, whose central characters he helped Eric Cohen and Alan Sacks create and whose core format he helped them to develop, was in part based on his comedy act. In the sitcom, Kaplan played Gabe Kotter, who returns as a teacher to the dysfunctional high school where he had himself been a student. The series ran from 1975 to 1979.
From 1976-1978, Kaplan served as team captain for ABC in the "Battle of the Network Stars
". In 1976, as ABC team captain, Kaplan out-sprinted a disgruntled Robert Conrad
in a show-down to determine the final winner. Kaplan passed Conrad with a strong sprint to the finish line, giving ABC television network the win with 175 points.
After Welcome Back, Kotter
, Kaplan continued with his stand-up act and was in several movies including a starring role in Fast Break
in 1979, and portrayed comic Groucho Marx
in a one-man show. In 1981, he starred in the TV series Lewis & Clark
, which ran for one season, and served as team captain for NBC in the "Battle of the Network Stars
" in that year.
in 1978. In 1980, Kaplan was considered one of poker's elite as he won Amarillo Slim
's Super Bowl of Poker
(SBOP) Main event and was presented with "a loving cup that was so enormous it made the gaudy gold bracelets given to the winners at the World Series of Poker look understated." Over the next five years his reputation was solidified as he made the final table at the Super Bowl's Main Event two more times and finished in sixth place at the WSOP Main Event in 1980. He made numerous other SBOP and WSOP final tables.
In July 2004, he finished third in a World Poker Tour
no-limit Texas hold 'em
event, earning more than $250,000. He also finished second in the $5000 2005 World Series of Poker
Limit Hold 'Em event, winning $222,515. Kaplan was joint TV commentator for the 1997 and 2002 WSOP
events. In 2007, Kaplan won on NBC
's Poker After Dark
in the episode "Queens and Kings" after defeating Kristy Gazes
heads-up and outlasting Howard Lederer
, Ali Nejad
, Vanessa Rousso
and Annie Duke
.
In the 2007 World Series of Poker
Kaplan finished in 9th place in the $50,000 World Championship H.O.R.S.E event winning $131,424; Freddy Deeb
eventually won the event after defeating Bruno Fitoussi
in heads-up play.
As of 2009, Kaplan's total live tournament winnings exceeded $1,300,000. His 9 cashes at the WSOP account for $497,659 of those winnings.
Kaplan won again on Poker After Dark
during "Cowboys" week that first aired in February 2008 against Chris Ferguson
, Andy Bloch
, Chau Giang
, Hoyt Corkins
and Doyle Brunson
.
Gabe Kaplan's "Poker After Dark
" win in the first week of the 2010 Season, "Commentators III" week, marked the greatest comeback in the show's history.
. He still plays poker frequently and became a commentator for poker events and televised poker shows, most recently the National Heads-Up Poker Championship
, in 2005 and 2006, on NBC
, High Stakes Poker
, on GSN, and the Intercontinental Poker Championship
.
In 2007, he appeared in Zak Penn
's improvisational comedy, The Grand
, as, "Seth Schwartzman," father of brother and sister poker players.
In January 2011, GSN announced that Norm Macdonald
would replace Kaplan as host of High Stakes Poker
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, poker commentator, and professional poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
player.
He was born in Brooklyn, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He is best known for his role as Gabriel "Gabe" Kotter in the 1970s sitcom, Welcome Back, Kotter
Welcome Back, Kotter
Welcome Back, Kotter was an American television sitcom starring Gabe Kaplan and featuring a young John Travolta.It originally aired on the ABC network from September 9, 1975 to June 8, 1979.-Premise:...
, but he has become more visible in recent years in relation to the popularity of poker, especially the "No-Limit Texas Hold-'Em"
Texas hold 'em
Texas Hold 'em is a variation of the standard card game of poker. The game consists of two cards being dealt face down to each player and then five community cards being placed face-up by the dealer—a series of three then two additional single cards , with...
type, particularly as co-host and joint commentator, with A.J. Benza
A. J. Benza
Alfred Joseph “A.J.” Benza is a gossip columnist and television host. He was born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York City, though he moved with his family to West Islip, New York on Long Island shortly after his birth. He has two sisters, Rosalie and Lorraine.He is married to his second wife,...
, on previous seasons of High Stakes Poker
High Stakes Poker
High Stakes Poker is a cash game poker television program broadcast by the cable television network GSN in the United States. The poker variant played on the show is no limit Texas hold 'em. It premiered on January 16, 2006 and ended on December 17, 2007 and it returns back on March 1, 2009 and is...
on GSN. Kaplan was replaced by fellow comedian and celebrity poker player Norm Macdonald
Norm MacDonald
Norman Gene "Norm" Macdonald is a Canadian stand-up comedian, writer and actor. He is best known for his five seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, which included anchoring Weekend Update for three years...
for the show's seventh season.
Acting career
As a boy, Kaplan had aspirations of being a Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player. However, he was unable to make the roster of a minor league team and decided to pursue other interests. He began working as a bellman
Bellman
Bellman is an alternative term for a bellhop. It may also refer to:People named Bellman* Carl Michael Bellman, Swedish poet and composer* Eric Bellman, psychotherapist* Gina Bellman, New Zealand/English actress...
at a hotel in Lakewood, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Touring comedians would sometimes perform at the hotel, and Kaplan began to work toward his own career as a stand-up comedian.
Kaplan's comedy was successful, and he toured the country with his act based on his childhood experiences in Brooklyn. He appeared five times on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night....
from May 1973 to December 1974. During this period he also recorded the comedy album Holes and Mello-Rolls, which included long routines about his high-school days, among other topics; the sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter
Welcome Back, Kotter
Welcome Back, Kotter was an American television sitcom starring Gabe Kaplan and featuring a young John Travolta.It originally aired on the ABC network from September 9, 1975 to June 8, 1979.-Premise:...
, whose central characters he helped Eric Cohen and Alan Sacks create and whose core format he helped them to develop, was in part based on his comedy act. In the sitcom, Kaplan played Gabe Kotter, who returns as a teacher to the dysfunctional high school where he had himself been a student. The series ran from 1975 to 1979.
From 1976-1978, Kaplan served as team captain for ABC in the "Battle of the Network Stars
Battle of the Network Stars
Battle of the Network Stars is the name of 19 US television specials featuring competitions among teams of popular television performers representing the three major broadcast networks at that time: ABC, CBS, and NBC.- History :...
". In 1976, as ABC team captain, Kaplan out-sprinted a disgruntled Robert Conrad
Robert Conrad
Robert Conrad is an American actor. He is best known for his role in the 1965 CBS television series The Wild Wild West, in which he played the sophisticated Secret Service agent James T. West, and his portrayal of World War II ace Pappy Boyington in the television series Baa Baa Black Sheep...
in a show-down to determine the final winner. Kaplan passed Conrad with a strong sprint to the finish line, giving ABC television network the win with 175 points.
After Welcome Back, Kotter
Welcome Back, Kotter
Welcome Back, Kotter was an American television sitcom starring Gabe Kaplan and featuring a young John Travolta.It originally aired on the ABC network from September 9, 1975 to June 8, 1979.-Premise:...
, Kaplan continued with his stand-up act and was in several movies including a starring role in Fast Break
Fast Break (film)
Fast Break is a 1979 American comedy film. Fast Break stars Gabe Kaplan as David Greene, Harold Sylvester as D.C. and Bernard King as Hustler. It was directed by Jack Smight and produced by Stephen Friedman...
in 1979, and portrayed comic Groucho Marx
Groucho Marx
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx was an American comedian and film star famed as a master of wit. His rapid-fire delivery of innuendo-laden patter earned him many admirers. He made 13 feature films with his siblings the Marx Brothers, of whom he was the third-born...
in a one-man show. In 1981, he starred in the TV series Lewis & Clark
Lewis & Clark (TV series)
Lewis & Clark was a short-lived situation comedy that ran on NBC for one season from October 29, 1981 to July 30, 1982.-Plot:For a naive New Yorker, Stewart Lewis has a strange—some would say twisted—ambition: he wants to own a country-music club. His wife and kids hate the idea...
, which ran for one season, and served as team captain for NBC in the "Battle of the Network Stars
Battle of the Network Stars
Battle of the Network Stars is the name of 19 US television specials featuring competitions among teams of popular television performers representing the three major broadcast networks at that time: ABC, CBS, and NBC.- History :...
" in that year.
Poker
Kaplan became involved in financial markets and poker during his acting career. He made his first appearance at the World Series of PokerWorld Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
in 1978. In 1980, Kaplan was considered one of poker's elite as he won Amarillo Slim
Amarillo Slim
Thomas Austin Preston, Jr. , known as Amarillo Slim, is an American professional gambler known for his poker skills and proposition bets...
's Super Bowl of Poker
Super Bowl of Poker
The Super Bowl of Poker was the second most prestigious poker tournament in the world during the 1980s...
(SBOP) Main event and was presented with "a loving cup that was so enormous it made the gaudy gold bracelets given to the winners at the World Series of Poker look understated." Over the next five years his reputation was solidified as he made the final table at the Super Bowl's Main Event two more times and finished in sixth place at the WSOP Main Event in 1980. He made numerous other SBOP and WSOP final tables.
In July 2004, he finished third in a World Poker Tour
World Poker Tour
The World Poker Tour is a series of international poker tournaments and associated television series broadcasting the final table of each tournament. It was started in the United States by attorney/television producer Steven Lipscomb, who served as CEO of WPT Enterprises , the firm that...
no-limit Texas hold 'em
Texas hold 'em
Texas Hold 'em is a variation of the standard card game of poker. The game consists of two cards being dealt face down to each player and then five community cards being placed face-up by the dealer—a series of three then two additional single cards , with...
event, earning more than $250,000. He also finished second in the $5000 2005 World Series of Poker
World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
Limit Hold 'Em event, winning $222,515. Kaplan was joint TV commentator for the 1997 and 2002 WSOP
World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
events. In 2007, Kaplan won on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Poker After Dark
Poker After Dark
Poker After Dark was an hour-long poker television program on NBC. The show made its debut on January 1, 2007, and was cancelled as another victim of the "Black Friday" criminal case due to the show's sponsorship by Full Tilt Poker, one of that case's defendants. on September 23, 2011 For its first...
in the episode "Queens and Kings" after defeating Kristy Gazes
Kristy Gazes
Kristy Gazes is a professional poker player originally from California.Gazes has been playing poker since 1986. She made a living for years as a high stakes cash game player in Los Angeles, California....
heads-up and outlasting Howard Lederer
Howard Lederer
Howard Henry Lederer is an American professional poker player and brother of poker professional Annie Duke, and author and poet Katy Lederer. On September 20, 2011, the U.S...
, Ali Nejad
Ali Nejad
Ali "Oliver" Nejad is an Iranian-American television poker commentator, who is best known as the off-screen announcer on NBC's Poker After Dark and the National Heads-Up Poker Championship...
, Vanessa Rousso
Vanessa Rousso
Vanessa Ashley Rousso is a French American law student at the University of Miami and a professional poker player. She is also known by her Pokerstars online screen name Lady Maverick. Born in , Rousso has dual citizenships with the United States and France. Rousso is a member of Team PokerStars,...
and Annie Duke
Annie Duke
Annie Duke is a professional poker player and author who won a bracelet in the 2004 World Series of Poker $2,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Event and was the winner of the 2004 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions, where she earned the Winner-Take-All prize of $2,000,000...
.
In the 2007 World Series of Poker
2007 World Series of Poker
The 2007 World Series of Poker began on June 1, 2007. The $10,000 no-limit Texas hold 'em Main Event began on July 6 and was completed on the morning of July 18...
Kaplan finished in 9th place in the $50,000 World Championship H.O.R.S.E event winning $131,424; Freddy Deeb
Freddy Deeb
Kassem Ibrahim "Freddy" Deeb is a professional poker player who emigrated from Lebanon to the United States at the age of 19.-Before poker:...
eventually won the event after defeating Bruno Fitoussi
Bruno Fitoussi
Bruno Fitoussi is a French professional poker player from Paris.Fitoussi's first televised poker outing was on the original poker show Late Night Poker...
in heads-up play.
As of 2009, Kaplan's total live tournament winnings exceeded $1,300,000. His 9 cashes at the WSOP account for $497,659 of those winnings.
Kaplan won again on Poker After Dark
Poker After Dark
Poker After Dark was an hour-long poker television program on NBC. The show made its debut on January 1, 2007, and was cancelled as another victim of the "Black Friday" criminal case due to the show's sponsorship by Full Tilt Poker, one of that case's defendants. on September 23, 2011 For its first...
during "Cowboys" week that first aired in February 2008 against Chris Ferguson
Chris Ferguson
Christopher Philip Ferguson is an American professional poker player. He has won five World Series of Poker events, including the 2000 WSOP Main Event, and the 2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship. On September 20, 2011, the U.S...
, Andy Bloch
Andy Bloch
Andrew Elliot Bloch is a professional poker player. He holds two electrical engineering degrees from MIT and a JD from Harvard Law School.-Poker:...
, Chau Giang
Chau Giang
Chau Tu Giang is an American professional poker player of Chinese descent, who is a three time World Series of Poker bracelet winner and a three time final tablist of the World Poker Tour with over $3 million in live tournament winnings alone.- Biography :Giang fled Vietnam in a small boat in the...
, Hoyt Corkins
Hoyt Corkins
Hoyt Bricken Corkins is an American professional poker player.He also has three children in Chelsei Corkins, Brittney Corkins, and Ashley Roundtre...
and Doyle Brunson
Doyle Brunson
Doyle F. Brunson is an American professional poker player who has played professionally for over 50 years. He is the first two-time World Series of Poker main event champion to win consecutively, a Poker Hall of Fame inductee, and the author of several books on poker.Brunson is the first player to...
.
Gabe Kaplan's "Poker After Dark
Poker After Dark
Poker After Dark was an hour-long poker television program on NBC. The show made its debut on January 1, 2007, and was cancelled as another victim of the "Black Friday" criminal case due to the show's sponsorship by Full Tilt Poker, one of that case's defendants. on September 23, 2011 For its first...
" win in the first week of the 2010 Season, "Commentators III" week, marked the greatest comeback in the show's history.
Current activities
Kaplan has resumed performing stand-up comedy and is also working on adaptations of Welcome Back, KotterWelcome Back, Kotter
Welcome Back, Kotter was an American television sitcom starring Gabe Kaplan and featuring a young John Travolta.It originally aired on the ABC network from September 9, 1975 to June 8, 1979.-Premise:...
. He still plays poker frequently and became a commentator for poker events and televised poker shows, most recently the National Heads-Up Poker Championship
National Heads-Up Poker Championship
-2006:- 2007 :-2008:In additional to the poker professionals, several poker-playing celebrities from other fields were invited: Gabe Kaplan, Don Cheadle, Jennifer Tilly, Shannon Elizabeth, Jason Alexander and Orel Hershiser. Also invited was Alisha Kunze of Greensburg, Indiana, who won her seat...
, in 2005 and 2006, on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, High Stakes Poker
High Stakes Poker
High Stakes Poker is a cash game poker television program broadcast by the cable television network GSN in the United States. The poker variant played on the show is no limit Texas hold 'em. It premiered on January 16, 2006 and ended on December 17, 2007 and it returns back on March 1, 2009 and is...
, on GSN, and the Intercontinental Poker Championship
Intercontinental Poker Championship
The Intercontinental Poker Championship is a poker tournament featuring professional poker players representing various nations. 21 players competed in the inaugural event, which was taped at Palms Hotel and Casino April 14-16, 2006, and aired on CBS for seven weeks beginning June 17, 2006...
.
In 2007, he appeared in Zak Penn
Zak Penn
Zak Penn is an American screenwriter and director. Penn wrote and directed Incident at Loch Ness, The Grand, and co-wrote the script for X-Men: The Last Stand. With Michael Karnow, Penn is the co-creator of Alphas.-Early life:...
's improvisational comedy, The Grand
The Grand (film)
The Grand is an improv comedy film directed by Zak Penn. The film has an ensemble cast including Ray Romano, Woody Harrelson, Chris Parnell, Werner Herzog, Jason Alexander, Dennis Farina, David Cross, Gabe Kaplan, Michael Karnow and Cheryl Hines along with several real Las Vegas poker...
, as, "Seth Schwartzman," father of brother and sister poker players.
In January 2011, GSN announced that Norm Macdonald
Norm MacDonald
Norman Gene "Norm" Macdonald is a Canadian stand-up comedian, writer and actor. He is best known for his five seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, which included anchoring Weekend Update for three years...
would replace Kaplan as host of High Stakes Poker
High Stakes Poker
High Stakes Poker is a cash game poker television program broadcast by the cable television network GSN in the United States. The poker variant played on the show is no limit Texas hold 'em. It premiered on January 16, 2006 and ended on December 17, 2007 and it returns back on March 1, 2009 and is...
.