Frank Poncherello
| Francis Llewellyn Poncherello | |
| Actor | Erik Estrada |
| Appears in | Seasons 1 through 6 (1977 - 1983) |
| Call Numbers | 7 Mary 4 / 7 Mary 6 in Season 6 / 79 Mary 4 in 1999 |
| Badge Number | B600 |
Francis Llewellyn Poncherello[1][2] (aka "Ponch") is a graduate of Lehigh Polytechnical High School where he set the school's all time record for visits to the principal's office.[1] He has brothers named Robert and Martin and a sister, Patti. Robert and Martin both work for his father in Chicago. He also has an uncle Henry.[2]
It was Jon Baker who convinced him to join the CHP.[3] He was commissioned in 1975 as an officer of the law.[4] Six months before the first episode, he was assigned as a partner to Jon Baker as part of his six month probation.[5]
Ponch used to live in a mobile home for two years but sold it for $2625 and moved to an apartment in "Family Crisis".[6] He planned to buy furniture, an 8 track, and a car with the money. He also used to drive his motor home around...but bought a burned out Trans Am for $83 in "Neighborhood Watch"[7] which has been wrecked at least three times (once by a thief in a late second-season episode, once by Jon[8], and by a forklift[9]).
Later, Ponch became "The Barcelona Man" for a jeans ad.[10] He's also an LA Rams fan.
Ponch's talents include: skate boarder, street/roller hockey player, handball, racquetball[5], basketball[11], bowler[12], student pilot, singer, jet-skier[4], hang-glider, sky-diver, wind-surfer, waterskiier (he claims), demolition derby driver, square dancer, drag racer, volleyball player[13], chess player, and black belt in Karate. He wears a 9 1/2C bowling shoe.[12]
Ponch enjoys eating Tutti-frutti ice cream (although he has been known to eat strawberry[14]) and Ding Dongs[15]. He claims to make "a mean potato salad."[2] He often takes to work a sandwich which Harlan calls a "Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothy".[16] Ponch keeps junk food in a plastic bag in his saddle bag.[17] In the sixth season, his partner is Bobby Nelson[18]...until Bruce Nelson becomes his partner later on.[19]
Shortly after the sixth season, Jon Baker returned to the CHP and became Ponch's partner for another year and a half. At some point during this time, Ponch married Carol, the woman he met in a car accident in the first episode. He had a son, Frank Jr.. When his wife became ill, Ponch retired to care for his family. After her death, be became a painter for ten years to get his mind off of it and painted the Golden Gate Bridge. About 15 years after he last saw Jon, he returned to the CHP in Marin County. When Bruce Nelson was promoted to sergeant, he took a temporary transfer to Los Angeles. After playing a major part in breaking up a carjacking ring, Captain Baker and Commissioner Getraer made the transfer permanent.[20]
Additional information
Ponch will be played by Wilmer Valderrama in the upcoming CHiPs Movie.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Episode 105: "Career Day"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Episode 106: "Baby Food"
- ↑ Episode 122: "Flashback!"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Episode 115: "Surf's Up"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Episode 101: "Pilot"
- ↑ Episode 203: "Family Crisis"
- ↑ Episode 205: "Neighborhood Watch"
- ↑ Episode 312: "Destruction Derby"
- ↑ Episode 410: "Forty Tons of Trouble"
- ↑ Episode 602: "Tight Fit"
- ↑ Episode 102: "Undertow"
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Episode 109: "Hustle"
- ↑ Episode 119: "Crash Diet"
- ↑ Episode 321: "The Strippers"
- ↑ Episode 108: "Green Thumb Burglar"
- ↑ Episode 403: "To Your Health"
- ↑ Episode 111: "Name Your Price"
- ↑ Episode 601: "Meet the New Guy"
- ↑ Episode 620: "Fast Company"
- ↑ Episode "CHiPs" '99: ""CHiPs" '99"