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Estrada is grand marshal

Estrada is grand marshal

By Laura Oleniacz
The Winchester Star

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Winchester — TV star Erik Estrada, known for his role as Frank emoticon

erelo in “CHiPS,” will be the grand marshal for the 82nd Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival.

The Los Angeles resident played a California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer in the series from 1977 to 1983.

Estrada has also played voice-over characters on two animated series, including “Sealab 2021,” and has starred on the reality TV show “The Surreal Life.”

He has appeared in the films “Airport ’75,” starring Charlton Heston; “Midway,” with Heston, Robert Wagner (the 1985 festival’s grand marshal), and Henry Fonda; and guest-starred in television shows such as “Hawaii Five-O” and “My Name Is Earl.”

The 60-year-old was chosen as grand marshal as much for his congenial nature and family-oriented values as for his show business career, according to festival officials.

“We always try to find a celebrity that we feel can spend time at the festival and who enjoys being with people,” said Kay Bolliger, past president of the festival and co-chairman of the celebrities committee.

Elaine Aikens, festival president, described Estrada as a personable gentleman.

“He has heard a lot about the festival through the celebrity grapevine, and he is very excited about coming here,” she said. “He is a very family-oriented man.”

Estrada has a wife, a daughter in the third grade, and two grown sons. He grew up in Spanish Harlem in Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

His original career aspirations were to be a New York policeman, but he was persuaded by a family friend to join his high school’s drama club.

Bolliger said he is active in the CHiPs For Kids toy drive, the United Way, and several other nonprofit and charity groups.

Estrada also supports law enforcement organizations and is a sworn honorary deputy sheriff in Bedford County.

“He has become basically a pop culture icon,” Bolliger said. “He’s accessible to the people in his business and is very caring, giving back to people.”

The festival’s approach to celebrities has changed in recent years, since the price of someone at the peak of his or her career can be astronomical, said John Rosenberger, executive director of the festival.

They charge as much as $100,000 to $200,000 for a two-hour appearance, Bolliger said, noting the numerous requests for a celebrity’s attendance at varied festival activities.

In addition, festival attendees may only get a glimpse of the high-profile figures through a car window before they are whisked back to the airport, Rosenberger said.

He feels the more memorable experiences come from personal interaction. “It means a lot to have one of these celebrities who might walk to a stand to get a hot dog” and engage in a conversation.

Movie star George Hamilton set the standard in 2006 as a great festival grand marshal who was very willing to interact with the community, Rosenberger said.

When Hamilton arrived in the city on a Wednesday, instead of taking time to rest, he “threw his suitcases on his bed, changed his tie, and went over to the Lee-Jackson [motel],” where a festival event was under way, Rosenberger said. He went table to table through the room, shaking hands with guests.

“He continued to do that all the way through Friday and all the way through Saturday,” Rosenberger said, adding that officials hope Estrada will be equally personable.

The signs of that are favorable, since the actor has already spoken to Aikens for a half-hour by telephone.

“Erik Estrada is just a delightful gentleman, and he’s willing to come in early for whatever we ask of him for the weekend,” Bolliger said. “He still is quite an attractive man.”

Estrada is scheduled to spend three nights in Winchester. He will be introduced to the community with the May 1 Coronation of the festival’s queen at Handley High School.

He is scheduled to ride in the Firefighters’ Parade on the same day, and will lead the Grand Feature Parade May 2.

“Our theme is ‘Celebrate!’ and we’re going to celebrate with Erik Estrada, and he’s going to celebrate with us,” Bolliger said.

“I think the community will receive him warmly and happily.”

29/Mar/09, 4:40 am