"CHiPs" (1977) TV series 1977-1983

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Creator:

Rick Rosner
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

15 September 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

The adventures of two California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers.

Plot Keywords:

California | Motorcycle | Highway Patrol | Police | Road

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Erik Estrada	...	Officer Francis Llewellyn 'Ponch' Poncherello (139 episodes, 1977-1983)
Robert Pine	...	Sgt. Joseph Getraer (139 episodes, 1977-1983)
Larry Wilcox	...	Officer Jon Baker (117 episodes, 1977-1982)
Paul Linke	...	Officer Arthur Grossman (66 episodes, 1977-1983)

(more)

Series Directed by
Phil Bondelli		(22 episodes, 1978-1983)
John Florea		(19 episodes, 1978-1983)
Gordon Hessler		(12 episodes, 1978-1982)
Barry Crane		(11 episodes, 1978-1982)
Leslie H. Martinson		(11 episodes, 1981-1982)
Don Weis		(9 episodes, 1979-1980)
Charles Bail		(7 episodes, 1981-1983)
Michael Caffey		(5 episodes, 1977-1981)
Bruce Kessler		(4 episodes, 1979-1981)
Georg Fenady		(3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Paul Krasny		(3 episodes, 1977-1978)
John Astin		(3 episodes, 1982-1983)
Christian I. Nyby II		(2 episodes, 1977)
Ric Rondell		(2 episodes, 1977)
Larry Wilcox		(2 episodes, 1979-1980)
Harvey S. Laidman		(2 episodes, 1979)
Earl Bellamy		(2 episodes, 1981)
Arnold Laven		(2 episodes, 1981)
Richard Irving		(2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Robert Pine		(2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Winrich Kolbe		(2 episodes, 1982)
Don Chaffey		(unknown episodes)
Donald L. Gold		(unknown episodes)
Alexander Grasshoff		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Rudolph Borchert		(14 episodes, 1978-1982)
L. Ford Neale		(11 episodes, 1978-1982)
Rick Mittleman		(10 episodes, 1977-1982)
John Huff		(10 episodes, 1979-1982)
James Doherty		(9 episodes, 1978-1982)
James Schmerer		(9 episodes, 1978-1981)
William D. Gordon		(8 episodes, 1978-1981)
Larry Alexander		(7 episodes, 1977-1982)
Bruce Shelly		(6 episodes, 1977-1982)
Frank Telford		(6 episodes, 1978-1981)
Joseph Gunn		(6 episodes, 1982-1983)
Larry Mollin		(6 episodes, 1982-1983)
Gerald Sanford		(6 episodes, 1982-1983)
Stephen Lord		(5 episodes, 1978-1982)
Paul Mason		(4 episodes, 1982-1983)
William Douglas Lansford		(3 episodes, 1980-1982)
Rick Rosner		(2 episodes, 1977-1983)
Paul Robert Coyle		(2 episodes, 1977-1979)
Jock MacKelvie		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Skip Webster		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Max Hodge		(2 episodes, 1978-1980)
Jerry Thomas		(2 episodes, 1978-1980)
Frank Chase		(2 episodes, 1979-1981)
Kenneth Dorward		(2 episodes, 1980-1981)
Loraine Despres		(2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Donald L. Gold		(2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Barry Jacobs		(2 episodes, 1983)
Stuart Jacobs		(2 episodes, 1983)
Jack Hanrahan		(unknown episodes)
Ivan Nagy		(unknown episodes)
Bruce Reisman		(unknown episodes)
Elliott Street		(unknown episodes)
Shirley Ulmer		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Paul Rabwin	....	producer (116 episodes, 1978-1993)
Rick Rosner	....	producer (2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Ric Rondell	....	associate producer (2 episodes, 1977)
Randall Torno	....	associate producer (2 episodes, 1982-1983)

Series Original Music by
Alan Silvestri		(2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Billy May		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Robert F. Sparks		(7 episodes, 1977-1983)

Series Film Editing by
William Neel		(2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Richard Freeman		(unknown episodes)
Joe Morrisey		(unknown episodes)
Richard E. Rabjohn		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Cathy Henderson		(47 episodes, 1980-1982)
Gary Shaffer		(2 episodes, 1977)
Joe Scully		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Joseph M. Altadonna		(22 episodes, 1977-1978)
Stephen Myles Berger		(2 episodes, 1982-1983)

Series Set Decoration by
W. Joe Kroesser		(3 episodes, 1977-1983)

Series Makeup Department
John Norin	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1977)
Richard Cobos	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Don Lynch	....	hair stylist (2 episodes, 1982-1983)

Series Production Management
Barry Stern	....	unit production manager (1 episode, 1977)
Donald L. Gold	....	unit production manager (1 episode, 1982)
Steven P. Saeta	....	unit production manager (1 episode, 1983)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Denny Salvaryn	....	assistant director (56 episodes, 1980-1982)
Paul Rabwin	....	second unit director (13 episodes, 1978-1982)
John M. Poer	....	first assistant director (13 episodes, 1978)
Robert S. Mills	....	dga trainee (5 episodes, 1979)
Yoram Ben-Ami	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Forrest L. Futrell	....	second assistant director / trainee assistant director (unknown episodes)
Charles Norton	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Lindsley Parsons III	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Richard T. Schor	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Duncan McEwan	....	sound recordist (69 episodes, 1979-1982)
Hal Watkins	....	sound (2 episodes, 1977)
M. Curtis Price	....	sound (2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Harlan Riggs	....	sound (2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Marty Church	....	adr mixer / foley mixer (unknown episodes)
George E. Marshall Jr.	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)
Ed Osborne	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Pat Elmendorf	....	special effects (1 episode, 1977)
Andrew Miller	....	special effects foreman (unknown episodes)
Christophor Newkirk	....	special effects assistant (unknown episodes)
Dale Newkirk	....	special effects foreman (unknown episodes)
Marlowe Newkirk	....	special effects coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Paul Nuckles	....	stunt coordinator (3 episodes, 1977-1983)
Rick Cirimele	....	stunts / stunt performer (3 episodes, 1979-1982)
Richard Epper	....	stunts / stunt performer (3 episodes, 1979-1980)
Chips	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1980-1982)
Jesse Wayne	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1981)
Kenny Bates	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Bud Davis	....	assistant stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Tom Elliott	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Debbie Evans	....	stunt driving: motorcycles / stunts (unknown episodes)
Greg Gault	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Chuck Hicks	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Dennis Lehane	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Ray Lykins	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Jim McConnell	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Eddie Paul	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Stafford	....	key assistant camera (27 episodes, 1978-1980)
Earl C. Williman	....	gaffer (24 episodes, 1979-1980)
Thomas P. Powell	....	lighting technician (22 episodes, 1977-1978)
Virgil E. Hammond III	....	camera technician: Cinemobile Systems (7 episodes, 1982)
Fred R. Krug	....	camera operator (6 episodes, 1978-1980)
Michael J. Jacobs	....	special still photographer (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gregory B. Peña	....	daily set costumer (22 episodes, 1982-1983)
Shelly Levine	....	wardrobe supervisor (2 episodes, 1982-1983)

Series Music Department
John Carl Parker	....	composer: theme music (139 episodes, 1977-1983)
Harry V. Lojewski	....	music supervisor (4 episodes, 1977-1983)

Series Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (5 episodes, 1977-1980)
Randy Peters	....	driver (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Larry Luttrell	....	location manager (68 episodes, 1978-1981)
Paul Rabwin	....	story editor (20 episodes, 1980-1981)
Denis McCallion	....	location manager (11 episodes, 1977)
Paul Playdon	....	developed for television by / developed for television / ... (4 episodes, 1977-1983)
Jerry Nista	....	choreographer (2 episodes, 1979)
Sonny P. Filippini	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Dixie Fusillo	....	production accountant (unknown episodes)
Joseph Gunn	....	executive story consultant (unknown episodes)
Michael Neale	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Shirley Ulmer	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Thanks
Glen B. Craig	....	with appreciation to / with appreciation to: Commissioner, California Highway Patrol (135 episodes, 1977-1983)

Production Companies

• MGM Television
• Rosner Television

Distributors

• AVRO Television (1984) (Netherlands) (TV)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

Special Effects

• Newkirk Special Effects

Other Companies

• Cinemobile System  locations
• Kawasaki Motors  motorcycles
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  titles and opticals
• Unique Movie Cars  picture cars

Also Known As:

"CHiPs Patrol" (USA) (syndication title)

Runtime:

60 min (139 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-PG | Australia:PG | UK:12 | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Long Beach, California, USA

Company:

MGM Television

Trivia:

Baker's partner was originally written as an Italian-American named "Poncherelli". The "i" was changed to an "o" when Erik Estrada was cast.

Quotes:

[Jon announces his proposal for a trail bike task force]
Officer Jon Baker: I'd like to nominate my partner, Frank Poncherello.
Officer Francis Llewellyn 'Ponch' Poncherello: Hey, that's great. 'Cause when we first met, I was on a dirtbike.
Officer Jon Baker: Uh, no, Ponch. When we first met, you had just fallen off a dirtbike.

Movie Connections:

Remade as CHiPs (2011)

Ponch and Jon, the corniest Cool guys there ever were...

Officers Francis "Ponch" Ponchorello and Jon Baker were the CORNIEST cool guys in the history of Hollywood TV. Make no mistake, these dudes were cool. Two young and reasonably handsome guys, athletic and fit looking while living that romantic fast life in Southern California. They were the man on bikes, high pursuit cops who enforced the law. Off duty their weekends could be spent jet skiing, sailing or sky diving, when the rest of us are off at the movies or perhaps hanging out at the mall. They also had the badge and gun, the uniforms, and of course the bikes that they would race at 90 mph on the highways while chasing bad guys, they were cool dudes. Then of course they romanced plenty of disco era honeys. But Ponch and Jon were not cool cool, they were just too over the top corny and Ponch was way too hammy. Then there was that silly freeze frame smile they all did at the end of the show. If you are over considerably over 40 today you probably think CHiPs is ridiculous because you were likely a teenager or young adult back then and you yourself were just too hip and cool back in the day to have appreciated CHiPs. And if you are 25 and under today then you are likely on the other side of being too cool for CHiPs because you may think the show is just flat out stupid. The series would likely look way too old for much of the early 20s and teenager crowd. The show had silliness, but not Dukes of Hazzard or Knight Rider silliness, Ponch and Jon were still grounded in something very close to our real world. If you are a middle-late Gen Xer born in the 70s and had a childhood in the 80s, then CHiPs was part of your syndicated TV diet. You know you watched.