CHiPs (1977 vs 2023) Cast: Then and Now [46 Years After] by HollywoodNuts
Officer Baker, who Larry Wilcox portrayed, was a beloved character and a member of CHiPs’ main cast. Baker contributed tact, care, and understanding. Officer Baker frequently undertook missions based on feelings as a result of his reputation for kindness. He was comforting mourning families and the like because of this. Larry Wilcox served in the army and spent 13 months in Vietnam while Baker gave back to the neighborhood with his compassion. He took part in the Tet Offensive there. His job took him back to America, where he had a historic acting debut in 22 episodes of Lassie. This allowed him plenty of opportunity to demonstrate his range to potential employers.
Wilcox now appreciates family time.
Wilcox showed interest in a variety of topics that brought a show to life during his life. He took his own camera to the set even when he was a cast member of CHiPs, keen to study how the show was made. He was able to write The Wolfman Jack Story with this support. Forgiven: This Gun4Hire is his most recent film credit. He co-stars with Shirley Jones, who achieved her greatest renown from The Partridge Family, and Richard Pryor Jr. in that film. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, including his daughters and wife Marlene, a member of the Olympic track squad.
Officer Francis Llewelyn “Ponch” Poncherello is played by Erik Estrada.
Real motorcycle police don’t usually ride in pairs. The program revealed that Erik Estrada’s persona was on probation so that viewers may still enjoy their relationship. His propensity for mischief necessitated the presence of a field training officer. Estrada expertly captured Ponch’s brash irresponsibility. In fact, Jon pulled him over for not wearing a helmet while riding his dirt bike, which is how problems found him on the force. With appropriate timing, Estrada rose to fame as an actor in The New Centurions (1972), a film about cops. As a result, he made a few brief appearances on other crime dramas, but joining the CHiPs ensemble had a significant impact.
When Estrada decided on his next move after acting, life imitated art.
Although he didn’t make our list of the Top 10 Heartthrobs from the 1970s, he did win the hearts of many. Ponch momentarily changed appearances due to a serious injury; Estrada shattered both wrists and damaged many ribs after falling off his bike and got into salary disagreements. Fortunately, he quickly made a comeback and quickly gained popularity on countless Spanish-language telenovelas. He also made an appearance in B-movies, pushing the limits and portraying…himself! The most intriguing development was that Estrada eventually joined the reserve police force and rode a reliable motorcycle.
Sergeant Joseph Getraer and Robert Pine
None other than Sergeant Joseph Getraer, also known as Joe, was portrayed by Robert Pine. Use that moniker if you want, but don’t stray from the usual in any other manner. Joe revered protocol and adhered strictly to the rules. His advice was more well-received than his description of a new assignment because the legendary motorcycling team, especially Ponch, always just went with their gut feelings. However, knowledge comes with experience, and both Joe and Robert Pine had a lot of it. Pine was the most seasoned performer in the CHiPs core cast. He received a huge break early on, beginning in 1964, and then broke out in the big time with Munster, Go Home (a 1966 movie adaptation of the popular series). Pine has seen it everything, from Gunsmoke and Mod Squad to.
Father and son Pine collaborated on the performance.
Pine currently has 227 projects under development. Yes, Pine still appears on shows like NCIS and Parks and Recreation at the age of 81. In the absence of Robert Pine, his equally well-known son is present. Chris Pine, who rose to fame for his roles as a teenage Captain Kirk in Star Trek and Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman, joins the ranks of other well-known Chrises in Hollywood. Just a few titles are mentioned there. Look no farther than Small Town Saturday Night from 2010 to witness a father and son working together on a project.
Officer Barry Baricza in Brodie Greer
Officer Barry Baricza, played by Brodie Greer, had a charming smile that could enchant anyone. His friends called him Bear. In what would be his most notable part, Greer flashed those dazzling teeth around the set from 1977 through 1982. His early career sounds similar to that of other performers of the day, even if it didn’t begin on Broadway; he was a cast member of a soap opera, in this instance Days of Our Lives.
Greer now instructs volleyball.
When CHiPs ended, Greer got a few little gigs here and there but was largely inactive until the show’s reunion. CHiPs ended up being one of his biggest career turning points. The 1999 film L.A. Heat might have provided a fresh start in acting, but that was not to be. Greer presently instructs volleyball in Carmel, California, at the age of 73. At least he received a fantastic spike right away!
Officer Arthur Grossman in Paul Linke
Years ago, gambling was associated with a lot of stigma, but Officer Arthur Grossman continued to gamble. Paul Linke’s character, Grossman, gambled, wrote, read, and for Halloween, he dressed as the Hobgoblin. Linke had roles in a number of other hugely famous sitcoms at the period, such as The Waltons and Happy Days, before joining the police. As the son of Marion Ross’s character in Grand Theft Auto, he also forged a deep bond with the audience.
Both performers, he and Christine Healy, are now wed.
He and actor Christine Healy are now wed. / YouTube screenshot
They both benefited from their relationship with Howard in the end. Linke and Howard reconnected after their time on CHiPs for the 1989 film Parenthood, which also starred the occasionally recognizable Steve Martin. He is currently 74 and married to actor Christine Healy, his second wife. His program Time Flies When You’re Alive: A Real-Life Love Story was motivated by the loss of his first wife.
Harlan Arliss and Lou Wagner
Lou Wagner joined the CHiPs cast in season 2 as mechanic Harlan Arliss. Since the leading duo would need to take care of their bikes in real life, especially with all the messes they got into, this position ended up being pretty crucial. Unfortunately for them, but thankfully for spectators looking for a good laugh, Arliss’ mechanic abilities were lacking. Since he had previously made a name for himself as Lucious the chimpanzee in the original Planet of the Apes (1968), Wagner thankfully brought his A-game in Arliss’ place.
We’re still waiting for one of his movies.
When he wasn’t “fixing” cars, he spent 15 years playing The Professor, a character in various McDonald’s commercials, which helped fix hungry tummies. One of his most notable jobs was his role in Raising Hope from 2012 to 2014. He also appeared in the 2018 film Breaking Mad, which starred Ed Asner, but no one has seen it yet because it hasn’t been released. He excelled at whatever his role required!
Bonnie Clark, Officer Randi Oakes
Before joining the CHiPs cast as a feisty patrol cop, cop Bonnie Clark was a farm girl. Officer Clark ultimately blended in because she trusted her instincts when they came to her. Randi Oakes had a brief appearance in a 1976 episode of McCloud before to taking on the role of Clark on CHiPs. Despite being brief, it was sufficient for her to get started because the next year, she was enrolled in CHiPs.