Erik Estrada : Biography, Pictures, Photos, Trivia, Address, Filmography (CHiPs)

. Played in a Mexican "telenovela" (soap opera) in the early '90's. Unlike many characters he's played, Estrada doesn't speak Spanish, so his lines were fed to him over an earphone during production.

. Has his own Official Website that he and his wife answer all their fans emails and talk with them on the forum.

. Is the face of D.A.R.E. an organization for a drug-free america.

. Is a spokesperson for Smoke Signals Communications.

. Left "CHiPs" in the fall of 1981 over a contract salary dispute with NBC & was briefly replaced by 1976 Olympic Decathalon Gold Medalist Bruce Jenner.

. appears as a motorist stopped by 2 chimpanzee motorcycle highway cops in "CHimPs", a Diet Dr. Pepper ad which is a send-up of his signature TV show "CHiPs" (NBC 1977-1983). [March 2002]

. Once went to Thailand to attempt to circumvent the Screen Actors Guild and secure a sub-union job, the only work he could find.

. Puerto Rican by ethnicity.

. When he landed Johnny in "Dos Mujertes, Un Camino," he had to take 30 straight 8-hour days of Berlitz Spanish lessons before he could begin. Originally slated for 100 episodes, the show went to 400-plus episodes, became the biggest telenovela in Latin American history and revived Estrada's nowhere career.