# Erik Estrada

Henry Enrique Estrada (born March 16, 1949) is an American actor and police officer. He is 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 ran from 1977 to 1983. He later became known for his work in Spanish-language telenovelas, his appearances in reality television shows and infomercials and as a regular voice on the Adult Swim series Sealab 2021.

## Early life

Estrada was born on March 16, 1949, in East Harlem, Manhattan, New York, the son of Carmen Moreno, a seamstress, and Renildo Estrada. He is of Puerto Rican descent. Growing up, he thought about becoming a police officer but turned to acting after joining the drama club at Louis D. Brandeis High School.

## Career
### 1970–2000

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, he appeared in a small role as a police officer in The New Centurions, which was followed by a significant role in a major motion picture, the Jack Smight disaster film, Airport 1975, where he played Julio, the womanizing flight engineer on a Boeing 747. The following year, he again worked with Smight in the successful military historical epic Midway, as a fictional airman Ens. "Chili Bean" Ramos.
Beginning in 1977, Estrada co-starred as Frank "Ponch" Poncharello in the TV series CHiPs. In 1978, he began training in martial arts with SeishinDo Kenpo instructor Frank Argelander (Frank Landers), to prepare for a two-part episode of the series. The two appeared on the cover of Fighting Stars Magazine that same year, discussing 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 600-pound (270 kg) motorcycle.
Later in 1979, Estrada was voted one of "The 10 Sexiest Bachelors in the World" by People magazine and was featured on the cover of the November issue. Following a salary dispute with NBC in the fall of 1981, Estrada was briefly replaced by Olympic Gold Medalist and actor Bruce Jenner. Following co-star Larry Wilcox's 1982 departure from the series amid behind-the-scenes friction, Estrada carried the remaining season of CHiPs without most of the supporting cast from the previous four seasons (who were fired due to budget costs), and the show was eventually canceled in 1983. In the 1980s, Estrada appeared in a string of low-budget films. He made a return to series television in a 1987 three-part episode of the police drama Hunter.
In the 1990s, Estrada played the role of Johnny, a Tijuana trucker, in the Televisa telenovela Dos mujeres, un camino ("Two women, one path"). He shared the main credits with Mexican actresses/singers Laura Leon and Bibi Gaytán. Originally slated for 100 episodes, the show went to 200-plus episodes and became the biggest telenovela in Latin American history. He was reportedly paid 1 million pesos for that role.
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 the Butthole Surfers's video for "Pepper". He has also been seen on a few episodes of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as himself, seen in a daydream cloud in Hilda's mind and driving a car as Hilda zapped herself in his car.
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.

### 2000–present

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 has also had a regular role doing voiceovers for the Cartoon Network show Sealab 2021, where he would parody himself. He also 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 him (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 done a long-running series of infomercials as a national spokesman for National Recreational Properties, selling undeveloped real estate property in such locations as Siskiyou County, California; Lake Shastina, California; California City, California; Ocean Shores, Washington; Colorado; and 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.
More recently, Estrada appeared in a number of 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 weekly series, 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 Spanish 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. The story of sexual predation is based on true incidents investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Estrada toured with the film, aiming to educate parents and young people about the dangers of online grooming. Eric played a minor role as a paramedic at the end of the movie in the 2017 movie "Chips"

### Activism

In 2000, Estrada was named the international "Face" of D.A.R.E. which is a campaign against drugs. He also speaks out for the American Heart Association, the United Way, and the C.H.P. 11-99 Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides benefits and scholarships to California Highway Patrol family members, as well as funeral expenses for fallen officers. Estrada's experience in CHiPs led him to become a reserve officer for the Muncie Police Department in Muncie, Indiana. Estrada became spokesperson for the C.H.P.'s "car seat inspection and installation" program. He has 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, Indiana Police Department, depicted on Armed & Famous. From there, Estrada 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 was a reserve police officer in St. Anthony, Idaho. In the course of his duties, 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. Estrada was married to Peggy Lynn Rowe, an entertainment executive, songwriter, and producer from 1985 until 1990, when they divorced. The couple had two sons, Anthony Erik (born 1986), and pole-vaulter Brandon Michael-Paul (born 1987). In 1997, Estrada married film sound technician Nanette Mirkovich. They have one daughter, Francesca Natalia (born 2000). He lives in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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 endorsed Republican John McCain in the 2008 United States presidential election.
Estrada was the celebrity guest of the Pekin Marigold Festival in Illinois in September 2017.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1970 | The Cross and the Switchblade | Nicky Cruz | |
| 1971 | Chrome and Hot Leather | Uncredited | |
| 1972 | The Ballad of Billie Blue | Justin | |
| 1972 | Parades | Chicano | |
| 1972 | The New Centurions | Sergio | |
| 1974 | Airport 1975 | Julio | |
| 1976 | Trackdown | Chucho | |
| 1976 | Midway | Ensign Ramos | |
| 1977 | Fire! | Frank | TV movie |
| 1982 | Honeyboy | Rico 'Honeyboy' Ramirez | TV movie |
| 1983 | Where Is Parsifal? | Henry Board II | |
| 1985 | Light Blast | Inspector Ronn Warren | |
| 1985 | The Repenter | Salvo Lercara | |
| 1987 | Hour of the Assassin | Martin Fierro | |
| 1988 | The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission | Carmine D'Agostino | TV movie |
| 1989 | Alien Seed | Dr. Stone | |
| 1989 | Andy Colby's Incredible Adventure | | |
| 1989 | The Lost Idol | Sgt. Kurt | |
| 1989 | Caged Fury | Victor | |
| 1989 | She Knows Too Much | Jimmy Alvarez | TV movie |
| 1990 | Twisted Justice | Commander Gage | |
| 1990 | A Show of Force | Machado | |
| 1990 | Night of the Wilding | Joseph | |
| 1990 | Spirits | Father Anthony Vicci | |
| 1990 | Guns | Juan Degas / Jack of Diamonds | |
| 1991 | Earth Angel | Duke | |
| 1991 | Do or Die | Richard 'Rico' Estevez | |
| 1991 | Gang Justice | Billy's Father | |
| 1991 | Earth Angel | Duke | TV movie |
| 1992 | The Last Riders | Johnny | |
| 1992 | The Divine Enforcer | Monsignor | |
| 1992 | Tuesday Never Comes | Micelli | |
| 1992 | The Naked Truth | Gonzales | |
| 1992 | The Sounds of Silence | Lester Maldonado | |
| 1993 | National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 | Officer Francis Poncherello | |
| 1993 | Angel Eyes | Johnny Ventura | |
| 1994 | Juana la Cubana | Coronel Peraza | |
| 1995 | The Misery Brothers | Himself | |
| 1995 | The Final Goal | Rameriez | |
| 1996 | Panic in the Skies! | Ethan Walker | TV movie |
| 1998 | Visions | Detective Francisco Moreno | |
| 1998 | The Modern Adventures of Tom Sawyer | Joe | |
| 1998 | Shattered Dreams | Fredrick | |
| 1998 | CHiPs '99 | Officer Francis (Frank) Poncherello | |
| 1998 | Lost in Hollywood | | |
| 1999 | King Cobra | Bernie Alvarez | |
| 2000 | Oliver Twisted | Dr. Castaneda | |
| 2000 | Destroying America | The Cop | |
| 2000 | We Married Margo | Himself | |
| 2001 | UP, Michigan! | Edward Manchester | |
| 2002 | National Lampoon's Van Wilder | Himself | |
| 2004 | Border Blues | Mexican Cop Morales | |
| 2005 | Taylor Made | William Santos | TV movie |
| 2007 | Kickin' It Old Skool | | |
| 2007 | Mother Goose Parade | Honorary Grand Marshall | |
| 2007 | Husband for Hire | Victor Diaz | TV movie |
| 2008 | 2nd Semester of Spanish, Spanish Love Song | | |
| 2009 | Saving Melanie | Wilson Ramirez | |
| 2011 | Horrorween | Contractor | |
| 2012 | Highway | Sanchez | |
| 2012 | Spring Break '83 | Himself | |
| 2012 | Cool Cat Stops Bullying | Himself | |
| 2012 | Cool Cat in the Hollywood Christmas Parade | Hollywood Parade MC (uncredited?) | |
| 2013 | Finding Faith | Sheriff Brown | |
| 2013 | This Is Our Time | Mr. Rowley | |
| 2013 | Templar Nation | Alfred De Molay | |
| 2013 | Chupacabra vs. the Alamo | Carlos Seguin | TV movie |
| 2014 | Planes: Fire & Rescue | Nick 'Loop'n' Lopez (voice) | |
| 2014 | Virtuous | Jack Evans | |
| 2015 | Cool Cat Saves the Kids | Himself (reused footage from Cool Cat Stops Bullying and Cool Cat in the Hollywood Christmas Parade) | |
| 2015 | Uncommon | Marc Garcia | |
| 2016 | El Americano: The Movie | Punch (voice) | |
| 2017 | CHiPs | Paramedic (uncredited) | |
| 2018 | Cool Cat Kids Superhero | Himself (re-cut of Cool Cat Saves the Kids) | |
| 2022 | Cool Cat Saves the Kids: The Director's Cut | Himself (re-cut of Cool Cat Kids Superhero) | |
| 2023 | A Knight to Remember | Mi Ultimo | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 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" |
| 1975 | Mannix | Tropic | Episode: "Man in a Trap" |
| 1975 | Kolchak: The Night Stalker | Pepe Torres | Episode: "Legacy of Terror" |
| 1975 | Medical Center | Mike Moneda | Episode: "The High Cost of Winning" |
| 1975 | Police Woman | Benny Bates | Episode: "Don't Feed the Pigeons" |
| 1975 | The Six Million Dollar Man | Prince Sakari | Episode: "The Deadly Test" |
| 1976 | Baretta | Ortiz | Episode: "Dead Man Out" |
| 1976 | Barnaby Jones | Ruben | Episode: "Shadow of Guilt" |
| 1976 | 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 | Luis | |
| 1987 | Hunter | Sgt. Brad Navarro | |
| 1987 | Rosa salvaje | Teniente Rocha | |
| 1988 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Vinnie Pacelli | Episode: "The Big Spin" |
| 1991 | Extralarge: Cannonball | Gonzales | |
| 1993 | Extralarge: Gonzales' Revenge | Gonzales | |
| 1993–1994 | Dos mujeres, un camino | Juan Daniel Villegas 'Johnny' | |
| 1994 | American Adventurer | Host | |
| 1995 | The Nanny | Himself | Episode: "Kindervelt Days" |
| 1995 | Cybill | Himself | Guest appearance |
| 1996 | The Wayans Bros. | Himself | Guest appearance |
| 1996 | Pauly | Himself | Guest appearance |
| 1996–1997 | Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Himself | Guest appearance |
| 1997 | Over the Top | Himself | Guest appearance |
| 1997 | We Are Angels | Graciano | |
| 1997 | Baywatch | Captain Huntington | Episode: "Search & Rescue" |
| 1997 | Space Ghost Coast to Coast | | |
| 1997 | Martin | Chip | Episode: "You Play Too Much" |
| 1997 | Homeboys in Outer Space | Dork | Episode: "How the West Was Lost or, Daddy's Home" |
| 1998 | King of the Hill | Mexican Judge | Episode: "Peggy's Pageant Fever" |
| 1999 | Family Guy | Ponch | Episode: "I Never Met the Dead Man" |
| 1999 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Brock | Episode: "The Lynn Sisters" |
| 1999 | Pacific Blue | Julio Constanza | Episode: "Stargazer" |
| 1999–2000 | Walking After Midnight | | |
| 2000 | Popular | Himself | Guest appearance |
| 2000 | 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 | |
| 2001 | Shasta McNasty | Himself | Guest appearance |
| 2001 | The Weakest Link | Himself | Classic TV Stars Edition #2 |
| 2002 | Lizzie McGuire | Alejandro | Episode: "El oro de Montezuma" |
| 2002 | American Family | Police Officer | Episode: "The Barber Shop" |
| 2002–2005 | ¡Mucha Lucha! | El Custodio (voice) | |
| 2003 | Scrubs | Himself | Guest appearance |
| 2004 | Drake & Josh | Police Officer | Episode: "Driver's License" |
| 2004 | The Surreal Life | Cast member in season 2 | Reality TV series |
| 2004 | Maya & Miguel | Voice | |
| 2005 | The King of Queens | Himself | Voice appearance |
| 2005 | JoJo's Circus | Mr. Muscles (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2005 | Higglytown Heroes | Ambulance Driver Hero (voice) | Episode: "Kip Joins the Circus/Baby Boom" |
| 2006 | According to Jim | Himself | Guest appearance |
| 2006 | Back to the Grind | | Unsold pilot |
| 2007 | Armed & Famous | Himself | Canceled after 4 episodes |
| 2008 | Life | Himself | Guest appearance |
| 2009 | My Name Is Earl | Himself | Guest appearance on 2 episodes |
| 2009 | 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 episodes |
| 2011 | Mira Quien Baila | | Univision |
| 2011 | 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 | |
| 2016 | 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 |
| 2023 | Call Me Kat | Rodrigo | Episode: "Call Me Ichabod Evel Knievel" |
| 2023 | Divine Renovation | Himself | Host |
| 2024 | Fallout | Adam | Episode: "The Radio" |

### Video games

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