<P> Within a year of graduating from college, Hegyes was cast to co-star in the highly acclaimed Off Broadway drama, Naomi Court, starring actor Brad Davis (Midnight Express). After completing the successful Manhattan Theater Club engagement, Hegyes was cast by Tony Award - winning actor Len Cariou (making his directing debut) to co-star in the Broadway drama, Don't Call Back, starring Arlene Francis and Dorian Harewood . While performing on Broadway, Hegyes auditioned for television producer James Komack and was cast to star in what was to become the award - winning ABC comedy, Welcome Back, Kotter . Hegyes portrayed the character of Juan Luis Pedro Felipo de Huevos Epstein (typically referred to as simply "Epstein"). The show lasted four seasons, from 1975 to 1979 . Hegyes became one of the show's directors at age 25 . </P> <P> While on the show, he was the key force of the winning tug - of - war team on the 1976 edition of Battle of the Network Stars . </P> <P> Hegyes guest starred in more than thirty television shows, including Saturday Night Live with Quentin Tarantino, NewsRadio, Diagnosis: Murder with Dick Van Dyke, The Drew Carey Show (in an April Fools' Day episode where the character Oswald was recast for a brief scene with Hegyes playing the role) and The Streets of San Francisco with Michael Douglas . He also appeared in the award - winning Volkswagen Passat commercial "The Chase" for director Kinka Usher . Hegyes appeared in Honeymoon Hotel with Jane Kaczmarek, Underground Aces with Melanie Griffith and Dirk Benedict, Bob Roberts with Tim Robbins, The Purpose with Mia Farrow, and Bar Hopping with Kevin Nealon . </P> <P> Hegyes made his Los Angeles stage debut as "Chico Marx" in the Westwood and national touring company engagements of An Evening with Groucho . Upon returning from the tour, Hegyes was cast by producer Barney Rosenzweig to star as a series regular portraying undercover detective "Manny Esposito" in Cagney & Lacey . During this time he also appeared on the game show Pyramid from time to time . </P>

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