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) |
| 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, hang-glider, sky-diver, wind-surfer, waterskiier (he claims), demolition derby driver, square dancer, drag racer, volleyball player, 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[13]) and Ding Dongs[14]. He claims to make "a mean potato salad."[2] He often takes to work a sandwich which Harlan calls a "Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothy".[15] Ponch keeps junk food in a plastic bag in his saddle bag.[16] In the sixth season, his partner is Bobby Nelson[17]...until Bruce Nelson becomes his partner later on.[18]
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 the woman he met in a car accident in the first episode and had a son, Frank Jr.. When his wife became ill, Ponch retired to care for his family. After her death, be became a painter to get his mind off of it.[19]
In 1999, Ponch re-joined the California Highway Patrol.[19]
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!"
- ↑ 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 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"
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Episode "CHiPs" '99: ""CHiPs" '99"