<P> During the 1970s Van Dyke returned to stand - up comedy . He spent much of the decade touring Playboy Clubs around the country and headlining venues in Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada, Summerfest in Milwaukee, and in Atlantic City, New Jersey . He returned to television for guest appearances on Love, American Style and Fantasy Island . In 1973 he portrayed Wes Callison, News Writer, on the season four episode "Son of' But Seriously, Folks"' on The Mary Tyler Moore Show . He also had roles in The Amazing Cosmic Awareness of Duffy Moon (1976) and 13 Queens Boulevard (1979). Also in 1989 he appeared as a panelist in the pilot for the revival of Match Game, hosted by Bert Convy, but due to his brain tumor, he was later replaced by Ross Shafer when it was turned into a series in 1990 . </P> <P> In 1988 he made a guest appearance on Scott Baio's sitcom Charles in Charge as Jamie Powell's health teacher Mr. Merkin . In 1989 Van Dyke began portraying beloved, yet befuddled, assistant coach Luther Van Dam on the long - running series Coach . For this role, he received four consecutive Emmy Award nominations (1990 through 1993) for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series". </P> <P> In 1995 he appeared in a series of Hardee's commercials to promote the Big Hardee, then in the late 1990s acted as the spokesperson for Big Lots . He appeared in Yes, Dear as Big Jimmy, the father of Jimmy Hughes . He made a guest appearance on a September 2008 episode of My Name Is Earl and in 2010 he made an appearance on the second - season episode, "A Simple Christmas" of the television series, The Middle, playing Frankie's father, Tag Spence . He returned in "Thanksgiving III" in November 2011, "Thanksgiving IV" in November 2012, "From Orson with Love" in May 2013, and "Thanksgiving V" in November 2013 . "flirting with disaster" in March 2015 Van Dyke also played the object of Maw Maw's affections on the 18th episode of the first season of Raising Hope . In a December 2013 episode of The Millers he played Bud Miller, father to Margo Martindale's character, Carol . In his final television role in April 2015 he reprised his role as Frankie's father on The Middle, along with real - life brother Dick Van Dyke playing his character's brother . </P> <P> Van Dyke was married twice and had three children with first wife Carol, daughters Jerri Lynn and Kelly Jean and son Ronald . Kelly Jean Van Dyke committed suicide in 1991, following struggles with substance abuse . </P>

Who plays frankie's father in the middle
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