Earlier than “Hill Road Blues” broke the community procedural mildew within the early Eighties, the tv panorama was bustling with hour-long collection about cops and firemen and medical doctors and so forth that plunged their characters into a criminal offense or drawback of the week (typically of the ripped-from-the-headlines selection). The narratives had been strictly of the standalone selection (with the occasional two-part episode), so the most important components that stored viewers coming again for extra had been the formulation and the celebs. By way of longevity, the formulation might go stale for a bit so long as the celebs had been nonetheless interesting in no matter approach drew audiences to the present within the first place. However when individuals bored with the solid –- or, worse, a main solid member departed the collection –- the Nielsen rankings might go south in a rush.
Is that this what induced “CHiPs,” the favored NBC collection about photogenic Southern California freeway patrolmen Francis “Ponch” Poncherello (Erik Estrada) and Jon Andrew Baker (Larry Wilcox) zipping round on their bikes and busting site visitors nuisances or worse, to name it quits after six seasons in 1983? In a way, sure.
The collection turned a sensation within the late Seventies partially on the energy of its solid’s chemistry, however primarily as a result of Estrada’s hunky enchantment to viewers out there for a macho but suave hunk who regarded good in a police uniform. Wilcox’s Jon wasn’t exhausting on the eyes himself, however he largely performed disapproving straight-man to Ponch’s loose-cannon antics.
It appeared like a candy, high-profile gig for all concerned, so why did Wilcox unceremoniously bail on the collection previous to its ultimate season?
Estrada and Wilcox weren’t really besties
Estrada would possibly’ve been the BMOC at “CHiPs,” however his rakish demeanor wasn’t practically as ingratiating with out Wilcox round to maintain his ego in examine. Alas, Wilcox evidently had an ego, too, and this drove a wedge between the 2 because the collection went on.
As Robert Pine confessed to The Traditional TV Historical past Weblog, “There was some discontent, and it was a disgrace. However that is the best way it goes. I strive to not take sides in it, as a result of that does not get you wherever.”
The rivalry apparently got here to a head when Wilcox refused to ask Estrada to his wedding ceremony. On condition that the present was nonetheless taking pictures on the time, the tabloids went wild with the story. Wilcox might’ve let the story die by merely not commenting, however he selected to get candid with Individuals concerning the matter. “I gave it a whole lot of thought and determined to not invite him,” he stated. “There isn’t any level going round telling individuals Erik is my finest chum as a result of he is not and by no means shall be.”
Wilcox was then changed by Tom Reilly for what wound up being the present’s ultimate season. Although he wasn’t invited to cameo within the 2017 “CHiPs” film, he did finally obtain sufficient of a detente with Estrada that the 2 had been in a position to seem at a reunion-themed fundraiser in Indianapolis for the cop non-profit Blue Angel Join.
Except for appearing, Wilcox has stored busy over time by churning out exhibits and flicks through his manufacturing firm Wilcox Productions. Properly, that and interesting him in securities fraud.
