Ravishing rocker Jon Bon Jovi and sexy opera singer Mario Lanza were cousins to American actor Robert Hegyes who boasts Italian genes. No wonder why he was nearly bulging out of his jeans! After gradating from Glassboro State College, the New Jersey native entertained fans with performances on stage, on film, and on TV. The boob tube babe is best known for playing Juan Epstein on the ABC sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-1979) alongside fellow Sweathogs John Travolta, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, and Ron Palillo. The arresting actor also was cast as detective Manny Esposito on the crime drama Cagney & Lacey (1986-1988). Through the years, Robert guest-starred on other series (CHiPs, The Love Boat, NewsRadio, Saturday Night Live, The Streets of San Francisco) and competed on game shows (Tattletales, The $20,000 Pyramid). The kinky-haired hottie warmed the cockles of Mr. Man’s heart (as well as another part of the body) with his revealing role in Underground Aces (1981). The PG rated romp features Dirk Benedict, Melanie Griffith, Frank Gorshin, Audrey Landers, Jerry Orbach, Kairo Salem, Randy Brooks, and Robert’s hairy chest! If that’s not arousing enough, the mustache-donning hunk lounges around in tight bathing trunks! Bob then thrilled movie goers with the R rated action thriller The Pandora Project (1998). Following the indie flick Hip, Edgy, Sexy, Cool (2002), Robert portrayed Chico Marx in An Evening with Groucho in 2009. Alas, the actor died of a heart attack a few years later. Yet whenever we recall Rob’s topless turn, we turn into sweathogs!
