Phil's grandfather (1830-1921) is a fictional character in the Hey Arnold! TV Series.
"That's the trouble with our society — no work ethic!" That's just how Phil's grandfather taught his grandson, just as Grandpa passed it down to Arnold. Despite this, he was also shown playfully throwing a snowball at Phil and laughing, much like Phil does to Arnold in the present. He seems to have had an eccentric personality like his son and grandson. His name is never known.
Conflicts with Timeline[]
Phil's Grandfather is shown during a flashback in the episode "Snow" when Phil is around 9 to 10 years old, but Phil states in a later episode, "Grandpa's Birthday", that his grandfather died in 1921, when Phil would have been around 3 years old. This error probably occurred because, on several occasions throughout the show, Phil has shown that he does not always possess the best memory. It should also be taken into consideration that he looked to be around Phil's age (80-81) in said flashback, which would've made him born in the 1830s.
Additionally, in the episode "Helga's Locket", Arnold points to a shish kebob stick that could be used to pry open Helga's locket. Phil says that it was last used by his grandfather on July 16, 1926. However, Phil had stated in the episode "Grandpa's Birthday" that his grandfather died in 1921. Again, this discrepency can possibly be owed to Phil's less-than-perfect memory.
Furthermore, in Hey Arnold!: The Movie, another chronological mistake is made regarding Phil's grandfather. When Phil is telling Arnold about the Tomato Incident, he elaborates that his father's father had participated in the incident. Again, this would be impossible, since the Tomato Incident allegedly took place during the American Revolution (1770s-1780s), at least 50 years before the birth of Phil's grandfather, which was in 1830 according to Phil ("Grandpa's Birthday").
Appears in[]
- Snow - In a flashback, telling Phil to play in the snow.
- Grandpa's Birthday - Appeared in a cameo in the family picture book.