Question: who plays frankie's dad on the middle

title: Jerry Van Dyke
text: 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 . 

Answer: answer: 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.