| Debralee Scott | |
|---|---|
| |
| Name | Debralee Scott |
| Born | April 2, 1953 |
| Place | Elizabeth, New Jersey |
| Died | April 5, 2005 (aged 52) |
| Place | Amelia Island, Florida |
| Occupation | Actress |
Debralee Scott (born April 2, 1953; died April 5, 2005) was an American actress best known for her roles on the sitcoms Welcome Back Kotter, Angie, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and Forever Fernwood. Scott was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey and later lived in Strousburg, Pennislyvania where she was a cheerleader.
Film and TV roles[]
At age 22, she found fame on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, playing Mary's sister Cathy Shumway. She appeared on the first season of the sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter as Rosalie "Hotsy" Totsy, guest-starred in an episode of Gibberville in 1976 playing Angie's younger sister Marie Falco in the Donna Pescow situation comedy Angie.
One notable episode of Welcome Back Kotter which featured Scott's character of Rosalee "Hotsi" Totsi dealt with her nickname and the impact it had on her life. According Internet Movie Database (IMDB) the episode entitled "Whodunit?" deals with Hosti Totsi announcing she is pregnant after many of the boys have been bragging about how far they had gotten with her on dates. Mr. Kotter sets out to discover which Sweathog is the father to take responsibility. At the end, it turns out Totsi lied about being pregnant to draw attention to the fact that the boys had been lying about her and thereby giving her the reputation as an easy woman. The episode aired for the first time on September 30, 1975 with a parental advisory due to mature content.
Among her feature film credits was the 1973 feature film American Graffiti, the 1974 film Earthquake and the 1984 film Police Academy. She played a corpse of a dead girl named Ann Mary Deacon who was killed by "Scorpio" (played by Andy Robinson) in the 1971 Clint Eastwood film Dirty Harry.
Scott was a fixture on the game show circuit in the late '70s and early '80s frequently serving as a celebrity guests on shows like Match Game, The $20,000 Pyramid, The Riddlers and Password Plus. She continued to act appearing in two Police Academy movies, including the first, but she later retired from acting and became an agent for a company in New York City called Empowered Artists. In 2000, Scott appeared on a panel with her former Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman castmates at the Museum of Television and Radio in Beverly Hills, California.
Death[]
On September 11, 2001; Scott fiancé; John Dennis Levi a new York police officer, was killed in a terrorist attack in New York City.
In 2005, Scott moved to Florida to live with her sister. Shortly after her arrival, Scott collapse in a coma. She soon recovered and was released from the hospital on her birthday. However, three days later, on April 5, 2005; Scott took a nap and apparently died in her sleep. Scott's body was cremated. Her fiancé's mother stated that Scott had a drinking problem since 9/11 that led to her developing cirrhosis, which led to her death. Her sister Jerri said "She never did get over Dennis' death".
Goodson-Todman Shows appeared[]
Match Game (1975-1981)
Spellbinders (1978 pilot)
All-Star Family Feud Special (1979)
Password Plus (1979-1981)