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Family Ties Wiki

Joe Moore is the father of Nick Moore.

Background[]

Joe married Nick's mother after accidentally getting her pregnant with Nick, even though he didn't love her. He spend more time at the track or the pool hall than with his family, although he made the occasional effort to bond with Nick, like taking him to the Fish Shanty. When Nick was eleven, Joe walked out. Now Joe owns Joe Moore's Motors, the biggest and most sued used car lot in the Midwest.[1] He appears in TV ads in which he walks on top of cars in stilts and brags that at Joe Moore Motors, you get more value, more quality, and more car for your buck. His "better half" is a car named Marie. He isn't on speaking terms with Nick, but has followed his career with great interest. He bought "Woman with Half-Eaten Burger," the first painting Nick ever sold, and went to all his art shows when Nick wasn't there.

It's possible that Joe has other children. Nick has at least one older sibling who is the parent of Rocco, and a brother about Jennifer Keaton's age who's mentioned in Mr. Wrong. But it's unknown if they're Joe's biological kids, or if they're half-siblings or adopted.

On the series[]

In Father, Can You Spare a Dime? Nick needs a $5,000 loan to start his art school. He reluctantly goes to Joe for help. Joe visits the Keaton family's house and invites Nick to talk about business in his office. Joe writes Nick a check, but when Joe refuses to apologize for abandoning the family, Nick throws it back at him. That night, Joe looks at "Woman with Half-Eaten Burger" and realizes that if he doesn't do something, that'll be all he'll ever have of Nick. The next day, Joe arrives at the Y as Nick's art class is ending. He tells Nick that he'd like to really talk with him and try to make things right. Nick accepts the check and calls Joe "Dad" for the first time in years.

In 'Til Her Daddy Takes the T-Bird Away, Joe sells Mallory Keaton and Nick a car. Steven Keaton agrees to cosign for the loan, but then refuses when he learns that Mallory and Nick plan to go on a cross-country road trip. Steven goes to great lengths to talk Joe out of selling the car, but he eventually decides Mallory is old enough to make her own decisions and gives in.

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