Fans are devastated at the news that Frank Fritz, the antiques expert who gained fame on the reality series American Pickers, has died at 60.
Fritz, who left the series in 2021, had been suffering from health problems and was hospitalized from a stroke two years ago.The news was announced by Fritz’s friend and co-star Mike Wolfe, who said that Fritz passed away last night.
“I’ve know 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 in a social media tribute. “The same off camera as he was on, Frank had a way of reaching the hearts of so many by just being himself.”
Fritz and Wolfe gained fame as the hosts of the reality TV series American Pickers, which premiered on the History Channel in 2010. The series showed the two “pickers” traveling across the USA, searching for valuable antiques and collectibles in unexpected places.
“We’re looking for amazing things buried in people’s garages and barns,” the show’s opening narration explains. “What most people see as junk, we see as dollar signs. We’ll buy anything we think we can make a buck on.”
“We make a living telling the history of America… one piece at a time.”
The series attracted millions of viewers, becoming one of History Channel’s most popular programs. In its debut year it was the #1 non-fiction series among total viewers and adults 25-54.
While the antiques were often interesting, there’s no doubt it was the chemistry and charisma of the two hosts that kept viewers coming back for more.
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