▁often ▁sought ▁out ▁by ▁the ▁boys ▁on ▁how ▁to ▁deal ▁with ▁problems , ▁especially ▁those ▁concerning ▁their ▁father . ▁Mag gie ▁is ▁something ▁of ▁a ▁hi pp ie ▁and ▁is ▁an ▁av id ▁mar iju ana ▁sm oker . ▁ ▁Sam ▁Elli ott ▁as ▁Beau ▁Ro ose vel t ▁Ben nett , ▁Mag gie ' s ▁ex - hus band , ▁and ▁Col t ▁and ▁Ro oster ' s ▁father . ▁A ▁Vietnam ▁War ▁veter an , ▁he ▁has ▁worked ▁the ▁ran ch ▁since ▁returning ▁from ▁the ▁war ▁and ▁taking ▁it ▁over ▁after ▁his ▁father ▁died . ▁He ▁is ▁difficult ▁to ▁get ▁along ▁with , ▁perpet ually ▁anno yed ▁with ▁everyone ▁and ▁everything . ▁He ▁has ▁a ▁stra ined ▁relationship ▁with ▁Ro oster ▁and ▁Col t . ▁He ▁det ests ▁many ▁modern ▁amen ities ▁and ▁is ▁easily ▁anger ed ▁by ▁his ▁sons ' ▁ant ics . ▁Beau ▁appears ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁Republican ▁with ▁a ▁special ▁aff inity ▁for ▁Ron ald ▁Re agan ▁but ▁at ▁times ▁seems ▁to ▁desp ise ▁all ▁polit icians ▁regardless ▁of ▁affili ation . ▁ ▁El ish a ▁C uth bert ▁as ▁Abb y ▁Phill ips - Ben nett ▁( se asons ▁ 2 – 4 ; ▁rec urr ing , ▁season ▁ 1 ), ▁a ▁G arrison ▁High ▁School ▁history ▁teacher ▁and ▁Col t ' s ▁high ▁school ▁sweet heart . ▁As ▁the ▁series ▁begins , ▁Abb y ▁has ▁been ▁in ▁a ▁five - year ▁relationship ▁with ▁Ken ny ▁Ball ard ▁and ▁briefly ▁becomes ▁engaged ▁to ▁him . ▁As