Editing Erik Estrada (section)

== Career ==
===1970–2000===
In 1970, Estrada made his film debut in the role of [[Nicky Cruz]], alongside [[Pat Boone]], in the [[independent film]] ''[[The Cross and the Switchblade]]''. In 1972, he appeared in a small role as a police officer in ''[[The New Centurions]]'', which was followed by a significant role in a major motion picture, the [[Jack Smight]] [[disaster film]], ''[[Airport 1975]]'', where he played Julio, the [[womanizing]] flight engineer on a [[Boeing 747]]. The following year, he again worked with Smight in the successful military historical epic ''[[Midway (1976 film)|Midway]]'', as a fictional airman Ens. "Chili Bean" Ramos.
[[File:Erik Estrada Larry Wilcox CHiPS 1977.jpg|thumb|Estrada and [[Larry Wilcox]] on ''[[CHiPs]]'' in 1977.]]
Beginning in 1977, Estrada co-starred as Frank "Ponch" Poncharello in the TV series ''[[CHiPs]]''.  In 1978, he began training in [[martial arts]] with SeishinDo Kenpo instructor Frank Argelander (Frank Landers), to prepare for a two-part episode of the series. The two appeared on the cover of ''Fighting Stars Magazine'' that same year, discussing Estrada's training regimen. On August 6, 1979, Estrada was seriously injured while filming a scene on the set of ''CHiPs'', fracturing several ribs and breaking both wrists after he was thrown from his {{convert|600|lb|adj=on}} motorcycle.<ref name="YahooMovies">{{cite web|url=https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800015234/bio |title=Erik Estrada biography |publisher=[[Yahoo! Movies]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102070415/http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800015234/bio |archive-date=November 2, 2011 |df=mdy }}</ref>

Later in 1979, Estrada was voted one of "The 10 Sexiest Bachelors in the World" by ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' magazine and was featured on the cover of the November issue.<ref name="YahooMovies" /> Following a salary dispute with NBC in the fall of 1981, Estrada was briefly replaced by Olympic [[Gold Medal]]ist and actor [[Bruce Jenner]]. Following co-star [[Larry Wilcox]]'s 1982 departure from the series amid behind-the-scenes friction, Estrada carried the remaining season of ''CHiPs'' without most of the supporting cast from the previous four seasons (who were fired due to budget costs), and the show was eventually canceled in 1983. In the 1980s, Estrada appeared in a string of low-budget films. He made a return to series television in a 1987 three-part episode of the police drama ''[[Hunter (1984 U.S. TV series)|Hunter]]''.

In the 1990s, Estrada played the role of Johnny, a [[Tijuana]] trucker, in the [[Televisa]] ''telenovela'' ''[[Dos mujeres, un camino]]'' ("Two women, one path"). He shared the main credits with Mexican actresses/singers [[Laura Leon]] and [[Bibi Gaytán]]. Originally slated for 100 episodes, the show went to 200-plus episodes and became the biggest ''telenovela'' in Latin American history.<ref name="YahooMovies" /> He was reportedly paid one million pesos for that role.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://profiles.incredible-people.com/erik-estrada|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719054658/http://profiles.incredible-people.com/erik-estrada|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 19, 2012|title=Erik Estrada|publisher=Incredible-People.com}}</ref>

In 1994, Estrada began co-hosting the syndicated outdoor adventure show ''American Adventurer'', which ran until 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://couchville.com/show/american-adventurer/episodes|title=American Adventurer: Episodes|publisher=Couchville.com|access-date=November 26, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731125831/http://couchville.com/show/american-adventurer/episodes|archive-date=July 31, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1995, he made a special guest appearance as Ponch in [[punk rock]] band [[Bad Religion]]'s music video "[[Infected (song)|Infected]]", as well as in the video for the [[Butthole Surfers]]'s video for "[[Pepper (song)|Pepper]]". He has also been seen on a few episodes of ''[[Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996 TV series)|Sabrina the Teenage Witch]]'' as himself, seen in a daydream cloud in Hilda's mind and driving a car as Hilda zapped herself in his car.

In 1997, Estrada wrote his autobiography, ''Erik Estrada: My Road from Harlem to Hollywood''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Erik Estrada: My Road from Harlem to Hollywood|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780688142933|url-access=registration|first1=Erik|last1=Estrada|first2=Davin|last2=Seay|isbn=0-688-14293-1|publisher=William Morrow & Company|year=1997}}</ref> In 1998, he returned as the character Francis "Ponch" Poncherello in the TNT made-for-TV movie ''[[CHiPs '99]]'', along with the rest of the original cast.

===2000–present===
In 2001, Estrada landed a role on the daytime drama ''[[The Bold and the Beautiful]]'' as Eduardo Dominguez.<ref name="imdb">{{IMDb name|0261805}}</ref> In 2002, he played a game-show host on the [[Disney Channel]] series ''[[Lizzie McGuire]]'' with [[Hilary Duff]]. He also made a guest appearance on an episode of ''[[Spy TV]]'' in 2002. He has also had a regular role doing voiceovers for the [[Cartoon Network]] show ''[[Sealab 2021]]'', where he would parody himself. He also appeared in an episode of another Cartoon Network show, ''[[Space Ghost: Coast to Coast]]'', which features a character named Moltar who has an obsession with Estrada and'' CHiPS'', as a guest. Estrada has also guest-starred on the children's cartoon ''[[Maya & Miguel]]''.

Estrada has appeared in music videos, such as [[Eminem]]'s music video "[[Just Lose It]]". A band named after him ([[Estradasphere]]) is based in [[Santa Cruz, California]]. Estrada also made guest appearances on ''[[The Wayans Bros.]]'', ''[[Unhappily Ever After]]'', the Nickelodeon comedy ''[[Drake & Josh]]'', NBC's ''[[Scrubs (TV series)|Scrubs]]'' and ''[[My Name Is Earl]]'', and ABC's ''[[According to Jim]]''.

Estrada has done a long-running series of infomercials as a national spokesman for [[National Recreational Properties, Inc.|National Recreational Properties]], selling undeveloped real estate property in such locations as [[Siskiyou County, California]]; [[Lake Shastina, California]]; [[California City, California]]; [[Ocean Shores, Washington]]; [[Colorado]]; and recently, [[Tellico Village, Tennessee]] and [[Bella Vista, Arkansas]].

Estrada began appearing in [[Burger King]] TV commercials in September 2009.  In the ads, he (playing himself) attended a class on endorsing products led by race car driver [[Tony Stewart]].  During the spoof, Estrada seeks to understand why American consumers were not interested in purchasing his "Estrada" sunglasses that noticeably had his last name written boldly across the lens.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}}

More recently, Estrada appeared in a number of reality television shows. In 2004, he starred in both the second season of ''[[The Surreal Life]]'' and in ''Discovery Health Body Challenge''. He also starred in the short-lived CBS reality show, ''[[Armed & Famous]]''. In 2008, Estrada appeared in ''[[Husband for Hire]]'', a television movie starring [[Nadine Velazquez]] and [[Mario López]]. After a series of specials, in 2010, Estrada and [[Laura McKenzie]] began co-hosting a weekly series, ''[[The World's Funniest Moments]]'', which began as a [[myNetworkTV]] series hosted by [[Arsenio Hall]].

In 2011, Estrada was a contestant on the [[Mira quién baila (season 2)|second season]] of the Spanish [[Univision]] reality show [[Mira quién baila (American TV series)|''Mira Quien Baila'']], a weekly dance competition similar to ''[[Dancing with the Stars (American TV series)|Dancing with the Stars]]'', in which he finished in third place out of ten contestants. In 2013, he starred in ''Finding Faith'', a film about a young teenager who is kidnapped from a meeting planned online. The story of sexual predation is based on true incidents investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Estrada toured with the film, aiming to educate parents and young people about the dangers of [[child grooming|online grooming]].<ref name="Faith"/>
Eric played a minor role as a paramedic at the end of the movie in the 2017 movie "Chips"

=== Activism ===
In 2000, Estrada was named the international "Face" of [[Drug Abuse Resistance Education|D.A.R.E.]] which is a campaign against drugs.<ref>[https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800015234/bio Yahoo Estrada Profile] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102070415/http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800015234/bio |date=November 2, 2011}}</ref><ref name="Official"/> He also speaks out for the [[American Heart Association]], [[United Way of America|the United Way]], and the C.H.P. [[11-99 Foundation]], a [[non-profit organization|nonprofit organization]] that provides benefits and scholarships to California Highway Patrol family members, as well as funeral expenses for fallen officers.<ref name="Official">{{cite web |url=http://www.erikestrada.com/bio.htm |title=Erik Estrada Bio |publisher=erikestrada.com |access-date=June 3, 2010 |archive-date=January 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122142433/http://www.erikestrada.com/bio.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref> Estrada's experience in ''CHiPs'' led him to become a reserve officer for the Muncie Police Department in [[Muncie, Indiana]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/28059889/ns/today-entertainment/t/erik-estrada-patrol-indiana-police/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111206044718/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/28059889/ns/today-entertainment/t/erik-estrada-patrol-indiana-police |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 6, 2011 |title="Erik Estrada to patrol with Indiana police" MSNBC " December 4 2004 |publisher=[[MSNBC]] |date=December 4, 2008 |access-date=December 8, 2014}}</ref> Estrada became spokesperson for the [[California Highway Patrol|C.H.P.]]'s "car seat inspection and installation" program. He has made numerous appearances supporting automobile child-seat safety checks across the country.<ref>[http://www.flhsmv.gov/fhp/photogallery/2006/PG080106.htm "FHP Teams Up with TV Star and 21st Century to Promote Child Safety"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110117194034/http://www.flhsmv.gov/fhp/PhotoGallery/2006/PG080106.htm |date=January 17, 2011}}. Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles</ref> He appeared in [[Española, New Mexico]], on May 28, 2009, to promote the "100 Days and Nights of Summer" traffic safety and anti-DWI campaign that involves the New Mexico State Police.<ref>[http://www.nmshtd.state.nm.us/upload/images/Traffic_Safety/pdf/July%2009.pdf "'Ponch' Lends a Hand" July 2009 ''Traffic Safety News''. New Mexico Department of Transportation – Traffic Safety Bureau] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929035551/http://www.nmshtd.state.nm.us/upload/images/Traffic_Safety/pdf/July%2009.pdf |date=September 29, 2011}}</ref>

=== Law enforcement ===
Estrada became a reserve police officer for the [[Muncie, Indiana]], Police Department, depicted on ''Armed & Famous''. From there, Estrada moved to Virginia, where he was an I.C.A.C. (Internet Crimes Against Children) investigator for eight years in [[Bedford County, Virginia]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/for-chips-estrada-life-imitates-art/ |title=For CHiPs' Estrada, Life Imitates Art |date=February 11, 2009 |work=CBS News |access-date=June 11, 2011 |archive-date=January 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110214042/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/01/entertainment/main4224835.shtml |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=HallmarkDiamonds>{{cite web |url=https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/picture-perfect-mysteries-dead-over-diamonds/cast/erik-estrada |title=Picture Perfect Mysteries: Dead Over Diamonds Cast – Erik Estrada |date=n.d. | access-date =February 16, 2020 | work = Hallmark Movies & Mysteries | publisher = Crown Media}}</ref> As of July 1, 2016, he was a reserve police officer in [[St. Anthony, Idaho]]. In the course of his duties, Estrada has been filmed patrolling on a police motorcycle.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://idahostatejournal.com/news/local/superman-dean-cain-joins-st-anthony-police-department-reserves/article_34155706-66ea-5906-9daf-c16297abb7e2.html |title='Superman' Dean Cain joins St. Anthony Police Department reserves |first=Lisa Dayley |last=Smith |date=June 19, 2018 |location=St. Anthony, Idaho |work=[[Idaho State Journal]] |access-date=February 24, 2020}}</ref>