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Robert Hegyes was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, to an Hungarian-American father, Stephen, and an Italian-American mother, Marie Dominica (Cocozza). He is the eldest of their children. The others are: Mark Hegyes, MD - Billings, Montana, Ms. Stephanie Hegyes - Princeton, New Jersey, and Ms. Elizabeth Cocozza - Los Angeles, California.

Robert began studying acting in earnest at Metuchen High School under the direction of Dr. Barton Shepard, Ph.D, in the mid-1960s. He was accepted into the Theater Program at Rown University of New Jersey (formerly Glassboro State College) and, in the early 1970s, graduated with a BA in Theater & Secondary Education. Hegyes then ventured into New York City to practice his trade, immediately taking up with the "Greenwich Village Children's Repertory Companies", "Theater in a Trunk", and "The NYC Children's Puppet Ensemble". In short order Robert hooked up with his third Greenwhich Village troupe, "Jack LaRumpa's Flying Drum & Kazoo Band", performing improvisational anti-war comedy in Washington Square and the Provincetown Playhouse.

Within a year of graduating from Rowan, Hegyes was cast to co-star in the Manhattan Theater Club Emsmble's highly-acclaimed drama, "Naomi Court", which starred another young actor, Brad Davis (of Midnight Express (1978)). After completing that successful engagement Robert was tapped to co-star for Tony Award-winning actor/director Len Cariou, A Little Night Music (1977) & Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1982), in the Broadway drama, "Don't Call Back", starring Arlene Francis at the Helen Hayes Theater. It was during the run of that Broadway drama that he was cast by producer James Komack to star in the award-winning comedy series, Welcome Back, Kotter (1975) and, at the age of twenty-five, became one of the show's directors.

Robert has guest-starred in over thirty episodic series, including Saturday Night Live (1975) with host Quentin Tarantino, Diagnosis Murder (1993) with Dick Van Dyke and The Drew Carey Show (1995). He has starred in the award-nominated "Passat" commercial, "The Chase", for director Kinka Usher and in the feature films, Honeymoon Hotel (2004) opposite Jane Kaczmarek, Underground Aces (1981) with Melanie Griffith, Bob Roberts (1992) for director Tim Robbins, Purpose (2002) starring Mia Farrow, and Bar Hopping (2000) alongside Kevin Nealon.

Hegyes made his Los Angeles stage debut to rave notices as Chico Marx in Arthur Marx's play, "An Evening with Groucho", and was shortly thereafter cast as a series regular starring in the award-winning drama, Cagney & Lacey (1981). Robert has been awarded a lifetime artist-in-residence status at his alma mater and has taught there and continues to guest lecture regularly. He is also a California Certified Secondary Education Teacher and teaches for the Los Angeles Unified School District at Venice High School.

As a long-time resident of Venice, California, Robert and partner Craig Titley, (Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)) developed the original Internet series, "The Venice Walk".

Jerold T. Hevener was born on 30 April 1873 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor and director, known for The Female Detective (1913), The Female Cop (1914) and Only Skin Deep (1914). He died on 14 April 1947 in Metuchen, New Jersey, USA.

John Hawken was born on 9 May 1940 in Bournemouth, Dorset, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Ready, Steady, Go! (1963), Go Go Mania (1965) and Opération 666 - Paris Underground Festival (1970). He was married to Alexandra . He died on 15 May 2024 in Metuchen, New Jersey, USA.

Author Mary Freeman was born in Massachusetts but moved with her family to Vermont when she was 15. She spent a year at Mt. Holyoke University (then called Mt. Holyoke Female Seminary) and after she left began writing children's stories and verse. Her parents died in 1883 and she returned to her Massachusetts hometown of Randolph. Later that year she got a story published in a Boston newspaper, and eventually her stories were published in such magazines as "Harper's". Most of her stories were set in New England and revolved around people who were trapped in poverty or other dire situations and struggled to overcome their circumstances. She was noted for avoiding the overly sentimental, somewhat saccharine style of writing in vogue at the time. In addition to her collections of stories, she published several novels. In 1902 she married Dr. Charles Freeman and moved to his hometown of Metuchen, New Jersey, where she remained until her death in 1930.

Songwriter ("You Can't Beat the Luck of the Irish"), composer, director, producer, librettist and author, educated at the Great Yarmouth Academy. He came to the USA as the director of Lillian Russell productions, and went on to direct many New York Hippodrome spectacles. He composed the stage scores, wrote the librettos for, and directed the Broadway productions "The Tourists", "Fascinating Flora" (which he also produced), "Jack o' Lantern", "Happy Days", "Good Times", "Tip Top", and "Better Times". He was the librettist and director for "A Trip to Japan" (which he also produced), "The International Cup", "Chin Chin", "Hip Hip Hooray!", "The Big Show", "Cheer Up", "Everything", "Stepping Stones", and "Three Cheers". Joining ASCAP in 1914 as a charter member, he collaborated musically with Raymond Hubbell and Gustave Kerker. His other song compositions include "Ladder of Roses", "Nice to Have a Sweetheart", and "Annabelle Jerome".

Harry Puck was born on 15 May 1890 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was married to Mrs. Ruby Thomas (née Rittenour). He died on 29 January 1964 in Metuchen, New Jersey, USA.

Patricia Ruck was born on 11 September 1963 in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. She was an actress, known for A Chorus Line (1985). She was married to Jim Nevius. She died on 9 March 2010 in Metuchen, New Jersey, USA.

Gloria Ruegger was born on 5 May 1926 in New Jersey, USA. Gloria is known for The Premiere of Platypus Duck (1976). Gloria was married to Philip Theophil Ruegger Jr.. Gloria died on 8 August 2020 in Metuchen, New Jersey, USA.