Former ‘American Pickers’ Co-Host Frank Fritz Dead at 60

Frank Fritz, who co-hosted the History Channel’s long-running, Americana-themed antiquing show, American Pickers, died Monday following a period of ill health, including a 2022 stroke, according to Variety. He was 60.

Fritz’s co-host, Mike Wolfe, broke the news on Instagram. He used the opportunity to pay tribute to his dear friend. “I’ve known Frank for more than half my life and what you’ve seen on TV has always been what I have seen, a dreamer who was just as sensitive as he was funny,” Wolfe wrote. “The same off camera as he was on, Frank had a way of reaching the hearts of so many by just being himself. … I feel blessed that I was there by his side when he took one last journey home. I love you buddy and will miss you so much I know you’re in a better place.”

American Pickers premiered in 2010, and featured Fritz and Wolfe’s adventures together as they sought (or “picked”) artifacts for their personal collections of Americana and their antique shops. Fritz’s shop, Frank Fritz Finds, is located in Savanna, Illinois. Fritz was a staple of the show through 2020. Yahoo reported in 2021 that Fritz had stepped away from the show after undergoing back surgery. He also had complications from Crohn’s disease and had concerns about being immunocompromised at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fritz also made appearances on Pawn Stars and lent his voice to a 2017 episode of American Dad.

At the time, Fritz’s take on the departure was more bitter. “I didn’t leave the show,” Fritz told The Sun. “I finished shooting and then I had a little back surgery and the pandemic came.” He alleged at the time that he felt abandoned by Wolfe and the production. Fritz and Wolfe subsequently patched things up by 2023.

“Frank filmed American Pickers for over a decade,” the show’s production company, Cineflix Production, said in a joint statement with the History Channel, per Variety. “We will always remember ‘the bearded charmer’ and his never-ending search for vintage motorcycles and bikes. Our thoughts are with Frank’s loved ones during this difficult time. He will be deeply missed.”

“Before the show we would take off together to places we never knew existed with no destination in mind and just the shared passion to discover something interesting and historic,” Wolfe wrote in his tribute.