Initially, Wilcox was intended to be the show’s star, but Estrada soon became the program’s most popular performer. His partner on the show, Jon Baker, was played by Larry Wilcox, and the two had a rocky relationship during the series’ run.

In September 1977, Estrada first appeared as Frank “Ponch” Poncherello on the police show CHiPs, which followed members of the California Highway Patrol. Around this time, Estrada also made guest appearances on such television shows as Medical Center, Hawaii Five-O and Baretta. Other roles followed in such films as Airport 1975 (1974), Trackdown (1976), and Midway (1976). Earning strong reviews for his performance, Estrada went on to play his first cop role as a rookie officer in The New Centurions (1972). 'The Cross and the Switchblade' and Early RolesĮstrada had his first big break in 1970's The Cross and the Switchblade, playing Nicky, a gang leader, opposite Pat Boone, who starred as a preacher seeking to convert two rival gangs to Christianity.

After graduation, he studied at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. After his parents split up when he was two, Estrada lived with his mother, siblings and grandfather, rarely seeing his father.Įstrada first started acting in high school as a member of the drama club. Early LifeĮrik Estrada was born on March 16, 1949, in New York, New York, and grew up in the Spanish Harlem neighborhood of the city. Estrada went on to star in the 1990s telenova Dos Mujeres, Un Camino, before becoming a popular figure on reality TV shows like The Surreal Life. In 1977, he made his first appearance as Ponch on the popular police drama CHiPs, a role that propelled him to fame.

Actor Erik Estrada had his first big break in 1970's The Cross and the Switchblade.

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