Frank Fritz and Mike Wolfe. Charles Eshelman/FilmMagic
American Pickers stars Frank Fritz and Mike Wolfe had a lot of ups and downs in their decades-long friendship.
The pair began working together on hit series in 2009 and the show premiered on the History Channel the following year. The series followed Wolfe and Fritz’s travels across the United States searching for antiques to resell or add to their personal collections.
While the collectible pickers successfully worked together for 21 seasons, rumors swirled that the men had a falling out after Fritz was noticeably missing from the show in 2020. One year later, Fritz revealed he left the show to have back surgery and subsequently had a falling out with Wolfe.
“I haven’t talked to Mike in two years,” Fritz said in a July 2021 interview with The Sun. “He knew my back was messed up, but he didn’t call me up and ask how I was doing. That’s just how it is.”
Three years later, Fritz died at the age of 60 from the effects of a stroke. Wolfe shared the news and hinted that he and Fritz had rekindled their friendship.
Keep scrolling for a look back on Wolfe and Fritz’s ups and downs:
January 2010
American Pickers season 1 kicked off at the start of the New Year. Fans fell in love with Fritz and Wolfe’s dynamic as they explored by van in search of collectibles. The series premiere raked in 3.1 million viewers, making it the highest-rated History Channel debut.
2019
Tension between Fritz and Wolfe began after working together for a decade.
March 2020
Fritz made his final appearance on American Pickers in season 21.
July 2021
After confirming his exit, Fritz shared in an interview with The Sun that he felt that Wolfe was the bigger star on the reality series.
“The show is tilted towards him 1,000 percent. I can’t even bend that far down to show you how much,” he reflected. “That’s fine. It’s like, you’ve got Aerosmith and there’s Steven Tyler and he’s the front man. I found my spot, I’m second and he’s No. 1 on the show. That’s no problem with me, maybe he does have a problem.”
Fritz also claimed that he felt like Wolfe wanted to “replace” him with his brother Robbie Wolfe, who has made appearances.
“I don’t know why he’s behaving like that towards me. You couldn’t just stick two people in a van and get the chemistry you get from me and Mike,” he said. “We’ve known each other for about 40 years. We can finish each other’s sentences. When everybody is getting along and there’s no drama, me and him are very good together.”
Mike did not address the allegations but did release a statement regarding Fritz’s exit.
“I have known Frank for as long as I can remember, he’s been like a brother to me. The journey that Frank, Dani [Colby] and I started back in 2009, like all of life, has come with its highs and lows, blessings and challenges, but it has also been the most rewarding,” he wrote via Instagram. “The support that you all have given us has been a constant reminder of what the show’s message has always been; [through] these places, people, and things we all have a common thread. We’re here to not only take care of the past, but also each other.”
He added that was going to “miss” Fritz and wished him “the very best and all good things for him on the next part of his journey.”
August 2021
One month later, Fritz slammed Mike’s statement and called it “bulls—.”
“Mike didn’t call me himself, never, like I said — we haven’t spoken for two years,” he alleged to The Sun. “That is the 100% truth and I don’t like people that lie to people. I’m not a liar just for the fact that my brain can’t remember if I lied or not.”
July 2022
One year after the drama went down, Mike revealed that Fritz was in the hospital after suffering from a stroke.
“I have been very private in the past year in regards to Frank’s life and the journey he’s been on,” Wolfe wrote via Instagram. “There has been lots of opinions in regards to mine and Frank’s friendship and the show but now is not the time to set the record straight. Now is the time to pray for my friend.”
May 2023
The Quad-City Times reported that Mike and Fritz reunited during Memorial Day weekend. According to the outlet, Mike wanted Fritz to consider returning to American Pickers. However, Fritz wanted to prioritize his health amid his battle with Crohn’s Disease.
October 2024
Mike announced that Fritz passed away and he got to spend some of his final moments with his old pal.
“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. The same off camera as he was on, Frank had a way of reaching the hearts of so many by just being himself,” Mike wrote via Instagram. “Who would have ever dreamed we would share the cockpit of a white cargo van in front of millions of people interested in our adventures.”
He reflected on how far the twosome had come from their days as friends to their success on American Pickers.
“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,” he continued. “We’ve been on countless trips and shared so many miles and 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.”
