Mike Wolfe

"American Pickers" followed Wolfe and Fritz as they drove cross-country and through the back roads of America looking for forgotten treasures. They foraged through small, rural towns looking for dilapidated barns and old warehouses, which the pair saw as potential goldmines packed with rare finds and collectibles. After its debut in 2010, "American Pickers" became one of the History Channel's highest-rated shows, and catapulted Wolfe and Fritz into reality television stardom. Week after week, viewers tuned in to watch them negotiate with various types of collectors, many of them offbeat, and try to get them to part with their prized collection, be they film posters, antique toys, old cars, and all sorts of rare items. They later sold their second-hand scores at their Antique Archeology stores located in Le Claire, IA and Nashville, TN. The series benefited from a good dose of comedy stemming from the genuine chemistry and easy banter between its co-stars, who often competed with each other as to who would net the best pick of the day. Aside from the show, Wolfe had other successful ventures, including establishing Kid Pickers, an online community for budding pickers aged seven to 13. In September 2012, CBS announced that it would produce a comedy show set in an antiques and collectibles shop based on Wolfe's life as a picker.By Candy Cuenco