Actor, comedian, commentator, financial investor and professional poker player are just a few of the accomplishments Gabe Kaplan has to his credit. Best known for his leading role in the 1970's TV sitcom Welcome Back Kotter, which he created, Kaplan has long had a love for the game of poker.

Born in 1945 in Brooklyn, New York, Gabe grew up with dreams of playing Major League Baseball. He got as far as being invited to spring training camp with the San Francisco Giants, but it wasn't long before he decided that a career in baseball was not for him.

Working as a bellboy at a hotel in nearby Lakewood, New Jersey was the first exposure Gabe got to show business. The stand-up comedy acts performing at the resort inspired Kaplan to work on his own material, which drew heavily on his childhood in Brooklyn. He took his act on the road and played to audiences in clubs and bars across the U.S.

Gabe got his big break when he was invited to perform on The Tonight Show. Not long after this he developed parts of his act into what would later become the successful sitcom Welcome Back Kotter, which was broadcast on ABC between 1975 and 1979. Not content as just a TV star, after the sitcom was finished Gabe graduated to work in both film and theater. He starred in three feature films; Fast Break, Tulips and Nobody's Perfect and toured the country with the Broadway comedy Doubles.

Throughout his career as an entertainer and poker player, Kaplan has been involved in financial markets as a successful investor. Developing unique investment strategies, Kaplan has been the subject of articles in various financial publications.

It was during this time that Kaplan became increasingly interested in the game of poker. Supposedly playing in his first WSOP in 1978 with no prior experience, Gabe made the transition from actor to pro poker player with surprising ease. 

Although he was busted out early in his first two years at the World Series, he worked hard on his game and won his first major tournament in 1980 at Amarillo Slim's Second Annual Poker Classic, finishing sixth in the WSOP that year as well. A fourth place finish in 1982 and a win in 1984 at the Super Bowl of Poker as well as a few more WSOP final tables have cemented Gabe's place as a contender in big tournament poker.

Kaplan didn't restrict himself to playing major events however and was a known cash- game player at relatively high stakes. He did battle with both Bobby Baldwin and Hal Fowler, two WSOP Champions, in heads-up matches and relieved them each of $200,000.

Rumors have placed Kaplan in some big games with some big poker names over the years. During the 1978 WSOP Kaplan was reportedly playing, and beating, some of the biggest side games with the likes of Doyle Brunson, Johnny Moss and the notorious Jimmy Chagra.

Nowadays Gabe can be seen, and heard, commentating on poker for ESPN, the Game Show Network and NBC. He still does stand-up as well as public speaking engagements in the financial sector. One thing is for sure, though; we'll see Gabe at many more major tournaments in the years to come.