Frank Vasser is the father of Dan and Jack, who left the family when Dan was 13. He worked at the San Francisco Register, where Dan met him in 1975 as seen in "The Legend of Dylan McCleen". In that same episode, Dan talks to Frank as Frank is about to go take pictures of President Ford. As a result of this delay, Frank is not there when Ford gets shot (although the assassination attempt was in Sacramento, about a 1.5 hour drive from San Francisco). Frank says something like "thanks a lot" (sarcastically) because Dan made him miss it.