As most of you may know, I’m the author of several pop-culture/media tie-in books including biographies of Mary Tyler Moore and Bewitched star Elizabeth Montgomery. Also included on my list is Dashing, Daring and Debonair: TV’s Top Male Icons of the ‘50s, 60s, and ‘70s, which profiles, among many others, CHiPs TV icons Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox.
I have also served as a consultant and on-screen commentator for several TV documentaries and DVD “extras” including the first season DVD release of CHiPs.
When I first moved to Los Angeles, the first show I actually saw being filmed on location was CHiPs. They were shooting near the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Doheny, where once stood the famous main Hamburger Hamlet restaurant.
Decades later, on January 19, 2023, I was honored to serve as host of the CHiPs TV Reunion Dinner, which was held at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, California. The event reunited the show’s cast, including Erik Estrada, Larry Wilcox, and Robert Pine, with surprise appearances by cast members Lou Wagner, Brodie Greer, and Bruce Penhall.
There was an essence to CHiPs that was not found on other police or detective shows at the time. That essence was based on “reality.”
CHiPs was based on the real motorcycle policemen of the California Highway Patrol – and the show’s characters were named after real-life CHiPs officers. While the show brought a commendable authenticity to the screen, its cast conducted themselves heroically in real life with acts of kindness and generosity that included donating blood to real-life CHiPs officers who were shot in the line of duty.
Then there was the on-screen chemistry between Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox – and their “likability” factor. That’s an important aspect of performing in the intimacy of a television show. No matter what’s going on between the characters on screen, no matter what the characters are experiencing, the actor’s performance has to be likable. And in that case, and every case, both Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox delivered.
It was ground-breaking to have Erik be cast as Frank “Ponch” Poncherello. Years before, Diahann Carroll on the sitcom Julia – became the first African-American actress to be cast in the lead of her own sitcom. Erik then became the first Latino actor to star in a weekly police series, following stellar guest appearances on shows such as Mannix – and Emergency.
And as the perfect example of life imitating art, Erik went on to serve as a real-life reserve police officer in Muncie, became a deputy sheriff in Bedford County, Virginia, and a reserve police officer in St. Anthony, Idaho. Today, he is a Federal Officer for Crimes Against Children on the Internet.
And then we have Larry Wilcox, who portrayed Officer Jon Baker. With his own special brand of dynamic mainstream charm, Larry brought to the screen the significant appeal and talent that we first saw with early charismatic performances on shows like The Streets of San Francisco and in heralded TV-movies such as Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones.
Today, he is a brilliant, inventive businessman whose many creative endeavors are aligned with the immersive, changing technologies of the moment – including battling to eliminate COVID.
Rounding out what has become CHiPs’ terrific trio is the classically-trained actor Robert Pine, who played with balance and command the supervising no-nonsense Sgt. Joe Getraer. Robert’s compelling early TV work includes guest spots on Medical Center, and iconic feature films like The Graduate, among countless other TV, film, and stage performances.
Erik Estrada, Larry Wilcox, Robert Pine, Lou Wagner, Brodie Greer, and Bruce Penhall were each celebrated at the CHiPs TV Reunion Dinner, which was produced by Carolyn Peterson and Nite of Dreams Productions.
[Pictured (from left): Lou Wagner, Robert Pine, Erik Estrada, Larry Wilcox, Brodie Greer, and Bruce Penhall.]
For more information about future pop-culture events, including an upcoming ‘70s Teen Idol Reunion Dinner, please visit www.NiteofDreams.com.
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