Erik Estrada
- Birthday
- Mar 16, 1949
Bio: Born in Spanish Harlem, Erik Estrada was compelled to go to work at an early age to help support his large, fatherless family. While a student at Brandeis High, Estrada was encouraged by his girlfriend to audition for school plays. The acting bug bit hard, and soon Estrada was working overtime in a laundromat to pay his tuition at the American Musical Dramatic… More Bio: Born in Spanish Harlem, Erik Estrada was compelled to go to work at an early age to help support his large, fatherless family. While a student at Brandeis High, Estrada was encouraged by his girlfriend to audition for school plays. The acting bug bit hard, and soon Estrada was working overtime in a laundromat to pay his tuition at the American Musical Dramatic Academy. He also served as errand boy/interpreter for film companies working in the neighborhood. His first professional movie appearance was as a street punk in The Cross and the Switchblade; he won the role over 100 aspirants by ad-libbing his audition, convincingly wielding a prop knife as he spoke. His next important film role was Spanish rookie cop Sergio Duran in The New Centurions (1972), and it was this assignment that led to a spate of TV guest appearances. In 1977, he was cast as motorcycle patrolman Frank "Ponch" Poncherello on the hit TV series CHiPs In 1979, he was nearly killed in a stunting accident; fortunately, he made a complete physical recovery, and remained with the series until its 1983 cancellation. After the demise of CHiPs Estrada's acting career went into decline, though he has enjoyed a career renaissance of late as the heartthrob star of Spanish-language TV soap operas. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Erik Estrada Pictures
Erik Estrada Videos
Kickin' It Old Skool
Border Blues
National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1
The Naked Truth
Guns
Filmography
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Husband for Hire (2008)
- Actor
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Dos Mujeres, Un Camino (2008)
- Actor
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Kickin' It Old Skool (2007)
- Himself
- 2%
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Maya & Miguel - Cinco de Maya (2006)
- Actor
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Maya & Miguel - Funny Fix-Ups (2005)
- Actor
- See all 54 films
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