The Actors

The actors who gave CHiPs life

Larry Wilcox

Nearly twenty years after CHiP's debuted on NBC, Wilcox is still an articulate, intelligent talent with a gravelly Wyoming accent. Wilcox's portrayal of CHP Officer Jon Baker drew from his own background; like Wilcox, Jon was a quiet country boy making good in the big city. In fact, Wilcox was born in California but moved to Wyoming as an infant. Raised by a single mother (along with two brothers and a sister), he remembers that the family had to work hard to make ends meet.

Twenty years later, however, this Wyoming-bred former-Marine is still making a name for himself - not only as an actor, but also as a writer, producer and entrepreneur. He has founded and operates several multimedia and telecommunications companies, and seems at much at home talking about "reconfigurable computers" and high-speed image condensers as he does recalling his "fifteen minutes of fame" and the other highlights of a long and productive career.
Source: Entertainment Bio /Fibrohugs

Erik Estrada

Erik Estrada (born March 16, 1949) is a Puerto Rican actor who reached considerable fame as "Ponch" Poncharelo, a California Highway Patrol cop, on the 1977-1983 US television series "CHiPs".

Estrada became a teen idol during the era, appearing on the cover of Tiger Beat and other publications. This allegedly caused the jealousy of one of CHiPs' co-workers, and the series was cancelled after six seasons.
In the 1980s Estrada had little luck trying to get back into television or movies, but in the 1990s he made a comeback: He played Johnny, a Tijuana trucker, in the Televisa telenovela Dos Mujeres Un Camino. He earned one million dollars for that work and became famous again.

In 2001 he made a brief comeback, playing a principal in Hilary Duff's tv show, Lizzie McGuire. He has also had a regular role doing voice work for the Cartoon Network show Sealab 2021, which also gave him the opportunity to parody himself; for example, the show has several CHiPs homages in it, and his character Marco is played as a stereotypical Latin macho-man.

Erik Estrada is reportedly enjoying the fruits of his years working as an actor nowadays.
Source: Wikipedia

Robert Pine

Born in New York City and raised in Scarsdale, New York, Robert Pine is the son of patent attorney Granville Pine and Virginia Pine. After graduating from Scarsdale High School, Pine attended Ohio Wesleyan University with the goal of being a doctor. After graduating from college, Pine enrolled in Columbia University to take additional courses before applying to medical school. Through the father of an old high school sweetheart, Pine was introduced to someone in casting at CBS and was sent over to the talent reps at Universal.

In 1977, Pine landed the role of "Sergeant Joseph Getraer" on the hit show CHiPs, where as the show’s reining authority figure he rode herd over the energetic patrolmen.. In 1977, Pine landed the role of "Sergeant Joseph Getraer" on the hit show CHiPs, where as the show’s reining authority figure he rode herd over the energetic patrolmen..

A lover of tennis and gardening, Pine lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife actress, Gwynne Gilford. The family’s acting tradition continues with his daughter actress Kathy Pine.
Source: What a character.com

 

Brodie Greer

Brodie Greer is best known from his role as “Officer Barry Baricza” on the TV series ChiPs. Born in Santa Monica, California, he graduated from San Jose State University in 1971. He appeared on ChiPs for its first five seasons, and was the only CHP officer on the show to ever draw his gun. Since leaving the show in 1982, Greer appeared in the films True Blood and Terror Squad. In 1998, Greer appeared in the TV reunion film CHiPs '99. He currently works as a real estate agent in California.
Source: What a character.com

Paul Linke

Born in New York, New York and raised in Los Angeles, Paul Linke is the son of Richard O. Linke, personal manager and partner of Andy Griffith, and producer of TV’s Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C..
After graduating from Notre Dame High School, Linke attended U.S.C. where soon became disenchanted and decided to drop-out.
"I always thought I’d be a lawyer or in business, " Linke recalls. "I never had any intention of being in show business, but when I decided to drop our of U.S.C. a friend encouraged me to take an acting class. I remember my first acting class, I didn’t want to go and procrastinated all the way up until it started. Suddenly, something went off inside me that said, ‘you have to go’ and I ran over there."
Linke took an immediate liking to acting and transferred into the drama department. After graduating he continued his studies and in 1972 received a M.F.A. from U.S.C.. Even with his theatre degrees Linke was advised to avoid the uncertain career of an actor, so he moved to a small rural town in New Mexico.
"I started to see my friends on TV and I decided I had to be an actor."
Returning to Los Angeles, Linke managed to land small roles in the films The Baby Maker, Big Bad Mama, The Strongest Man in the World, and Moving Violations.
"Moving Violations was in and out of theaters within two weeks, but a casting director spotted me and called me for CHiPs," says Linke. "At the time I was down to about $40 in my pocket when I was called for the eleventh show of CHiPs’ original thirteen show order. I thought ‘great, I finally got a show and it’ll probably be canceled in two weeks.’"
Far from being canceled, CHiPs went on to be one of the big hits of the 1970s, and Linke’s role as "Officer Arthur Grossman" grew steadily as the seasons passed.
In 1984, Linke’s life was struck by tragedy when his wife gifted stage actress Francesca Draper was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a two year battle with the disease, she died in 1986, leaving Linke to raise their three young children ages six, three and one. While recovering from his wife’s death, Linke wrote a one-man show Time Flies When You’re Alive which he performed at the Powerhouse Theatre in Santa Monica. The show soon became a hit, running to a packed house for over a year, and was filmed for television as an HBO special.
Source: What a character.com

Lou Wagner

For Lou Wagner it was his youthful looks that got him a whole different type of roles--as a kid. "I was playing teenagers when I was thirty," laughs Lou Wagner, whose boyish looks landed him children’s parts when he was old enough to be a father. "As an adult if you can play a child you are really valuable, because you can work much longer hours than children can due to the strict child labor laws."

Born in San Jose, California, to Logan and Josephine Wagner, Wagner knew early on that he wanted to be an actor. When Wagner was nine his parents divorced and he was sent off to boarding school. Returning to San Jose his junior year of high school, Wagner began to work in a local bowling alley as a dishwasher. It was at the bowling alley that he developed his keen eye for characters.

"It’s really a wonderful place for studying people," Wagner explains. "You see 500 people a day--everyone from hoods to saints."
Source: What a character.com

Brianne Leary

Brianne is of Black Irish descent. She was a gymnastics champion at Canyon Del Oro High School in Tucson, Arizona. She went on to the State Championship in 1974 and placed in the top three. She was a companion to Robert Conrad in the late 70s (of "Wild, Wild West, The" (1965) and "Baa Baa Black Sheep" (1976) fame). She was also a companion to Barry Newman (of "Petrocelli" (1974) fame). Her mother was the Assistant City Editor for the Arizona Daily Star. Timothy Leary (yes THE Timothy Leary) was her cousin.
Brianne's first appearance on television may have been as a contestant on the CBS daytime game show, "Match Game 76." Her Irish name created a small stir among the show's regulars, including Gene Rayburn and Charles Nelson Reilly, and she proved an adept player, winning several games.
Competed on the "Match Game" television game show, winning in excess of $2,600.00. Source:CHPmerry3and4

Randi Oakes

Before becoming an actress, Oakes was a top fashion model. Has 3 daughters and an adopted son.

Bruce Jenner

After winning a gold medal in the 1976 Olympic Games, Bruce Jenner has gone on to winning seasons in life. He's known to millions as a motivational speaker, TV personality, sports commentator, commercial spokesperson, entrepreneur, actor, producer, and re presentative of companies such as Visa, MCI, Coca-Cola, and Anheuser-Busch. Jenner travels around the country speaking to corporate and community groups about finding the champion within, and he runs several successful businesses with his wife, Kris. The Jenners live with their five children in Hidden Hills, California.
Source: anneonline.com

Lew Saunders

Lewis Saunders played “Officer Gene Fritz” on the first two seasons of ChiPs. Among his few roles since leaving the series was the part of the “Pastry Chef” in the 1998 film The Sexperiment.

Michael Dorn

Best known as “Lieutenant Commander Worf” on Star Trek: The Next Generation and later Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Michael Dorn turned what was originally a minor character into one of Trek’s most popular figures. Born in Luling, Texas and raised in Pasadena, California, Dorn attended Pasadena City College where he studied radio and television production. After leaving school, he spent the mid 1970s performing in several rock bands. His first regular role came when he played “Officer Jebediah Turner” from 1979 to 1982 on ChiPs. Despite the show being about motorcylce riding California Highway Patrolman, his character always drove a patrol car. After spending season as "Jimmy” on the soap Days of Our Lives, he landed the role of the Klingon “Worf” on Star Trek: The Next Generation. The role propelled the self-professed Star Trek fan to fame, and gave him the financial security to pursue hobbies such as flying. After earning his pilot’s license in 1988, Dorn has become such an accomplished pilot that he now owns a T-33 twin-engine military training jet. In addition to reprising his role as “Worf” in the continuing series of Star Trek movies, he has also appeared in films such as Shadow Hours, Christmas with J.D., and Mach 2.
Source: What a character.com

Tom Reilly

New Jersey born Tom Reilly played “Officer Bobby 'Hot Dog' Nelson” from 1982 to 1983 on the TV series ChiPs. Reilly also made a guest appearance on ChiPs as “Rick Nichols" in the episode: "Force Seven.” Since leaving the series Reilly has appeared in a number of films including Shades of Gray, Deep Cover, Caged Hearts, and Ice Cream Man.
Source: What a character.com

Bruce Penhall

Before California native Bruce Penhall landed on ChiPs as “Officer Bruce Nelson” in 1982, he had already been the World Motorcycle Speedway champion for the 1981 and 1982 seasons. He has since gone on to appear as “Bruce Christian” in a host of Andy Sardis films including The Dallas Connection, Enemy Gold, and Hard Hunted, and he and former ChiPs star Erik Estrada both appeared in Sardis’ 1991 film Do or Die. Penhall has moved his racing from land to water as an offshore powerboat racer, and in 1998 he appeared as “Sergeant Bruce Nelson” in the TV reunion film CHiPs '99.
Source: What a character.com

Tina Gayle

Was a cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys in the early 1980s.