• Frank Fritz is a reality TV star and an antique collector best known for hosting the American Pickers reality TV show
• He gained recognition for the show and founded his antique collection store in Savanna, Illinois, called Frank's Finds
• He is also an author, having published the book How to Pick Vintage Motorcycles in 2013
• Frank has been suffering from the Crohn's chronic disease of the intestinal tract for over 30 years
• He has an estimated net worth of $4 million
Known for movies
Short Info
Date Of Birth | October 11, 1965 |
Contents
What happened to Frank Fritz? Wiki Bio
Frank Fritz was born in Davenport, Iowa USA, under the zodiac sign of Libra on 11 October 1965, so holds American nationality. Frank is a reality TV star and an antique collector, best known for hosting the “American Pickers” reality TV show. While it was believed Frank was going to be removed from the show after his problems with authority, he still appears to be filming for the program.
Early life and education
Frank was raised in Davenport by his mother Susan Zirbes who worked as a childcare nanny, and his father Bill Fritz who worked in a pharmacy – Frank has a younger sister.
His parents divorced in 1972 when Bill left the family for another woman. Frank’s mother went on to marry Richard Dick Zirbes in 1974, who worked as a tire salesman, while Susan worked for a construction company – she died on 17 December 2013.
Frank became interested in collecting postage stamps at a very early age, while he also collected beer cans and rocks. He attended Sudlow Intermediate School before enrolling at Bettendorf High School, matriculating in 1982. He was also very keen on motorcycles during his teenage years, and had several dirt and street bikes.
Career as a reality TV star and other ventures
Frank began working at Quad-City Automatic Sprinkler and Coast to Coast Hardware during his teenage school years, only to accumulate $4,100 so that he could buy himself a new Harley Davidson motorcycle, after which he stopped working until he finished high school.
At the age of 18 he began working as a fire inspector in Des Moines and Cedar Falls, and continued collecting items as a hobby – he worked the same job until the early 2000s, when he bought an item for $15, and sold it for $475.
The huge profit made Frank quit his job as a fire inspector in 2002, and he founded his antique collection store in Savanna, Illinois called Frank’s Finds – he also began travelling around the US in search of vintage items to buy, which he could then sell for a higher price.
On 18 January 2010, Frank was invited to serve as a co-host of the “American Pickers” reality TV series, which airs on History Channel with second co-host is Mark Wolfe, Frank’s childhood friend – the first episode was watched by more than 3.7 million people.
The show helped Frank gain recognition, and to advertise his Frank’s Finds store – it’s now aired over 25 seasons and counts over 300 episodes. He has also appeared in several other TV shows, such as “The Late Show with David Letterman”, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”, and “Cincy Entertainment”, among others. He departed the show in 2020 under less than amicable circumstances, albeit partly because of health problems necessitating surgery. Apparently he’s also been battling Crohn’s disease.
Frank is also an author, as he published his book entitled “How to Pick Vintage Motorcycles” on 26 November 2013, which follows the story of his childhood to when he bought his Harley Davidson bike, and then numerous other tales.
Love life and marriage
There were rumors circulating the internet that Frank was dating his childhood friend Mike Wolfe, as the two were inseparable and very close in the “American Pickers” TV show, however, this turned out to be false; Mike married Jodi Faeth in 2012, with whom he has a daughter.
Frank has announced on his Facebook profile that he was dating Diann, who has a daughter named Paige – she was married, but the marriage lasted only four years.
The two can often be seen attending red carpet events together, and are rumored to be marrying soon. Diann often helps Frank with his antique store, as she is also interested in vintage things. However, tht relationship fell apart under acrimonious circumstances, and as of mid-2024 he’s apparently single.
Hobbies, interests, and problems with the police
Frank has been a fan of both vintage cars and motorcycles throughout the years, and has accumulated a collection of vintage bikes – he still also collects other things such as stamps. He has been a fan of the film industry since he was a kid, and has always enjoyed watching movies featuring cars and bikes – some of his favorites include “Gone in 60 Seconds” and “Fast and the Furious” franchise.
Win A Chance To pick with me! Go here http://t.co/6PgqVpwkM0 to enter the sweepstakes! #spon #metalrescue pic.twitter.com/Mn1Xy409DN
— Frank Fritz (@FritzPicker) September 16, 2013
His main hobby is travelling, and he has been to many US states while shooting for the “American Pickers” show. Frank was arrested on 30 July 2017, after he was driving the wrong way while being under the influence of alcohol and Xanax – Frank was fined $600, and put on one-year probation.
His next problem with the law was when Jerry Bruce filed a lawsuit against him, after he paid Frank $300 for an antique polarimeter which Frank never shipped. The matter was taken to court, and Frank had to pay Jerry $1,000 after he failed to appear at court.
Health problems
Frank has been suffering from the Crohn’s incurable chronic disease of the intestinal tract for more than 30 years – his condition affects his everyday life, as it causes him abdominal pain, and gives him fevers, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. To fight this Frank is following a strict diet, especially when travelling, and a magazine featured him on their cover page in the summer of 2011 as a motivator for people suffering from the disease.
Appearance and net worth
Frank is 54 years old. He has short brown hair and brown eyes, is 5ft 6ins (1.67m) tall, and weighs around 145lbs (65kgs) – his net worth is estimated at over over $4 million.
General Info
Full Name | Frank Fritz |
Date Of Birth | October 11, 1965 |
Height | 1.65 m |
Profession | TV Personality, Businessperson |
Nationality | American |
Accomplishments
Awards | Telly Award for TV Programs, Segments, or Promotional Pieces Film/Video - Information |
TV Shows | American Pickers |
Social profile links
Source: IMDb, Wikipedia