Erik Estrada, an American actor and reserve police officer, has a net worth of $4 million. He is best known for his role as California Highway Patrol officer Frank Poncherello on the NBC police drama “CHiPs.” Beyond this iconic role, Estrada has appeared in Spanish-language telenovelas, various television series, infomercials, and reality TV programs. His film credits include “Hour of the Assassin,” “Caged Fury,” and “The Naked Truth.”
| Erik Estrada Net Worth | $4 Million |
| Date of Birth | Mar 16, 1949 |
| Place of Birth | East Harlem, Manhattan, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Actor, Reserve Police Officer |
Early Life
Erik Estrada was born Henry Enrique Estrada in 1949 in East Harlem, Manhattan, New York, to Puerto Rican parents Carmen Moreno and Renildo Estrada. He made his film debut in 1970, co-starring with Pat Boone in “The Cross and the Switchblade.” In 1972, he appeared in the Christian-themed film “The Ballad of Billie Blue” and played an LAPD officer in “The New Centurions,” alongside George C. Scott and Stacy Keach. Estrada made his television debut in 1973 on an episode of CBS’s “Hawaii Five-O.”
CHiPs
Throughout the 1970s, Estrada appeared on several popular TV shows, including “Emergency!,” “Kojak,” “Mannix,” “Medical Center,” “The Six Million Dollar Man,” and “Barnaby Jones.” His most famous role came in 1977 as Frank “Ponch” Poncherello on “CHiPs,” a crime drama series about California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers, co-starring Larry Wilcox. The show ran for six seasons from 1977 to 1983. In 1979, Estrada was severely injured while filming a scene, resulting in broken wrists and fractured ribs. Later that year, People Magazine named him one of the “10 Sexiest Bachelors in the World.”
After “CHiPs,” Estrada returned to television in 1987 with a three-part episode of NBC’s “Hunter” and appeared in the telenovela “Rosa Salvaje.” His most notable telenovela role was in “Dos mujeres, un camino” in 1993, where he played Johnny, a trucker from Tijuana. This telenovela, originally scheduled for 100 episodes, extended to over 200, becoming one of the biggest telenovelas in Latin American television history. For this role, Estrada reportedly earned 1 million pesos.
Later Television Career
Post-“Dos mujeres, un camino,” Estrada co-hosted “American Adventurer,” a syndicated outdoor adventure show, until 2004. In the 1990s, he appeared on “Cybill,” “Pauly,” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” “Over the Top,” “Baywatch,” and “Homeboys in Outer Space.” He reprised his role as Frank Poncherello in the 1998 TV film “CHiPs ’99” and lent his voice to “King of the Hill” and “Family Guy.”
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In 2001, Estrada joined the CBS daytime soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful” and did voiceovers for “Sealab 2021” on Cartoon Network. His other television appearances include “American Family,” “Drake & Josh,” “Scrubs,” and “According to Jim.” Estrada has also done infomercials for National Recreational Properties and commercials for Burger King. He has appeared on reality shows such as “The Surreal Life,” “Armed & Famous,” and Univision’s “Mira Quien Baila.” In 2010, he began co-hosting “The World’s Funniest Moments” with Laura McKenzie.
Film Career
In the 1970s, Estrada appeared in films like “Airport 1975,” “Trackdown,” and “Midway.” The 1980s saw him in “Where is Parsifal?,” “Light Blast,” “Hour of the Assassin,” and “Alien Seed.” His 1990s film credits include “A Show of Force,” “Caged Fury,” “Guns,” “Do or Die,” “The Naked Truth,” and “Shattered Dreams.”
In the 2000s, Estrada appeared in “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder,” “Border Blues,” and “Mother Goose Parade.” In 2013, he played Sheriff Brown in “Finding Faith,” a film about a teen kidnapped after meeting someone online. He also appeared in the Christian drama “Virtuous” and the animated film “El Americano: The Movie.”
Activism and Law Enforcement
Estrada became the international face of D.A.R.E., a drug prevention education program, in 2000. He has supported groups such as the American Heart Association, the United Way, and the C.H.P. Foundation. He also promotes the C.H.P.’s car seat inspection and installation program.
Leveraging his “CHiPs” experience, Estrada became a reserve officer for the Muncie, Indiana police department. He later worked as an investigator in Bedford County, Virginia, focusing on internet crimes against children. In 2016, he became a reserve police officer in St. Anthony, Idaho.
Personal Life
Estrada’s first marriage was to Joyce Miller in 1979, ending in divorce the following year. In 1985, he married Peggy Lynn Rowe, an entertainment executive and songwriter. They had two sons, Anthony Erik and Brandon Michael-Paul, before divorcing in 1990. In 1997, Estrada married film sound technician Nanette Mirkovich, and their daughter, Francesca Natalia, was born in 2000.
Erik Estrada Net Worth
Erik Estrada net worth is $4 million.
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