Party of Five (TV Series)

Benefactors (1996)

Carroll O'Connor: Jacob Gordon

Photos 

Quotes 

• Bailey Salinger : So, why did you lie? Why didn't you tell me you were my grandfather? It was guilt, right? You probably felt really bad about how things went with my Mom, and walking out on her when she was so little and letting Grandma to raise her all by herself and you thought I'd be as mad as you as she was.

  Jacob Gordon : I didn't expect I'd have to go into any of this.

  Bailey Salinger : Or maybe you wanted to make a good first impression. You know, make me think you were a great guy before telling me that we're related. Was that it? Were you ever going to tell me?

  Jacob Gordon : I thought about it, but I figured you'd be better off not knowing.

  Bailey Salinger : Better off? Hey, I have no parents! I have no living relatives to look after me or my brothers and sisters. So no, I wouldn't be better off. I guess this explains why you haven't come back before now. You just though we'd all be better off.

  Jacob Gordon : I came back here to San Francisco five months ago looking for my daughter Diana Gordon, your mother. She was my only child, and I haven't seen her for over 30 years. I went over to city hall. I asked them to look her up. I expected to get a new address, a new name, or a place of business... and the woman there came back and said, "The person you're looking for is deceased". Well, I didn't tell her that I was looking for my daughter, so I shouldn't have expected her to break it to me gently. It shouldn't really hurt, you know, losing something you never had in the first place.

  Bailey Salinger : So, you don't even know what she looked like? As an adult, I mean. Julia looks like her. A lot. You'll see when you meet her.

  Jacob Gordon : Oh, I'm not gonna do that.

  Bailey Salinger : What?

  Jacob Gordon : I'm not going to meet Julia.

  Bailey Salinger : What do you mean? She's my sister.

  Jacob Gordon : I know who she is.

  Bailey Salinger : How can you not want to meet her?

  Jacob Gordon : Bailey, I'm not going to meet any of them. I came here looking for a grown daughter, that's all. Because when you get old, you want to make amends. But I found that my only daughter and child was gone, and found five kids instead. One of them's only a baby. You all need things from a grandfather or a legal guardian that I'm just not able to give any of you. I can't handle five kids. I couldn't handle one. I can give you money or help you in school, but that's it. Now if you are going to go on talking about meeting the rest of them... Charlie, Claudia, and Owen... don't. That's not going to happen.

• [last lines] 

  Jacob Gordon : [to the Salingers]  Uh, I hope you'll excuse me. I wonder if I could introduce myself. My name is Jacob Gordon. I'm your grandfather.