Spring 2025

108 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 5 From the Bright Lights to Moonlit Nights Er ik Estrada and his Romance With Carmel-by-the-Sea B Y F RANC E S B R I T TON Photo: PictureLux/The Hollywood Archive/Alamy Stock Photo I n the tiny hamlet of Carmel, Erik Estrada finds solace in the dark, quiet moonlit nights here, a stark contrast to the bristling and bustling streets of Spanish Harlem where he grew up and the bright lights of Tinsel Town where he made his way to television stardom and continues to live and work today. Over the last 30 years, Carmel-by-the-Sea’s siren call has brought Estrada back time and time again and the town has become his home away from home. Estrada is best known for his role as Frank Poncherello or “Ponch” on “CHiPs,” the NBC crime drama about two charis- matic California Highway Patrol officers. The show ran in the U.S. from 1977 to 1983 and was heavily syndicated throughout the world and continues to be widely streamed to this day. As Ponch, Estrada made his way into homes across America and into the hearts of his viewers with his good looks and affable charm. The show was a favorite across age groups and was equally popular with kids and adults. In “CHiPs” Estrada had his first major role as a good guy, giv- Erik Estrada began his acting career in the late 1960s. His first starring role was as Nicky Cruz—a teen gang member in New York City—in the 1970 film “The Cross and the Switchblade” with Pat Boone.