who plays frankie's dad on the middle
Jerry Van Dyke
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 . 
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 .
Jerry Van Dyke made an appearance in 2010 on the second season episode, `` A Simple Christmas '' of the television series, The Middle, playing Frankie's father, Tag Spence.
In his final television role in April 2015 he again played Frankie's father on The Middle.
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 . 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 .