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Larry Wilcox
Age: 62
Height: 180 cm
Birth Place: San Diego, California, USA
Born: Aug. 8th, 1947
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Larry Wilcox's Main TV Roles
NOTE: Complete List of Works can be found at
IMDB
BIOGRAPHY: 70s and early 80s TV star Larry Wilcox was born on August 8, 1947 in San Diego California, the product of a broken home. His father, a bartender left the house when Larry was but an infant and died soon after divorcing Larry's mother. His mother, a secretary, found the going rough trying to feed four children and moved the family to Wyoming to live with relatives. Raised on his grandfather's ranch in Rawlins, Larry was a quiet, introspective youngster but grew up fast and worked occasionally in the summer on sheep and cattle ranches. He trekked to Los Angeles following high school and a year in college and worked a series of menial jobs while learning the piano in order to pursue a music career. The love of acting, however, finally won out. In order to avoid the draft, he interrupted his acting studies by enlisting in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1967, and wound up serving over a year in Vietnam as an artilleryman. Discharged with the rank of Sergeant, he went back to college and focused briefly on a career in dentistry before resuming his acting training on the west coast.
The clean-cut young lad with corn-fed good looks soon went out for commercials and won a number of them including one for Old Spice, the after-shave lotion. In 1972 he found perfect casting as assistant ranchhand Dale Mitchell in the revamped "Lassie" (1954) series for two seasons, and also appeared in scattered guest parts on prime time TV, including "M*A*S*H," "The Streets of San Francisco" and "Hawaii Five-0." In 1977 he hit the jackpot when he won the role of Officer Jon Baker in "CHiPs" (1977). An accomplished motorcycle rider, horseman, race car driver, and jet skier, Larry performed many of his own stunts. He and co-star Erik Estrada (I) became major TV idols with Estrada taking a slight edge as the "bad boy" charmer.
There were occasional clashes with Estrada during the run of the series and in 1982, Larry decided to leave "CHiPs" in order to pursue other projects. He was replaced by Tom Reilly (I) as a new officer but the series was canceled after only one more season. Larry formed his own production company, Wilcox Productions, which is still running today. He has continued acting and directing primarily in action adventures. One of his producing projects early in the game involved the retelling of the murder of actress/Playboy playmate Dorothy Stratten in a mini-movie starring Jamie Lee Curtis.
Nurturing his entrepreneurial talents, Wilcox moved into business outside the entertainment arena with a pharmaceutical company called Team Elite in the 1980s. He is also the president of MediaCore, a software company specializing in CD-ROMs and Internet compression technology. On the humanitarian side, Larry has served with the National Health Foundation Luminary; served as Honorary National Chairman for Toys for Tots; and Honorary Member of the California Highway Patrol. He is also a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association.
In 1999, Wilcox returned to his Officer Jon Baker role in the TV-movie reunion movie CHiPs '99 (1998) (TV) with former co-stars Estrada, Robert Pine (I) and Paul Linke. Not seen much since, the father of five children currently lives on his ranch in the San Fernando Valley with his third wife and their two children.
TRIVIA:
- Was a contender for the role of James "Sonny" Crockett in Miami Vice, but lost the part to Don Johnson.
- Larry's two oldest children from his 10-year marriage to Judy Vagner are 'Derek Wilcox (I)' (qv) and Heidi. Daughter Wendy is from his marriage to second wife Hannie Strasser. His two youngest children, Ryan and Chad, were born to him and his current wife Marlene Harmon, who was once a member of the 1980 Olympic Heptathalon Team.
- Served in the U.S. Marines.
- In February 1999, founded the UC HUB Group, Inc. UC HUB delivers solutions for communications needs, including connectivity, content, and commerce. UC HUB's vision of an interconnected Digital Community, where all can benefit from the enhanced quality of life offered by the applications, products, and services available to each digital citizen, drives the company towards the future and influences all of the company's corporate decisions. This successful company has its corporative offices in Las Vegas. Larry Wilcox is the company's Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Director.
- He produced, directed, written, and starred in a children's video called _The Little CHP (1995)_ (qv), which tells the story of two little boys who dream of becoming CHP motor officers.
- He has a total of five children from his 3 marriages.
- Was up for the 'Nick Nolte' (qv) role in the miniseries _"Rich Man, Poor Man" (1976)_ (qv).
- Is a spokesman for Fibromylgia (information at fibrohugs.com).
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