Ed Conner is Dan Conner's father, a charming, traveling salesman who always brings presents for his grandchildren. Dan has a troubled past with his father, but he is well-liked by everyone else. Ed never makes any blatant attempt on the show to anger Dan on purpose, but he often baits his son covertly (e.g., when Ed begins to date Crystal and when Dan questions him on it, Ed makes a rude crack about Dan being "interested" in Crystal). It usually doesn't take long for Dan to become annoyed at his father's presence. He is portrayed as irresponsible and neglectful of his first family, though it is later revealed he justified his actions in reference to raising Dan by reconciling his frequent commitment of Dan's mother to a mental institution with his desire to provide Dan with at least one stable parent as he would often be gone on sales trips during Dan's adolescence. He marries and has two children with Crystal, even though she is over 20 years younger than he is.
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