Actor Ron Palillo, who played class joker Arnold Horshack in the 1970s TV comedy series Welcome Back, Kotter, has died at the age of 63.

Palillo's agent, Jackie Stander, said that the actor died in Palm Beach, Florida.

Celebrity news website TMZ.com reported that Palillo died of an apparent heart attack at his home.

Palillo, whose character was known for the catch-phrase "Ooh-ooh-ooooh!" and his nervous hyena type laugh, played Horshack for four years in the 1975-79 comedy, which also starred John Travolta as Vinnie Barbarino.

The show captured the antics of an unruly group of remedial high school students and their wise-cracking teacher, Gabe Kotter, played by comedian Gabe Kaplan.

Palillo went on to play numerous supporting roles in TV series, including Ellen, and doing voiceover work as Sergeant Squealy in the 1980s animated series Laverne & Shirley.

In the 1990s, he went to New York and took lead roles in plays and musicals like Amadeus, Guys and Dolls and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Reuters

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