During a spring day in Brooklyn, NY the Kaplan family welcomed their son Gabe into the world. Like any proud parents, soon after his birth they began to fantasize and plot their child's future. In all the parental scheming we doubt the words "professional actor" or "professional poker player" were part of the equation. In fact, these professions were not even part of Gabe's dreams as he grew older. As a youth, the young Kaplan wanted to be hitting home runs instead of winning hands with an unlikely card on the river. Genetics were not in his corner on the baseball dream though, and after failing to qualify for a minor league roster Gabe turned his back on the dream of playing ball and looked for greener pastures.
While working as a bellboy in a New Jersey hotel Kaplan found himself inspired by the touring stand-up comics who occasionally stayed there. He began to put together his own act based on growing up in the city of Brooklyn, and a star was quickly born.
He toured successfully with his comedy act and caught the eye of ABC television producers who created the show Welcome Back Kotter around Gabe's own brand of comedy. This 1975 vehicle for the now 30 year old Kaplan made him a fixture in the annals of television history as teacher Gabe Kotter. This series also launched the career of a young John Travolta, but we can forgive Gabe for this.
When the show ended in 1979, Kaplan pursued (along with other projects) his passion for the game of poker. In 1986 he finished an impressive 8th at the 17th Annual World Series of Poker playing No Limit Deuce to Seven Lowball. Two years later he not only made a WSOP final table, but placed 3rd at the game of 7-Card Stud. More recently he has had an impressive run while playing the game of Hold 'em. He was victorious at the 2003 Sport of Kings, finished in the money at two World Poker Tour events, and was the runner-up at event 28 during the 36th World Series of Poker in 2005.
Gabe Kaplan has managed to reinvent himself as a well respected poker player. This transition has been one of the more astonishing aspects of a long and impressive career.
