Larry Wilcox

In the late 1970s, Larry Wilcox rose to the top of the pop culture heap as the straight-laced California motorcycle officer Jon Baker on the wildly successful "CHiPs" (NBC, 1977-1983). The show, which paired him with Erik Estrada's ultra-macho Frank Poncharello in lightweight, occasionally campy action-drama scenarios, afforded Wilcox a five-year stint in the spotlight, but he left the show in 1982 to pursue a career as a producer. After overseeing the award-winning "Ray Bradbury Theater" (HBO/USA Network, 1985-86/1988-1992), Wilcox moved into a string of ill-defined businesses, which led to his conviction on securities fraud conspiracy in 2010. His sentencing in 2011 was a low point for the well-regarded TV star, whose affable presence on an era-defining program earned him a lifetime of small screen fans.