Who is Erik Estrada?
Erik Estrada is an American actor. Erik Estrada is best known for his role in the television drama series ‘CHiPs’. His portrayal of Frank “Ponch” Poncherello in the television drama elevated him to one of America’s most popular television performers in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Erik Estrada- Birth, Parents, Siblings & Education
Erik Estrada was born on March 16, 1949, in East Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, to Carmen, a seamstress, and Renaldo Estrada. He was born in Puerto Rico.
His parents divorced when he was two years old, and he moved in with his mother, siblings, and grandfather. Despite his grandfather’s best efforts to provide the child with fatherly advice, he rarely saw his father after his parent’s divorce.
He joined the Drama Club in high school and quickly discovered that he has natural acting abilities. He quickly found himself in lead roles in school plays and decided to pursue a career as an actor.
He attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy after graduating from high school.
Net Worth of Erik Estrada? Salary, Education
Erik Estrada’s net worth is estimated to be $2 million.
Relationship, Married Life, Boyfriend/Girlfriend
Erik Estrada married Joyce Miller in 1979. However, it was a short-lived relationship that ended in divorce after only a few months in 1980.
He married Peggy Lynn Rowe, a music executive, songwriter, and producer, in 1985. They had two sons before divorcing in 1990.
Erik is now married to sound specialist Nanette Mirkovich, whom he married in 1997. They have one child, a daughter.
Body Measurement- height, Weight, Hair Color
Erik Estrada has a height of 5 feet 10 inches.
Erik Estrada- Professional Career
Estrada’s first major break came in 1970 when actor-director Don Murray cast him in the film adaptation of the novel ‘The Cross and the Switchblade’ as Nicky, a gang boss.
The film received widespread attention for its powerful anti-drug and life-changing message, and Estrada received a positive critical response.
In the 1972 film ‘The New Centurions,’ he was cast as a rookie officer. The film marked his debut as a cop, a role he would reprise in a number of subsequent films and television shows.
Throughout the next few years, he appeared in films such as ‘Airport’ (1975), ‘Trackdown’ (1976), and ‘Midway’ (1977).
He quickly won over his audience and amassed a sizable fan base because he was both handsome and talented.
He also made numerous cameo appearances on television shows such as ‘Medical Center,’ ‘Hawaii Five-O,’ and ‘Baretta’ during the 1970s.
In 1977, he landed the role of macho police officer Frank Llewellyn “Ponch” Poncherello in the television drama ‘CHiPs,’ which followed the lives of two California Highway Patrol motorcycle cops. Actor Larry Wilcox played Officer Jonathan “Jon” Baker.
The show was an instant fan favorite, and Estrada quickly rose to international celebrity, garnering admiration for his brooding good looks, muscular physique, and on-screen exploits.
The popular show ran for six seasons and 139 episodes, ending in May 1983.
He continued to act in a variety of other roles after the show ended, but he was unable to replicate his popularity in ‘CHiPs’. He appeared in a number of low-budget films, mostly in supporting roles, in the late 1980s.
He made his television debut in a three-part episode of the police drama ‘Hunter’ in 1987.
His fortunes improved in the 1990s when he was cast as Johnny in the television series ‘Two Women, One Road’ (Dos Mujeres, un Camino).
He prepared for this role by enrolling in Berlitz Spanish classes for 30 days. His perseverance paid off, as the series lasted nearly 400 episodes.
Estrada is also a voice actor, having appeared in several children’s animation shows. He did voiceovers for the Cartoon Network show ‘Sealab 2021,’ in which he played a parody of himself.
He also narrated the television show ‘Space Ghost: Coast to Coast.
In recent years, he has appeared in a number of reality television shows, most notably the CBS reality show ‘Armed & Famous,’ which aired for a short time.
In 2010, he co-hosted a weekly series called ‘The World’s Funniest Moments’ with Laura McKenzie and acted in the film ‘Finding Faith’ in 2013.
Estrada was named one of the “Top Ten Sexiest Bachelors in the World” by People magazine in 1979, and he appeared on the November cover.
Also Read: Erin Osweiler, Eric Nam, Arpad Busson, Romeo Miller
Social Media
His social media handles are unknown.
Quick Facts of Erik Estrada
- He is also an advocate for social issues, and in 2000, he was named the international “Face” of D.A.R.E., a drug prevention campaign.
- He also supports the American Heart Association and the United Way, and he promotes national child-seat safety checks.
- His net worth is estimated to be $2 million.
- Estrada has a height of 5 feet 10 inches.
- He quickly won over his audience and amassed a sizable fan base because he was both handsome and talented.
