Danny Ponce is an American actor who is best known for his role as David Hogan in the TV show “Valerie” (later renamed “The Hogan Family”).
Born Louis Daniel Ponce, he was born on September 4, 1972 in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA.
Prior to his acting career, Ponce’s father owned and performed in his own circus in Venezuela. In 1978, their family relocated to Southern California, where Danny Ponce landed his first television role.
Early Career
Ponce’s first role came in 1982 when he had a small part in an episode of Quincy M.E.
Prior to his involvement in “Hogan Family,” he had an active career as a child star, appearing in popular TV shows such as Happy Days, Punky Brewster and Family Ties. Additionally, he portrayed the character of Jason Avery on Knots Landing from 1983 to 1986, maintaining the role for a span of three years.
Valerie (The Hogan Family)
His big break came in 1986 when he landed the role of David in the television show ‘Valerie’.
The show revolves around the Hogan family, led by their matriarch Valerie Hogan (played by Valerie Harper in the first two seasons). The series follows the daily lives and comedic mishaps of the Hogan family as they navigate various family and personal situations.
The premise of the show shifts after the second season when Valerie Harper’s character is written out of the series due to contract disputes. The storyline then focuses on the remaining members of the Hogan family, including the father Michael Hogan (played by Josh Taylor) and their three sons, David (Danny Ponce), Willie (Danny Cooksey), and Mark (Jeremy Licht).
Ponce was in 110 episode of the 6 season run, until it was canceled in 1991.
Career after The Hogan Family
After The Hogan Family was canceled, Ponce found limited success and had small roles in Brooklyn Bridge and Love, Honor & Obey: The Last Mafia Marriage.
He would take a 5 year hiatus from acting in 1993 and would reappear in 1998 in a guest role on the show Unhappily Ever After. He would take another hiatus from acting and would reappear in 2006 and have guest roles in Scrubs, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and a small part in the movie The Black Dahlia.
Where is Danny Ponce Now?
Danny Ponce, who now goes by the name Dan Ponce returned to acting in 2021 after a 15 year hiatus. He had a small part in the virtual series Here to There, which was produced by his Hogan Family costar, Jeremy Licht. You can watch the entire 3 episode run on YouTube.
Also in 2021, Ponce had a virtual reunion with Jeremy Licht. The conversation revolved around various topics including the close friendship between the two, their experiences working together on a TV show, funny moments and breaking character, the energy of performing in front of a live audience, their involvement in the production of the show, and the joy of directing. They also discussed the trust and confidence they had in each other.
Ponce currently resides in Los Angeles, with his wife, Rachel Swan and their two children and is enjoying fatherhood.
Misc Info
Danny Ponce, known for his role in “The Hogan Family,” shares a close friendship with co-star Jeremy Licht, as they served as each other’s best men.
Additionally, he is the half-brother of actor Michael Oliver and the brother of actress LuAnne Ponce.
Currently, he works with the “The Flytrap” acting agency located in downtown Los Angeles.