Erik Estrada

Henry Enrique Estrada (born March 16, 1949) is an American actor, and former police officer. He is widely known for his co-starring lead role as California Highway Patrol officer Francis (Frank) Llewelyn "Ponch" Poncherello in the police drama television series CHiPs, which aired from 1977 to 1983. He later became known for his work in Spanish telenovelas, his appearances in reality television shows and infomercials, and as a regular voice on the series Sealab 2021, on Adult Swim.

Early life Estrada was born on March 16, 1949, in East Harlem, an area of Manhattan, New York to Carmen Moreno, a seamstress, and Renildo Estrada.

Career Acting In 1970, Estrada made his film debut in the role of Nicky Cruz alongside Pat Boone, in the independent film The Cross and the Switchblade. In 1972, Estrada appeared in a small role as a police officer in The New Centurions, followed by a significant role in a major motion picture, the disaster film, Airport 1975, directed by Jack Smight, where he played Julio, a womanizing flight engineer on a Boeing 747. In 1975, he again worked with Smight in Midway, a successful military historical epic, as a fictional airman Ensign "Chili Bean" Ramos.

Beginning in 1977, Estrada co-starred as Frank "Ponch" Poncharello in CHiPs, a television series. In 1978, he began training in martial arts with SeishinDo Kenpo instructor Frank Argelander (Frank Landers), preparing for a two-part episode of CHiPs. The two appeared on the cover of Fighting Stars Magazine, also in 1978 talking about Estrada's training regimen. On August 6, 1979, Estrada was seriously injured while filming a scene on the set of CHiPs, fracturing several ribs and breaking both wrists after he was thrown from his motorcycle.

Later in 1979, Estrada was voted one of "The 10 Sexiest Bachelors in the World" by People and was featured on the cover of the November issue.

In 1994, Estrada began co-hosting the syndicated outdoor adventure show American Adventurer, which ran until 2004. In 1995, he made a special guest appearance as Ponch in punk rock band Bad Religion's music video, "Infected", as well as in the video for Butthole Surfers's video for "Pepper". He has been seen on a few episodes of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as himself, seen in a daydream cloud in Hilda's mind and also when Hilda zapped herself in his car while he drives it.

In 1997, Estrada wrote his autobiography, Erik Estrada: My Road from Harlem to Hollywood. In 1998, he returned as the character Francis "Ponch" Poncherello in the TNT made-for-TV movie CHiPs '99, along with the rest of the original cast. In 2001, Estrada landed a role on the daytime drama The Bold and the Beautiful as Eduardo Dominguez. In 2002, he played a game-show host on the Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire with Hilary Duff. He also made a guest appearance on an episode of Spy TV in 2002. He had a regular role doing voiceovers for the Cartoon Network show Sealab 2021, where he would parody himself. He appeared in an episode of another Cartoon Network show, Space Ghost: Coast to Coast, which features a character named Moltar who has an obsession with Estrada and CHiPS, as a guest. Estrada has also guest-starred on the children's cartoon Maya & Miguel.

Estrada has appeared in music videos, such as Eminem's music video "Just Lose It". A band named after Estrada (Estradasphere) is based in Santa Cruz, California. Estrada also made guest appearances on The Wayans Bros., Unhappily Ever After, the Nickelodeon comedy Drake & Josh, NBC's Scrubs and My Name Is Earl, and ABC's According to Jim. Estrada has been in a long-running series of infomercials as a national spokesman for National Recreational Properties, selling undeveloped real estate property in Siskiyou County, California; Lake Shastina, California; California City, California; Ocean Shores, Washington; Colorado, in addition to more recently, Tellico Village, Tennessee; and Bella Vista, Arkansas.

Estrada began appearing in Burger King TV commercials in September 2009. In the ads, he (playing himself) attended a class on endorsing products led by race car driver Tony Stewart. During the spoof, Estrada seeks to understand why American consumers were not interested in purchasing his "Estrada" sunglasses that noticeably had his last name written boldly across the lens.

Estrada appeared in many reality television shows. In 2004, he starred in both the second season of The Surreal Life and in Discovery Health Body Challenge. He also starred in the short-lived CBS reality show, Armed & Famous. In 2008, Estrada appeared in Husband for Hire, a television movie starring Nadine Velazquez and Mario López. After a series of specials, in 2010, Estrada and Laura McKenzie began co-hosting a show, The World's Funniest Moments, which began as a myNetworkTV series hosted by Arsenio Hall.

In 2011, Estrada was a contestant on the second season of the Univision reality show Mira Quien Baila, a weekly dance competition similar to Dancing with the Stars, in which he finished in third place out of ten contestants. In 2013, he starred in Finding Faith, a film about a young teenager who is kidnapped from a meeting planned online. It is based on true incidents investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Estrada toured with the film with the aim of educating parents and young people about the dangers of online grooming. Estrada's experience in CHiPs led him to become a reserve officer for the Muncie Police Department in Muncie, Indiana. He became the spokesperson for the C.H.P.'s "car seat inspection and installation" program. He made numerous appearances supporting automobile child-seat safety checks across the country. He appeared in Española, New Mexico on May 28, 2009, to promote the "100 Days and Nights of Summer" traffic safety and anti-DWI campaign that involves the New Mexico State Police.

Law enforcement Estrada became a reserve police officer for the Muncie Police Department, depicted on Armed & Famous. He moved to Virginia, where he was an I.C.A.C. (Internet Crimes Against Children) investigator for eight years in Bedford County, Virginia. As of July 1, 2016, he has been a reserve police officer in St. Anthony, Idaho. While working in the department, Estrada has been filmed patrolling on a police motorcycle.

Personal life Estrada was married to Joyce Miller in November 1979; the couple divorced in 1980 and had no children. He lives in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles.

During an episode of Watch What Happens Live in January 2019, Marie Osmond told host Andy Cohen that she had briefly dated Estrada. Estrada is a member of the Blue Knights motorcycle club. He also rides with the Loyal Order of Moose fraternal and service organization. Estrada was the celebrity guest of the Pekin Marigold Festival in Pekin, Illinois, in September 2017.

Filmography Film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes 1973 Hawaii Five-O Rono Vidalgo Episode: "Engaged to Be Buried" 1974 Emergency! Man with Eye Injury (uncredited) Episode: "Details"1975 Kojak Luis Episode: "Close Cover Before Killing" Mannix Tropic Episode: "Man in a Trap" Kolchak: The Night Stalker Pepe Torres Episode: "Legacy of Terror" Medical Center Mike Moneda Episode: "The High Cost of Winning" Police Woman Benny Bates Episode: "Don't Feed the Pigeons" The Six Million Dollar Man Prince Sakari Episode: "The Deadly Test"1976 Baretta Ortiz Episode: "Dead Man Out" Barnaby Jones Ruben Episode: "Shadow of Guilt" The Quest: The Longest Drive Santos 1977–1983 CHiPs Officer Frank Poncherello 1978 The Love Boat Jim Warren Episode: "Julie's Aunt/Where Is It Written?/The Big Deal" 1983 Un solo corazón Luis1987 Hunter Sgt. Brad Navarro Rosa salvaje Teniente Rocha 1988 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Vinnie Pacelli Episode: "The Big Spin" 1991 Extralarge: CannonballGonzales 1993 Extralarge: Gonzales' Revenge 1993–1994 Dos mujeres, un camino Juan Daniel Villegas 'Johnny' 1994 American Adventurer Host1995 The NannyHimself Episode: "Kindervelt Days" CybillGuest appearance1996 The Wayans Bros. Pauly 1996–1997 Sabrina the Teenage Witch1997 Over the Top We Are Angels Graciano Baywatch Captain Huntington Episode: "Search & Rescue" Space Ghost Coast to Coast Martin Chip Episode: "You Play Too Much" Homeboys in Outer Space Dork Episode: "How the West Was Lost or, Daddy's Home"1998 Tracey Takes On... Self Episode: "Hollywood" King of the Hill Mexican Judge Episode: "Peggy's Pageant Fever"1999 Family Guy Ponch Episode: "I Never Met the Dead Man" Walker, Texas Ranger Brock Episode: "The Lynn Sisters" Pacific Blue Julio Constanza Episode: "Stargazer" 1999–2000 Walking After Midnight2000 Popular Himself Guest appearance Son of the Beach President Seymour Wences Episode: "South of Her Border" 2000–2005 Sealab 2021 Marco (voice)2001 The Bold and the Beautiful Eduardo Dominguez Shasta McNasty Himself Guest appearance The Weakest Link Himself Classic TV Stars Edition #22002 Lizzie McGuire Alejandro Episode: "El oro de Montezuma" American Family Police Officer Episode: "The Barber Shop" 2002–2005 ¡Mucha Lucha! El Custodio (voice) 2003 Scrubs Himself Guest appearance2004 Drake & Josh Police Officer Episode: "Driver's License" The Surreal Life Cast member in season 2 Reality TV series Maya & Miguel Voice2005 The King of Queens Himself Voice appearance JoJo's Circus Mr. Muscles (voice) 3 episodes Higglytown Heroes Ambulance Driver Hero (voice) Episode: "Kip Joins the Circus/Baby Boom"2006 According to Jim Himself Guest appearance Back to the Grind Unsold pilot 2007 Armed & FamousHimself Canceled after 4 episodes 2008 Life Guest appearance2009 My Name Is Earl Guest appearance on 2 episodes Meet the Browns Francisco / Mr. Hernandez Episode: "Meet the Mexican" 2010 Big Time Rush Carlos' Dad Episode: "Big Time Break" 2010–2012 Adventure Time King Worm 2 episodes2011 Mira Quien Baila Univision Phineas and Ferb Additional voices 2012 Are We There Yet? Lester Episode: "The Green Episode" 2013 Second Generation Wayans Mr. Martinez Episode: "Miss Independent"2016 Liv and Maddie Mr. Bustamante Still the King Himself Episode: "A Family, a Fair" 2017 Malibu Dan the Family Man Roman Lockwood 3 episodes 2020 Picture Perfect Mysteries Luis Acosta 2023 The Masked Singer Himself Provides clues Call Me Kat Rodrigo Episode: "Call Me Ichabod Evel Knievel" Divine Renovation Himself Host 2024 Fallout Adam Episode: "The Radio"

Video games Year Title Voice 1996 You Don't Know Jack Volume 2 Himself