Series synopsis
CHiPs is an American drama action & adventure television series that premiered on NBC on September 15, 1977. It ended on May 1, 1983. It was created by Rick Rosner. It stars Larry Wilcox, Erik Estrada, Robert Pine and Lou Wagner.
Lighthearted look at the adventures of two Highway Patrol officers in Los Angeles. The main characters are Jon Baker and Frank Poncherello, two motorcycle officers always on the street to save lives.
Premise
Lighthearted look at the adventures of two Highway Patrol officers in Los Angeles. The main characters are Jon Baker and Frank Poncherello, two motorcycle officers always on the street to save lives.
Premise: Nonstop action and highway heroics!
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Larry Wilcox as Jon Baker
- Erik Estrada as Frank Poncherello
- Robert Pine as Joseph Getraer
- Lou Wagner as Harlan Arliss
- Bruce Penhall as Bruce Nelson
- Brodie Greer as Barry Baricza
- Michael Dorn as Jebediah Turner
- Randi Oakes as Bonnie Clark
Supporting cast
- Tina Gayle as Kathy Linahan
- Clarence Gilyard Jr. as Benjamin Webster
- Lew Saunders as Gene Fritz
- Paul Linke as Arthur Grossman
- Tom Reilly as Bobby 'Hot Dog' Nelson
- Constance Forslund
- Joyce Brothers as Herself
- Ed McMahon as Ed McMahon
- Michael Cole as Michael Cole / Tom Gibson
- King Moody as Capt. Burke
- Jenny O'Hara
- Nita Talbot as Driving Instructor
Guest cast
- Paul Linke as Arthur Grossman
- Tom Reilly as Bobby 'Hot Dog' Nelson
- Constance Forslund
- Joyce Brothers as Herself
- Ed McMahon as Ed McMahon
- Michael Cole as Michael Cole / Tom Gibson
- King Moody as Capt. Burke
- Jenny O'Hara
- Nita Talbot as Driving Instructor
- Mary Louise Weller as Paula
- Harvey J. Goldenberg
- Joan Freeman as Mrs. Marshall
Episodes
This series spans 7 seasons with 140 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 1 | ||
| Season 1 | 22 | September 15, 1977 | April 1, 1978 |
| Season 2 | 23 | September 16, 1978 | May 12, 1979 |
| Season 3 | 24 | September 22, 1979 | March 30, 1980 |
| Season 4 | 21 | September 21, 1980 | May 17, 1981 |
| Season 5 | 27 | October 4, 1981 | May 23, 1982 |
| Season 6 | 22 | October 10, 1982 | May 1, 1983 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Real "CHiPs" Erik Estrada meets real members of the California Highway Patrol |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
CHiPs (Pilot) Jon and Ponch are chasing thieves who steal luxury cars. Ponch has problems with Sgt. Getraer and can't do anything right by him. The thieves are using moving vans with stolen licence plates, so the chippies can't get them first. Nice scene: Ponch and his sticky ticket. |
September 15, 1977 |
| 2 |
Undertow A woman gets robbed by a tow truck driver and then he causes an accident. A chemical substance is spilled on the highway. Ponch gets intoxicated by the stuff. Jon has to get him to a hospital but Ponch is not very cooperative |
September 22, 1977 |
| 3 |
Dog Gone Ponch and Jon are chasing a dog which causes an accident. They bring it to Central and hide it in a truck. Some guys do sabotage on Jon's motorbike, but they wanted Ponch's. Jon and Ponch stop a motorbike driver who has frozen up. After they stop him he wanders off muttering how he never wants to ride it again. Jon and Ponch chase down a speeding car with a heart attack victim. They help to save him before an ambulance arrives. One of the boys who did sabotage to Jon's bike tells Getrear what they have done. The Sarge tries to warn Ponch , but Ponch realizes that they have done it to Jons motorbike. Jon falls off his bike but lukyliy he 's not even bruised. Finally the dog's owner shows up at CHP Central looking for his dog. Ponch gets him out of a truck and the dog proceeds to relieve itself on Sarge's motorbike. This synopsis was given from CHiPs Online |
September 29, 1977 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Peaks and Valleys Central gets a new mechanic, Harlan Arliss. Ponch and Jon are accused of improperly moving an accident victim. Jon meets an old friend who tries to convince him that there are better jobs out there than CHP officers. |
September 16, 1978 |
| 2 |
The Volunteers Jon and Ponch must take on the dangerous assignment of escorting a convoy of trucks carrying hazardous chlorine gas. |
September 23, 1978 |
| 3 |
Family Crisis Jon's nephew starts stealing cars with some friends. Ponch moves into a new apartment. A movie car, designed with special features, is used for robbing banks. The CHP has a hard time catching it. |
September 30, 1978 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Roller Disco (1) While Ponch is busy trying to recruit celebrities for the CHP roller disco, Jon and Getraer deal with a teenage thief. Later, Ponch and Jon chase after two thieves who get away on roller-skates. |
September 22, 1979 |
| 2 |
Roller Disco (2) Ponch and Jon deal with a rock star and help organizing a roller-skating fund-raiser. Ponch and Jon continue chasing the roller-skating thieves. |
September 22, 1979 |
| 3 |
Valley Go Home! Officers mediate a feud between teenagers . Ponch and Jon intervene when some irate surfers chase the Valley kids who bumped their car. |
September 29, 1979 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Go-Cart Terror A friendly go-cart race between the CHP and the fire department kids' teams results in some unwelcome competition. Sonny Bono costars. |
September 21, 1980 |
| 2 |
Sick Leave An officer's erratic behavior is such serious subject matter that it is the series' only episode (and perhaps in all of television's history) produced without a soundtrack. |
September 28, 1980 |
| 3 |
To Your Health The daring duo investigates a series of sabotaged trucks, while Ponch "goes green" to impress two pretty proprietors of a health food store. |
October 5, 1980 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Suicide Stunt Ponch and Jon struggle to keep their eyes on a visiting motorcycle star who keeps pulling screwball shenanigans all around town in the pursuit of love. |
October 4, 1981 |
| 2 |
Vagabonds Our determined CHP team outwits a family of con artists who are scamming drivers by staging auto accidents. Four-time Academy Award nominee Ed Harris (HBO's Westworld) guest stars. |
October 11, 1981 |
| 3 |
Moonlight Ponch and Jon's 4th anniversary as partners is nearly ruined when a toxic-chemicals dumper (William Lucking, Sons of Anarchy) has a near-catastrophic semi truck crash. |
October 18, 1981 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Meet the New Guy Ponch and his new partner, Bobby, get off to a rocky start, but when a baby is abandoned, they're determined to work as a team. |
October 10, 1982 |
| 2 |
Tight Fit After returning stolen equipment from a photo shoot, Ponch ends up in front of the camera and is soon a modeling sensation. |
October 17, 1982 |
| 3 |
The Spaceman Made Me Do It Ponch and Bobby pursue a jewelry thief who turns out to be a young girl claiming an extraterrestrial made her do it. |
October 24, 1982 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | NBC |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 15, 1977 |
| Last aired | May 1, 1983 |
| Runtime | 48 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Sunday at 20:00:00 |