CHIPS: CHiPs {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
One in this action/adventure series about a charming team of California Highway Patrol motorcycle cops -- the maverick Ponch and his sidekick Jon -- who police the freeways of the greater Los Angeles area. As Ponch and Jon pursue a Porche in a high-speed chase, Ponch accidentally flips his bike over. During their morning briefing, Ponch and Jon are assigned to be on the lookout for an elaborate ring of car thieves, but later, an industrial glue spill leaves the cops stuck in a traffic jam. Although the car thieves are slyly disguised in a large Bushkins moving van, Jon pulls them over for a minor violation. But the cops are distracted when the glue wreaks havoc on Ponch's bike, and the thieves get away. Later, Sgt. Getraer lectures Ponch about his long disciplinary record and penchant for destroying bikes, reminding him he was due for release from probation. But Ponch demonstrates his courage when a speeding biker causes a car to flip over, trapping a young woman inside: Ponch waits with the anguished woman and calms her as medics arrive. Later, he takes time out for an off-duty pickup at a bar. Meanwhile, although Sgt. Getraer verifies that the Bushkins van has a legitimate license plate, Ponch remains unconvinced. Later, the officers pull over a moving van, and Jon notices that the license number on the registration does not match the plates. Immediately, the highway patrol puts out an APB on the other Bushkins moving van, which carries the leaders of the car theft ring, and Ponch and Jon set out to capture the surly bandits. As the program concludes, Sgt. Getraer releases Ponch from probation, making Jon his new partner, and the two officers chase a grey-haired woman for speeding. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: September 15, 1977 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:47:54
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:18320
- GENRE: Drama, action/adventure
- SUBJECT HEADING: California Highway Patrol - Drama; Drama
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1977-1983
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Rick Rosner … Producer, Created by
- Ric Rondell … Associate Producer
- Paul Kransy … Director
- Paul Playdon … Writer
- Mike Post … Music by
- Pete Carpenter … Music by
- John Parker … Theme Music by
- Larry Wilcox … Cast, Officer Jonathan Baker
- Erik Estrada … Cast, Officer Francis "Ponch" Poncherello
- Robert Pine … Cast, Sergeant Joe Getraer
- Brooke Bundy … Cast, Carol
- Paul Mantee … Cast, Eddie
- Michael Christian … Cast, Jerry
- Brodie Greer … Cast, Officer Baricza
- Lew Saunders … Cast, Gene
- Thomas Huff … Cast, Mike
- Hoke Howell … Cast, Tex
- Eric Server … Cast, Greg
- Philip Simms … Cast, Van Driver
- Darlene Duralia … Cast, Sherry
- Richard Cancey … Cast, Van Helper
- Charles Huskey … Cast, CHP Mechanic
- Mary Moon … Cast, CHP Clerk
- Jonathan Andrew Baker … Cast, Boy on Bike