Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

(Continued from page 20) (Above) Penhall's first stop is to see makeup man Dick Cobos. (Above right) The actors stand in place as they get ready for a shot. (Below right) Penhall and dialogue coach Danny Choda. (Below) A quick touch-up. MGM facility. The MGM Transportation building has a corner set aside to function as a CHP garage, and that's where the first scene will be shot. There's also an addi tion to the case: a robot mechanic. Operated from the side by some sort of remote control, the robot glides about on wheels, sporting a "face" made up of someone's home computer. Music and • jokes alternate from its speaker before it spots a young blonde woman standing off to the side. "Hey, baby, what are you doing after work? Wanna dance?" The blonde can only giggle. Prior to the shooting Estrada arrives, giving directions to his secretary on the set. Tom Reilly, the show's new co-star after the departure of Larry Wilcox, is also present. CHiPs watchers know that Estrada plays a character named Frank Poncharello, and Reilly's character is Bobby "Hot Dog" Nelson, older brother of Penhall when they're on the screen. And as they talk on the set, they do look somewhat like brothers, both blond, althaugh Reilly at 6'1" is quite a bit taller than Penhall at 5'7". Penhall's blue uniform provides a contrast to all the other CHPuniformed souls walking around, and for that reason his character will probably remain a cadet for some time. That doesn't seem to bother Bruce: "My costume is a lot more comfortable than what Erik and Tom have to wear:" Indeed, the uniform pants of Estrada, Reilly and Tina Gayle (who plays the Kathy Linehan part) are quite snug. Among the machinery present in the garage are a couple of Kawasaki KZlOOO police specials. Penhall does most of his own' riding (both the police bike and a speedway machine) and he tells us, "Sometimes, when we're on location, I'll take one of the bikes and ride around. Makes all the drivers nervous and they all slow down to the speed limit. It's a lot of fun." After two quick takes with the robot, it's time for a shot with more human actors. Involved are Estrada, Reilly, Penhall, Paul Linke (who portrays Officer Henry Grossman) and Lou Wagner, who plays the long-suffering CHP mechanic. Penhall, who is filmed in this scene standing on a two-inch platform, has only one brief line. Again, things start with the main shot. Grossman directs a van into the garage after discovering stolen merchandise inside. The driver is ordered outside and interrogated. The close- up and reaction shots have to be taken. Eventually the lunch hour calls a halt to the proceedings. It's off to the MGM commissary, where the CHiPs cast has two tables more-or-less reserved. Their waitress, a quick-witted lady named Maxine, takes our meal orders and fends off a multitude of requests for Saturday night dates. Penhall, Linke and Wagner are the only actors who opt for the commissary meal this day. About the time Penhall ,s cl ub sandwich arrives, so does Melissa Gilbert, the 18-year-old star of Little House: The New Beginning and Penhall's date on several occasions, including the AMA awards banquet. She is bubbly and excited, especially over a new watch that she shows everyone. While lunch continues, they compare work notes, and pretty soon its time to get back to worl<. They walk together until it becomes necessary to take a different route. Penhall's path takes him past Cobos' makeup trailer, and Dick beckons him inside to get the makeup freshened up. Back at the garage, the last of the individual shots are taken. At one point, director phil Bondelli shouts at Linke, saying, "Hey Grossi." Penhall is the one that responds, causing Bondelli to quip, "Penhall, I· said --- 'Grossi,' not 'Brucie.' Are you going gay on us?" The cast and bystanders crack up. Everyone is in pretty good spirits, evident when it's Penhall's turn for a close-up. Estrada, saying his lines from behind the camera, does everything in his power to get Penhall to crack up, and does. Later, the action shifts back to sound stage 10, and we're back in Penhall's dressing room. "I really like being an actor," he says, adding, "When I first started I was terrified if they changed dialogue. Now I can handle it, but of course my lines aren't that long. I get along with Erik and everybody else on the set really well." Earlier, another person on the set told me, "Bruce Penhall is terrific. He has what it takes to be a star." Another said, "You can't believe how much Bruce has improved since he first started." Other tasks soon call me away from MGM. Before I leave, I find out that the TV business is not all serious, as we watch Estrada and Reilly engage in a water fight, and then watch Estradjl playfully dance with the same youn~ blonde the robot had asked earlier. She leaves about the same time I do, a bright crimson. Just another day in the life... • ....1

• Cover