Until “Hill Street Blues” broke the network procedural mold in the early 1980s, television was awash with hour-long series about cops, firefighters, doctors, and more. Sometimes the characters would get caught up in the crime or problem of the week (sometimes stolen from the headlines). The stories were strictly self-contained (with occasional two-part episodes). As such, the main elements that kept viewers coming back for more were the formulas and stars. In terms of longevity, this formula could become obsolete for a little while, as long as the stars are somehow appealing to draw viewers to the show in the first place. But if people grow tired of the cast, or worse, if a major cast member leaves the series, Nielsen ratings can plummet.
This is the story of photogenic Southern California Highway Patrol officers Francis “Ponch” Poncherello (Eric Estrada) and John Andrew Baker (Larry Wilcox) riding around on motorcycles to eliminate traffic nuisances. Is that what people started calling the popular NBC series CHiPs, or is it something worse? Quit after 6 seasons in 1983? In a way, yes.
This series caused a sensation in the late 1970s. Part of this was due to the good chemistry between the cast, but it was mainly due to Estrada’s muscular appeal to viewers who were looking for a macho yet gentle man who looked good in a police uniform. Wilcox’s John himself was not hard on the eyes, but often played as a straight man, frustrated by Ponch’s loose cannon antics.
It seemed like a glamorous, high-profile job for everyone involved, but why did Wilcox unceremoniously bail out the series before its final season?
Estrada and Wilcox weren’t actually best friends
Estrada may have been the BMOC of CHiPs, but without Wilcox keeping his ego in check, his outlandish demeanor wouldn’t have been as appealing. Unfortunately, Wilcox also clearly had an ego, and this drove a wedge between the two as the series progressed.
As Robert Pine confessed to The Classic TV History Blog“There was some frustration, and it was disappointing. But that’s the reality. I try not to take sides, because that doesn’t get you anywhere.”
The conflict appears to have come to a head when Wilcox refused Estrada’s invitation to his wedding. The tabloids went wild over this article, considering the show was still filming at the time. Wilcox could have ended the story by simply not commenting, but he chose to speak candidly to People about the issue. “After much consideration, I decided not to invite him,” he said. “There’s no point in telling people that Eric is my best friend, because he isn’t and never will be.”
Wilcox was then replaced by Tom Riley for the final season. Although he was not invited to make a cameo appearance in the 2017 film CHiPs, he eventually managed to sufficiently de-escalate tensions with Estrada and was invited to attend a police nonprofit Blue Angel Connect event in Indianapolis. The two were able to perform together at a fundraising event with the theme of reunion. .
In addition to his acting career, Wilcox has remained busy over the years, producing numerous shows and films through his production company, Wilcox Productions. Well, that is and implicated him in securities fraud..
