CHiPs

CHiPs
CHiPs' cast (from left to right): Erik Estrada, Robert Pine, Larry Wilcox
Created by	Rick Rosner
Starring	Erik Estrada Larry Wilcox Robert Pine et al.
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	139
Production
Running time	48 minutes per episode (excluding commercials)
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	September 15, 1977 – July 17, 1983

"CHiPs" is an American television series produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios that aired on NBC from September 15, 1977 to July 17, 1983. The program ran for 139 episodes over six seasons.

Synopsis

A light-weight action crime drama (that played as more of a comedy in many episodes, particularly in the first season) created by Rick Rosner, it starred Erik Estrada as macho, rambunctious Officer Francis ('Frank') "Ponch" Poncherello and Larry Wilcox as his strait-laced partner, Officer Jon Baker. With Ponch the more swarthy, trouble-prone of the pair, and Jon generally the more level-headed one trying to keep him out of trouble with the duo's gruff yet fatherly commanding officer Sergeant Joseph Getraer (Robert Pine), the two were Highway Patrolmen of the Central Los Angeles office of the California Highway Patrol (CHP, hence the name CHiPs).

As real-life CHP motor officers rarely ride in pairs, in early episodes this was explained away by placing the trouble-prone Ponch on probationary status, with Jon assigned as his field training officer. Eventually this subplot faded away (Ponch completed his probation) as audiences were used to seeing the two working as a team.

Behind the scenes

In season 5, Estrada was occasionally replaced by Bruce Jenner (Officer Steve McLeish) for a half-dozen episodes due to a contract dispute. Despite their successful pairing on-screen, Wilcox and Estrada did not always get along behind the cameras. But it was Wilcox's falling out with the producers over what he saw as continual favoritism towards Estrada (giving Estrada a Rolls Royce, for example), that saw him not return for the sixth and final season, and was replaced by Tom Reilly (Officer Bobby Nelson). Bruce Penhall was also introduced as cadet / probationary officer Bruce Nelson, Bobby's younger brother. Estrada apparently did not approve of Reilly's work ethic (and was also very displeased with Reilly's real-life arrest by the LAPD for possession of controlled substances during a traffic stop), and as a result Bobby was featured much less prominently in later episodes of the season, with Bruce taking his place for most of the remainder episodes.

Cast of characters

• Larry Wilcox as Officer Jonathon A. Baker (1977-1982) / 7-Mary-3
• Erik Estrada as Officer Francis (Frank) Llewelyn "Ponch" Poncherello / 7-Mary-4
• Robert Pine as Sergeant Joe (Joseph) Getraer / S-4
• Lew Saunders as Officer Gene Fritz (1977-1979) / 5-David-5
• Brodie Greer as Officer Barry Baricza (1977-1982) / 7-Adam
• Paul Linke as Officer Artie (Arthur) Grossman / 7-Mary-5
• Brianne Leary as Officer Sindy Cahill (1978-1979) / 7-Charles
• Lou Wagner as Harlan Arliss, Automobile/Motorcycle Mechanic, CHP (1978-1983)
• Randi Oakes as Officer Bonnie Clark (1979-1982) / 7-Charles
• Michael Dorn as Officer Jebediah Turner (1979-1982) / 7-David
• Tom Reilly as Officer Bobby "Hot Dog" Nelson (1982-1983) / 7-Mary-7
• Tina Gayle as Officer Kathy Linahan (1982-1983) / 7-Mary-10
• Bruce Penhall as Cadet/Officer Bruce Nelson (1982-1983) / 7-Mary-8
• Clarence Gilyard, Jr. as Officer Benjamin Webster (1982-1983)
• Robert Englund as Mechanic Zack (1981)

Production

The character of Ponch was originally conceived to be Italian ("Poncherini"), but when Erik Estrada won the part, the character was changed to Hispanic American.

Filming locations were generally in the San Fernando Valley of California. Freeway crashes were performed on recently constructed highways that were about to open to the public. For the first season, the Glendale Freeway (Highway 2) in Montrose, California was used. After the first season, the intersection of the Foothill Freeway (Interstate 210) and the Simi Valley Freeway (Highway 118) in Sylmar, California were used. For the racing scenes in the episode Drive, Lady, Drive they used the Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California.

Although doubles were used for far-off shots and various stunt or action sequences, Wilcox and Estrada did a great deal of their own motorcycle riding, and performed many smaller stunts themselves. Although Wilcox emerged relatively injury-free, Estrada suffered various injures several times through-out the run of the series.

A Typical "CHiPs" Episode

"CHiPs" episodes were usually a combination of light comedy and melodrama. A typical episode would start with Ponch and Jon being assigned to patrol an interesting beat, such as Malibu or the Sunset Strip. In a staff briefing, Sgt. Getraer would warn CHiPs to be on the lookout for a criminal operation, such as people staging accidents as part of an insurance scheme or punk rockers breaking into cars. A few interesting, unrelated vignettes might transpire during the course of "routine" traffic stops. A light-hearted subplot would also be included, such as Harlan trying to hide a stray dog from Getraer. A more serious theme, such as Ponch trying to keep a kid from his old neighborhood out of a life of crime, might also be included. After a few failed attempts to apprehend the gang that had been menacing L.A.'s freeways, the episode would invariably culminate in Ponch and Jon leading a chase of the suspects (often assisted by other members of the division), climaxing with a spectacular series of stunt car crashes. The show then typically featured a dénouement of Ponch and Jon participating in a new activity (such as jet skiing or skydiving), designed to showcase the pair's glamorous Southern California lifestyle. Often, Ponch would attempt to impress a woman he had met during the episode with his athletic prowess, only to fall and provide Jon, Getraer and others with a hearty laugh.

Revivals

In 1998, a made for television movie sequel entitled CHiPs '99 was created by TNT, as the network's parent company owns the rights to the show.

In around 2003, there were reports of a new series of "CHiPs" to be made, set in San Francisco with a predominantly new cast. However, the reports came to nothing and the idea now seems to have been abandoned.

In 2005, a theatrical release motion picture version of the show was announced, starring Wilmer Valderrama as Ponch. The movie is tentatively set to be released in 2009. On an episode of Mad TV, Valderrama and the cast of That 70s Show acted in a parody of CHiPs, with Valderrama playing Ponch.

Trivia

• According to a 1998 TV Guide article, show creator Rick Rosner was a reserve deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office. During a coffee break on an evening patrol shift in the mid-70's he saw two young CHP officers on motorcycles which gave him the idea for this series. He later created 240-Robert, which seemed like a hybrid of CHiPs and Emergency!.
• Though public perception links the later P-Series Kawasaki Police Special with the series, in fact they rode the C-Series Kawasaki, which had an oval windshield rather than the later model's fiberglass fairing.
• During the original run of the series, syndicated reruns of older episodes were retitled CHiPs Patrol to avoid confusion. This was often mocked by fans, as it effectively made the title California Highway Patrol Patrol. Later syndicated reruns after the show went out of production reverted to the original title.
• Estrada and Wilcox never drew their firearms over the course of the series. They did, however, in "CHiPs 99".
• ...The only character on the series to ever draw his firearm on camera was Baricza (Brodie Greer). He did so twice: Once (his radio car's Ithaca 37 shotgun) in the episode, "Rainy Day", where the CHiPs conduct a felony traffic stop of a motorhome-based rolling casino; the second time while being attacked by a karate-trained vehicle burglar named Billy (played by Danny Bonaduce) in the episode, "Karate". In that episode, Billy (armed with nunchaku), gains the upper hand on Officer Baricza, at which point Baricza feels he has no other choice but to draw his weapon (a large framed Smith & Wesson revolver). Billy then runs in retreat to a waiting getaway van.
• Estrada and Wilcox lampooned their roles in the 1993 spoof movie Loaded Weapon 1. They appear in the shootout in the hotel and throughout the scene they fire weapons, at one point Ponch even fires a bullet into the wall next to Baker's head to get his attention over the din of the weapons.
• The rock band Seven Mary Three chose their name after the radio callsign used by Officer Jon Baker.
• Episodes will occasionally reference Jon Baker's service in Vietnam. This makes his character one of the earliest regular (and one of the more positive) portrayals of a Vietnam Veteran on television. In real life Larry Wilcox served 13 months in Vietnam as a Marine artilleryman.
• Erik Estrada was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident while filming an episode in August 1979. The accident and Estrada's subsequent hospitalization was incorporated into the series' storyline. Prior to being cast in CHiPs he had no experience with motorcycles, so he underwent an intensive eight-week course, learning how to ride. In 2007 it was revealed that he didn't hold a motorcycle license at the time CHiPs was in production, and only qualified for a license after three attempts, while preparing for an appearance on a reality television show, Back To The Grind, in 2007.
• Moltar, from the Cartoon Network program Space Ghost Coast to Coast, seems to have a CHiPs obsession. This is proven through out numerous episodes. Including the episode titled 'CHiPs, which was entirely based on the show. Also, Erik Estrada was a guest on the episode 'Untitled'.
• This show marks the debut of actor Clarence Gilyard, who joined the cast in the final season. Gilyard went on to perform the prime jobs of his life, co-starring in both Matlock and later, Walker, Texas Ranger, both in the 1990s.

Broadcast history

• Sep 1977-Mar 1978, NBC Thu 8:00-9:00
• Apr 1978, NBC Sat 8:00-9:00
• May 1978-Aug 1978, NBC Thu 8:00-9:00
• Sep 1978-Mar 1980, NBC Sat 8:00-9:00
• Mar 1980-Mar 1983, NBC Sun 8:00-9:00
• Apr 1983-May 1983, NBC Sun 7:00-8:00
• May 1983-Jul 1983, NBC Sun 8:00-9:00

The series was also successful in many other countries.

In the United Kingdom, it was broadcast by ITV. As with many imported programmes of the era, despite being very popular, the show was not networked for most of its run, with each region instead showing the series in their own selected timeslot, and episodes were quite often shown out of sequence from their original US order. Many regions showed much of the series in a Saturday tea-time slot around 5:35 p.m., although later this went on to cause a scheduling clash for fans of such US imports, as it clashed with BBC Ones run of The Dukes of Hazzard (in the days before video recorders were commonplace). For the last couple of seasons, most regions ran the series in a Saturday lunch-time 1:20 p.m. slot, interspread with runs of Airwolf (which began production the year after "CHiPs" finished, but many regions still had many "CHiPs" episodes yet to show). Although the show finished production in 1983, many regions did not complete their runs of the series until the later 1980s, in some cases almost ten years after the show had first appeared.

DVD Releases

On June 5, 2007 Warner Home Video released the first season of CHiPs on DVD in Region 1 for the very first time.

DVD Name	Ep #	Release Date
CHiPs: The Complete First Season	22	June 5, 2007
CHiPs: The Complete Second Season	22	June, 2008

External links

• CHiPs at IMDb
• CHiPs '99 at IMDb
• CHiPs 2008 at IMDb
• CHiPs Online
• CHiPs Wiki from CHiPs Online
• CHiPs Episode Guide
• CHiPs at Stage 1
• Free Episodes of CHiPs at AOL Video