29 April 1930 – 11 November 2024
The German-born painter’s love of films, crosswords and a good pub quiz are recalled by his only child, keen to dispel popular ‘myths’ about the artist

• Read the Observer’s obituaries of 2024 in full

My father kept things simple. Didn’t learn to drive, couldn’t swim, no bank cards and, until recently, no telephone. He worked 364 days a year until a few years ago. From then on, Christmas Day was sacrificed to “The best game I’ve ever played”. His death is too raw for me now to offer a coherent summation; my picture of him is more a montage of memories.

I knew my father when I was small, trips to Regent’s Park, especially the zoo. My parents separated when I was five. I then didn’t see Frank until, in 1975 when I was 17, he initiated contact: “I will be in the studio every Thursday evening from 7.30 until 8.30, if you would like to meet.”