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Seth MacFarlane

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— CH. 1 · INTRODUCTION —

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Seth MacFarlane

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  • Seth MacFarlane was handed $50,000 by Fox and a strange deal. Make a pilot for a prime-time cartoon on a budget that barely resembled a real one. Most animated prime-time episodes of the era cost at least $1 million each. He later described the result this way: "I spent about six months with no sleep and no life, just drawing like crazy in my kitchen and doing this pilot." MacFarlane, born on the 26th of October 1973, is an American actor, animator, writer, producer, director, comedian and singer. That kitchen pilot is only one odd thread in a career that runs from cartoon dogs and talking bears to concert halls. How did a sleepless stretch of drawing become a string of television series? Why does the voice behind a cartoon baby also sing in the manner of Frank Sinatra? And what does a man with that much success choose to do with it?

  • At the age of two, Seth MacFarlane was already sketching Fred Flintstone and Woody Woodpecker. He grew up in Kent, Connecticut, where his father Ronald taught at the Kent School and his mother Ann worked in its admissions offices. His younger sister Rachael would become a voice actress. His maternal grandfather, Arthur Sager, competed in track and field at the 1928 Summer Olympics.

    By the age of five, MacFarlane knew he wanted a career in animation, and his parents found him a book about flip books. At nine he began a weekly comic strip called Walter Crouton for the local paper, The Kent Good Times Dispatch. It paid him five dollars a week. One strip showed a character kneeling at the altar for Communion and asking, "Can I have fries with that?" The paper printed it, and the local priest sent an "angry letter." MacFarlane remembers it as "sort of a little mini-controversy" in town.

    He received his diploma from the Kent School in 1991, and his parents gave him an 8 mm film camera. At the Rhode Island School of Design he majored in animation. He had planned to work for Disney until he saw The Simpsons. He also performed stand-up and starred in student films, where he met Mike Henry, whose brother Patrick was a classmate. Henry would later join the Family Guy cast. For his senior thesis, MacFarlane made The Life of Larry. A professor sent it to Hanna-Barbera, and MacFarlane graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

    Ellen Cockrill and Fred Seibert recruited him at the senior film festival. They hired him for his writing rather than his drawing, and he was one of only a few people the company ever hired on writing talent alone. At Cartoon Network he wrote and animated for the Cartoon Cartoons shows, and he made Larry & Steve, a sequel about a middle-aged Larry and his intellectual dog. He described the studio as an "old-fashioned Hollywood structure, where you move from one show to another or you jump from a writing job on one show to a storyboard job on another."

    He worked on Dexter's Laboratory, Cow and Chicken and Johnny Bravo. He spent the most time on Johnny Bravo, whose scriptwriting process helped him develop his own style. Through that show he met Adam West and Jack Sheldon, known for Schoolhouse Rock!, and those meetings later mattered to Family Guy.

    Outside Hanna-Barbera, MacFarlane freelanced for Walt Disney Television Animation, writing Jungle Cubs. He also wrote for Nelvana's Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. He found that the work, especially Ace Ventura, taught him story progression, character stakes and plot points. He created and wrote a short called Zoomates for Oh Yeah! Cartoons on Nickelodeon. Fox executives watched both Larry shorts, and negotiations began for a prime-time animated series.

  • Leslie Kolins and Mike Darnell ran the alternative comedy department at Fox when a development executive introduced them to MacFarlane. He had first pitched Family Guy while still at Hanna-Barbera, because prime-time animation would allow a much edgier style of humor. After King of the Hill succeeded in 1997, he phoned Kolins again to ask about a second pitch. That call led to the low-budget pilot. When he returned, the film was simple and crudely animated, with just enough to establish the tone. The executives loved it and ordered a series right away.

    In July 1998, Fox announced it had bought Family Guy for a January 1999 debut. The show was first imagined as shorts on MADtv, the way The Simpsons began on The Tracey Ullman Show. Budget concerns ended that plan early. At 24, MacFarlane was television's youngest executive producer. The series first aired on the 31st of January 1999.

    His animation drew on Jackie Gleason, Hanna-Barbera, The Simpsons and All in the Family. He voices Peter Griffin, Stewie Griffin, Brian Griffin and Glenn Quagmire, along with Tom Tucker and Tom's son Jake. He wrote three episodes: "Death Has a Shadow", "Family Guy Viewer Mail 1" and "North by North Quahog". High DVD sales and loyal fans helped the show grow into a $1-billion franchise. On the 4th of May 2008, after about two and a half years of negotiations, he reached a $100-million agreement with Fox to keep Family Guy and American Dad! until 2012. It made him the world's highest paid television writer.

    On the 26th of April 2005, he and composer Walter Murphy created Family Guy: Live in Vegas. A Family Guy Video Game! followed in 2006. MacFarlane also takes cast members on the road to voice characters in front of live audiences in Montreal, New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. In mid-2007, Chicago fans heard the sixth-season premiere "Blue Harvest" before it aired.

    A movie was another ambition. He wanted a story that the series could not tell, and he pictured "an old-style musical with dialogue" in the spirit of The Sound of Music. In 2011 he stepped away from the series to pursue other projects, including a film, and since then he has worked on it only as a voice actor. In 2018, Fox announced that a live-action and animated Family Guy film was in development.

  • The Parents Television Council became one of Family Guy's most persistent critics. It organized a letter-writing campaign to pull the show from Fox's lineup, and it filed complaints with the Federal Communications Commission alleging indecent material. MacFarlane answered with a scathing insult aimed at the group.

    The series has been canceled twice, but fan support and DVD sales made Fox reconsider each time. MacFarlane found one upside. As he put it, "One of the positive aspects of Family Guy constantly being pulled off the air is that we were always having to restaff writers."

    In December 2007, production on Family Guy stalled during the 2007-08 Writers Guild of America strike. MacFarlane publicly sided with the Guild and took full part in the strike. Fox kept producing episodes without his final approval, and his contract still required him to contribute to anything it made. Fox aired three Family Guy episodes without his permission. During the strike he also wrote an inside joke about Jon Stewart's choice to return to the air, which undermined the writers of The Daily Show. Stewart responded with an angry phone call. The strike ended on the 12th of February 2008, and its delays reached the sixth season of both Family Guy and American Dad!.

    On the 3rd of October 2007, Bourne Co. Music Publishers sued over a parody song, "I Need a Jew", from the episode "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein". The suit said the song borrowed the melody of "When You Wish Upon a Star" without commenting on it. Named in the suit were MacFarlane, 20th Century Fox Film Corp., Fox Broadcasting Co., Cartoon Network and Walter Murphy. On the 16th of March 2009, United States District Judge Deborah Batts held that Family Guy had not infringed the copyright.

    In December 2007, actor Art Metrano sued over a scene in Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story. In it, Jesus performs Metrano's signature magic parody act, with absurd hand gestures and the tune "Fine and Dandy". In July 2009, a federal judge rejected Fox's motion to dismiss. The judge noted that the scene mocked Jesus and his followers, not Metrano or his act. The case was settled out of court in 2010 on undisclosed terms.

    On the 16th of July 2014, MacFarlane was served with a suit from the makers of the Internet videos Charlie the Abusive Teddy Bear. They claimed his film Ted copied their bear's story, voice and attitude. On the 23rd of March 2015, the suit was dismissed with prejudice after the plaintiffs conceded that Ted was independently created.

  • American Dad! has been in production since early 2005, and it is the only MacFarlane animated series never canceled. It has changed networks twice, moving from Fox to TBS after its 11th season and back to Fox after its 21st. MacFarlane voices the protagonist Stan Smith and the standout secondary character Roger. His sister Rachael voices Stan's daughter Hayley. He co-wrote the first episode.

    The show's other co-creators, Matt Weitzman and Mike Barker, guide most of its creative direction. Barker left after ten seasons. MacFarlane says that arrangement gives the series its own voice. The idea grew from his and Weitzman's exasperation with the George W. Bush administration. He compared the early seasons to All in the Family and Stan's original bigotry to Archie Bunker. After a couple of seasons the show dropped that political satire and found its own humor.

    MacFarlane admits he struggled to understand the series early on. His co-creators noticed his attention grow once the show hit its stride. He is now a fan himself, and he has noted on Twitter how much viewers like Roger.

    The idea for The Cleveland Show came from Mike Henry, the Family Guy writer who voices Cleveland. Fox ordered 22 episodes, and the series first aired on the 27th of September 2009. Strong ratings led Fox to extend the order. The show ended on the 19th of May 2013 after four seasons and 88 episodes. Cleveland and his family later returned to Family Guy in the episode "He's Bla-ack!".

    In 2008, MacFarlane released the weekly webisodes of Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy, with shorts sponsored by Burger King. He began work in 2009 on Bordertown, an animated series set in Texas. It follows a border patrol agent and a Mexican immigrant, and it satirizes America's changing cultural landscape. Bordertown ran for 13 episodes on Fox in the first half of 2016.

  • MacFarlane announced on an episode of Conan, aired on the 10th of February 2011, that he would direct Ted. He also wrote the screenplay, produced it, and starred as the title character. Ted follows John Bennett, played by Mark Wahlberg, and his talking teddy bear, voiced by MacFarlane. The bear keeps John and his girlfriend Lori Collins, played by Mila Kunis, from moving on with their lives. Reviews were generally favorable. The film opened with the highest weekend gross ever for an original R-rated comedy, and it beat The Hangover as the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy worldwide. Ted 2 followed on the 26th of June 2015.

    In June 2021, Peacock ordered a Ted prequel series straight to air, with MacFarlane as executive producer and again playing Ted. Wahlberg and Kunis do not return. In August 2024, an animated series based on the franchise was announced as being in development.

    A Million Ways to Die in the West was his second film, co-written with Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild. It follows a cowardly sheep farmer who loses a gunfight and then his girlfriend. A mysterious woman who rides into town helps him find courage, until her outlaw husband arrives for revenge. Reviews were mixed. MacFarlane wrote a companion novel on weekends during shooting, partly from boredom. It came out on the 4th of March 2014, with an audiobook narrated by Jonathan Frakes.

    The Orville began as a spec script. In May 2016, Fox gave it a 13-episode order, making it his first live-action series. MacFarlane stars as Captain Edward "Ed" Mercer. It premiered on the 10th of September 2017, drew negative reviews in its first season, and was renewed anyway. The second season premiered on the 30th of December 2018 to better reviews. The third season, The Orville: New Horizons, moved to Hulu and premiered on the 2nd of June 2022 after a pandemic delay. A scrapped episode became his novel The Orville: Sympathy for the Devil.

    In 2020, he signed a $200 million deal with NBCUniversal to develop projects. In January 2021, he was hired to develop a reboot of The Naked Gun. In October 2022, it was greenlit with Liam Neeson in the lead and Akiva Schaffer directing. MacFarlane and Erica Huggins produced.

    He has also stepped in front of a crowd as a host. He was roastmaster for the Comedy Central roasts of David Hasselhoff in 2010 and of Donald Trump and Charlie Sheen in 2011, the only person to hold that role more than once. He hosted the 85th Academy Awards on the 24th of February 2013 and was nominated that year for co-writing "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from Ted. Critics split on his hosting, and a musical number titled "We Saw Your Boobs" stirred controversy. On the 15th of September 2012, he hosted the Saturday Night Live season premiere with musical guest Frank Ocean.

  • Lee and Sally Sweetland, vocal coaches to Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra, trained MacFarlane in his early years. They drilled him in the old way of singing, from before electronic help, and told him to show his teeth. He is a baritone and a pianist, and his music is mostly vocal jazz, show tunes and swing. He has performed at the Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall.

    He has sung several times at the BBC Proms with the John Wilson Orchestra. In 2009 he joined Prom 22, A Celebration of Classic MGM Film Musicals. He returned for a Christmas concert in 2010, and a Broadway program was announced for 2012. In 2015 he appeared in a Sinatra program. His comedy influences include Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Monty Python and Norman Lear. His musical heroes include Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Johnny Mercer and the Rat Pack.

    He explained the appeal this way: "The one thing that's missing for me from popular music today is fun." He admires singers who sounded like they were having a great time. He also called orchestration "in many ways" a lost art.

    In 2010, he signed with Universal Republic Records. His debut, Music Is Better Than Words, arrived in 2011 with duets featuring Norah Jones and Sara Bareilles. It earned two nominations at the 54th Grammy Awards, though it scored only 52 out of 100 on Metacritic. Holiday for Swing, his first Christmas album, followed in 2014. No One Ever Tells You was nominated for a Grammy in 2015. In 2016, Barbara Sinatra honored him at the 28th annual Frank Sinatra Celebrity Invitational. In Full Swing in 2017 drew two Grammy nominations and used songs composed by Joel McNeely.

    Once in a While arrived in 2019, with composer Andrew Cottee. In 2020, Great Songs from Stage & Screen was written with Bruce Broughton, who also works with him on The Orville. Like most of his albums, it was recorded largely at Abbey Road Studios, though pandemic restrictions moved post-production to his home. Blue Skies followed in 2022. In November 2023, he released We Wish You the Merriest with Elizabeth Gillies.

    His duets reach beyond his own albums. He sang "Pure Imagination" with Streisand in 2016 and show tunes with Ariana Grande on Carpool Karaoke: The Series in 2017. During the 2020 pandemic, he and Gillies made eight songs for the Spotify playlist Songs from Home. His cover of "White Christmas" with Meghan Trainor later peaked at number 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

    In June 2025, he released his ninth album, Lush Life: The Lost Sinatra Arrangements, conducted by John Wilson. It features arrangements by Nelson Riddle, Billy May and Don Costa that were never produced. MacFarlane found them in Sinatra's library of music material.

  • In August 2011, Fox ordered a 13-part update of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson. MacFarlane co-produced it with Ann Druyan and Steven Soter and voiced characters in its animated segments. It began airing in March 2014, and he returned for the sequel series Cosmos: Possible Worlds in 2020.

    His admiration for Carl Sagan went further. In 2012 he donated money to create The Seth MacFarlane Collection of the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan Archive at the Library of Congress. It opened on the 12th of November 2013. On the 20th of April 2024, he and Martin Scorsese showed Back from the Ink: Restored Animated Shorts at the TCM Classic Film Festival, after funding the restoration with partners including the UCLA Film and Television Archive.

    MacFarlane supports the Democratic Party and has donated over $200,000 to its congressional committees and to Barack Obama's 2008 campaign. In 2015, he endorsed Bernie Sanders and introduced him at a Los Angeles rally. He later backed Hillary Clinton, Pete Buttigieg, Joe Biden and, after Biden withdrew, Kamala Harris. In 2011, Harvard named him Humanist of the Year for his commitment to humanist values and support of equal marriage rights. In 2023, he donated $1 million to The Entertainment Community Fund to help film and television workers during the strikes. He has stated plainly, "I do not believe in God. I'm an atheist."

    On the 7th of June 2006, he delivered Harvard's class day address, speaking as himself and as Peter Griffin, Stewie Griffin and Glenn Quagmire. He lives in Beverly Hills, California, and has no children. He gave a speech at the Rhode Island School of Design on the 10th of September 2001. The next morning he was booked on American Airlines Flight 11. A hangover and a travel agent's wrong departure time, 8:15 a.m. instead of 7:45 a.m., left him about ten minutes too late at Logan International Airport. The gates had closed. He says he never felt panic, because he did not know of the danger until afterward. His mother, Ann Perry Sager, died of cancer on the 16th of July 2010.

    He has been nominated for twenty-four Primetime Emmy Awards and has won five times, in 2000, 2002, 2016-2017 and 2019. He received a star at 6259 Hollywood Blvd in 2019 and entered the Television Hall of Fame in 2020. In 2022, scientists described a frog from Ecuador, Hyloscirtus sethmacfarlanei, and gave it his name.

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Updated

Common questions

Who is Seth MacFarlane?

Seth MacFarlane is an American actor, animator, writer, producer, director, comedian and singer, born on the 26th of October 1973 in Kent, Connecticut. He created Family Guy and The Orville and co-created American Dad! and The Cleveland Show.

How did Seth MacFarlane create Family Guy?

Seth MacFarlane built Family Guy from his student film The Life of Larry and a low-budget pilot he made for Fox. Fox announced the purchase in July 1998, and the show first aired on the 31st of January 1999.

What characters does Seth MacFarlane voice on Family Guy and American Dad!?

Seth MacFarlane voices Peter Griffin, Stewie Griffin, Brian Griffin, Glenn Quagmire and Tom Tucker on Family Guy. On American Dad! he voices Stan Smith and Roger.

What films has Seth MacFarlane directed?

Seth MacFarlane directed and starred in Ted in 2012, voicing the title bear, and its sequel Ted 2 in 2015. He also co-wrote and starred in A Million Ways to Die in the West in 2014.

Does Seth MacFarlane sing, and what albums has he released?

Seth MacFarlane is a baritone who sings vocal jazz, show tunes and swing in the vein of Frank Sinatra. His nine studio albums run from Music Is Better Than Words in 2011 to Lush Life: The Lost Sinatra Arrangements in June 2025.

What awards has Seth MacFarlane won?

Seth MacFarlane has won five Primetime Emmy Awards, in 2000, 2002, 2016-2017 and 2019. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2019 and entered the Television Hall of Fame in 2020.

Why did Seth MacFarlane miss American Airlines Flight 11?

Seth MacFarlane missed American Airlines Flight 11 because a hangover and a wrong departure time from his travel agent left him about ten minutes late at Logan International Airport. The gates had already closed.

All sources

254 references cited across the entry

  1. 1An Interview with Seth MacFarlane: The creator of Family Guy discusses his careerJuly 21, 2003
  2. 2Artist Seth MacFarlane
  3. 3MagazineSeth MacFarlane Collaborates With Norah Jones, Sara Bareilles On Christmas Album
  4. 4Seth MacFarlane Joins Emma Stone to Announce Oscar Nominations
  5. 5News'Family Guy' Creator Part of 'Cosmos' UpdateDave Itzkoff — August 5, 2011
  6. 6NewsOne-man campaign out for 'Family Guy'July 2, 1999
  7. 7News'Dad' joins 'Guy' for yuksGary Levin — Gannett Co. Inc. — February 2, 2005
  8. 8VideoInside the Actors StudioBravo — 2009
  9. 9Seth MacFarlane: TV's 'Family Guy' Makes Music, TooOctober 17, 2011
  10. 10Seth MacFarlaneApril 2, 2014
  11. 11MagazineSeth MacFarlane Secretly Wants 'Family Guy' to End; Relaunch 'Star Trek' for TVOctober 12, 2011
  12. 12NewsWith 'The Cleveland Show,' Mike Henry Spins Off Into Uncharted Cartoon TerritoryDave Itzkoff — August 27, 2009
  13. 13Seth MacFarlane – ProfileE! Online
  14. 14The Nicktoons Network Animation Festival-Seth MacFarlaneFrederator Studios — June 9, 2006
  15. 15NewsMy TV hero: Daniel Roche on Seth MacFarlaneHickman, Leo — August 29, 2011
  16. 16Rumor ConfirmedFebruary 25, 2006
  17. 17Seth MacFarlane – he's the "Family Guy"James Bartlett — Presswire Limited — March 12, 2007
  18. 18NewsFamily Guy creator seals megadealNellie Andreeva — May 5, 2008
  19. 19NewsThe Young Guy Of 'Family Guy'; A 30-Year-Old's Cartoon Hit Makes An Unexpected ComebackBernard Weinraub — July 7, 2004
  20. 20NewsFox Fine-'Toons Its Midseason LineupMink Eric — July 24, 1998
  21. 21Family Guy Returns to Production with an Initial Order of 22 New Episodes to Premiere in Early 2005March 26, 2004
  22. 22NewsSeth MacFarlane: Family Guy, American Dad!Thomas McLean — Reed Business — June 1, 2007
  23. 23Family Guy Creator Signs Lucrative Deal with Fox. BuddyTV. May 7, 2008. Retrieved May 14, 2008.
  24. 24Family Guy Live in VegasSpence D. — April 28, 2005
  25. 25Family Guy creator seals megadealDavid Adams — May 3, 2005
  26. 26"Ypulse Essentials: Urban Disney, Marketing's Child, Teen Hackers" . YPulse. August 20, 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2008.
  27. 27Schneider, Michael (August 13, 2007). "Family Guy hits the road: MacFarlane and Co. to perform in Chicago". Variety. Retrieved May 31, 2008.
  28. 28News"Family Guy" movie possible, MacFarlane saysGeorg Szalai — July 23, 2007
  29. 29Family Guy feature film is in the works!September 26, 2007
  30. 30TCA Video: Family Guy Spoilers; Movie Plans
  31. 31NewsSeth MacFarlane's $2 Billion Family Guy EmpireJosh Dean
  32. 32NewsFamily Guy writer Seth MacFarlane wants show to endOctober 13, 2011
  33. 33Seth MacFarlane reveals 'Family Guy' movie plansKristen Baldwin — Entertainment Weekly — November 30, 2012
  34. 34Comic-Con: 'Family Guy' Feature Film On Hold; Season 13 Guest Stars & Stories Revealed – DeadlineAnthony D'Alessandro — July 26, 2014
  35. 35Family Guy Movie in Development, Mixes Animation with Live-ActionAugust 10, 2018
  36. 36Yes, Seth MacFarlane Is Still Planning A Family Guy MovieNick Evans — July 1, 2019
  37. 37Seth MacFarlane Answers the Web's Most Searched Questions WIREDMay 24, 2022
  38. 38Fox's "Comedic Genius" by Brent Bozell. TownHall. April 10, 2009. Retrieved August 2, 2009.
  39. 39Parents Council E-Alert. Vol. 4, No. 26. May 5, 2000. "In the two months since the show returned, creator Seth MacFarlane has aggressively sought to push the content envelope. Worse, Fox has permitted
  40. 40NewsPTC Outraged Over 'Family Guy' EpisodeJohn Eggerton — November 12, 2009
  41. 41NewsRead Oscar Host Seth MacFarlane's One and Only Gay Interview (From 2008)Brandon Voss — February–March 2008
  42. 42NewsCanceled and Resurrected, on the Air and OnstageJesse McKinley — May 2, 2005
  43. 43NewsStrike over, Hollywood writers head back to workFebruary 13, 2008
  44. 44NewsSeth MacFarlane's 'American Dad' picked up by TBSDavid Hinckley — July 18, 2013
  45. 45'American Dad!' Eyes Return To Fox For Season 20 & BeyondNellie Andreeva — March 21, 2025
  46. 46"Rachael MacFarlane Biography". Fox. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
  47. 47American Dad: Series OverviewMicrosoft
  48. 48NewsAmerican DadTim Goodman
  49. 49Magazine'American Dad' Executive Producer/Co-Showrunner Mike Barker ExitsNellie Andreeva — October 30, 2013
  50. 50News'American Dad' Shakeup: Co-Creator Leaving Before TBS MoveNovember 5, 2013
  51. 51Seth MacFarlane InterviewSean Doorly — Doorly.com
  52. 52Rogers, Troy. "Seth MacFarlane, American Dad Interview". Underground Online. Retrieved December 21, 2007.
  53. 53Norton James."Seth MacFarlane's Third Act". Flak Magazine. Retrieved December 21, 2007.
  54. 54News"The Missing Kink"; American Dad; TV Club; TVKevin McFarland — April 15, 2013
  55. 55NewsComedy Showrunners Week: American Dad's co-creators on the show's weird evolutionEmily VanDerWerff — September 28, 2012
  56. 56MagazineFox orders full season of 'Family Guy' spin-offLynette Rice — November 10, 2008
  57. 57The Cleveland Show renewed before it beginsTvsquad.com
  58. 58NewsFox orders a full second season of 'The Cleveland Show'October 14, 2009
  59. 59Seth MacFarlane confirms the return of Cleveland Brown...to Family GuyJohn Schwarz — July 15, 2013
  60. 60Family Guy creator opens Cavalcade of Comedy for businessJacqui Cheng — Arstechnica.com — September 10, 2008
  61. 61MagazinePeter Macon & J Lee Join Seth MacFarlane's Fox Series 'Orville'Denise Petski — August 19, 2016
  62. 62Seth MacFarlane To Create & Star In Fox Sci-Fi Dramedy Series For 2017–18 SeasonNellie Andreeva — Penske Media Corporation — May 4, 2016
  63. 63Seth MacFarlane to Create, Executive-Produce and Star in New SeriesFOX.com
  64. 64The Orville Renewed for Season 2Dave Nemetz — Penske Media Corporation — November 2, 2017
  65. 65NewsThe Orville Season 2 Will Be Bigger, But We'll Probably Have to Wait for ItJanuary 4, 2018
  66. 66'The Orville' to Move From Fox to Hulu for Season 3Joe Otterson — July 20, 2019
  67. 67'The Orville' Moves To Hulu From Fox For Season 3 In 2020Denise Petski — July 20, 2019
  68. 68'The Orville': Hulu Scripted Chief Jordan Helman Gives Update On Season 3 Of Seth MacFarlane's Sci-Fi DramaPeter White — August 6, 2021
  69. 69'The Orville: New Horizons' Gets New Premiere Date & Sneak Peek; Seth MacFarlane Says New Season Will Be "Worth The Wait" Imposed By Covid Production DelaysMatt Grobar — February 4, 2022
  70. 70The Orville: Scrapped Season 3 Episode to Be Released as NovellaMatt Webb Mitovich — June 27, 2022
  71. 71Hooper, Barrett. "Winner's one big loser: Not all ex-Daily Show correspondents make great sitcom stars". Now Toronto. Published March 8, 2007. Retrieved December 21, 2007.
  72. 72Matheson, Whitney. Sample The Winner. USA TODAY Blog. Published February 19, 2007. Retrieved December 21, 2007.
  73. 732007 Canceled Shows: Fox Cancels Plenty of Series". TV Series Finale. May 16, 2007.
  74. 74NewsFox Orders Seth MacFarlane's 'Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey'Gail Mitchell — August 5, 2011
  75. 75MagazineCosmos to return in 2019 with Possible WorldsNick Romano — January 13, 2018
  76. 76'Dads' 'Enlisted' and 'Surviving Jack' Canceled by FOX After First SeasonAmanda Kondolojy — May 7, 2013
  77. 77Seth MacFarlane's 'Dads' Series Casts 'Mindy Project' Actor – MSN TV NewsTim Kenneally — February 12, 2013
  78. 78Starz Gives 20-Episode Order to Seth MacFarlane-Patrick Stewart Comedy 'Blunt Talk'Variety — April 29, 2014
  79. 79Starz Orders Two Seasons of Seth MacFarlane Comedy 'Blunt Talk'Lesley Goldberg — April 29, 2014
  80. 80Blunt Talk Cancelled at StarzKimberly Roots — December 20, 2016
  81. 81MagazineSeth MacFarlane Delivering New Animated Comedy for FoxMiriam Coleman — November 9, 2013
  82. 82'Grinder', 'Grandfathered', 'Bordertown' & 'Cooper Barrett' Canceled By Fox After One SeasonMay 13, 2016
  83. 83Seth MacFarlane will lead David Hasselhoff RoastJuly 21, 2010
  84. 84Press releaseSeth MacFarlane to Host 85th OscarsAMPAS — October 1, 2012
  85. 85SETH MACFARLANE TO HOST 85TH OSCARS®, AIRING LIVE ON ABC, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2013American Broadcasting Company — October 11, 2012
  86. 86Seth MacFarlane to host the Oscars – BREAKINGLindsey Bahr — Entertainment Weekly — October 1, 2012
  87. 87News"Lincoln," "Life of Pi" lead Oscar raceDavid Morgan — CBS Corporation — January 10, 2013
  88. 88MagazineThis year's Academy Awards: a lively, occasionally uneasy mixture of snark and sincerityOwen Gleiberman — February 25, 2013
  89. 89NewsTV Review: Seth MacFarlane Wins at Oscar Hosting Against OddsTim Goodman — February 24, 2013
  90. 90Seth MacFarlane's 'We Saw Your Boobs' Song Outraged Women In HollywoodAly Weisman — February 28, 2013
  91. 91MagazineSeth MacFarlane to Host 2nd Annual Breakthrough Prize CeremonyKevin Noonan — October 29, 2014
  92. 92MagazineScientists get £14.6m in Zuckerberg-backed Breakthrough awardsCara McGoogan — November 19, 2015
  93. 93Around-the-World Roundup: 'Taken 2' Crushes Predecessor, 'Ted' Sets New RecordBoxofficemojo.com — October 16, 2012
  94. 94Box Office Report: 'Ted' Earns Record $54.1 Mil; 'Magic Mike' Sizzles With $39.2 Mil – Yahoo! MoviesMovies.yahoo.com — July 1, 2012
  95. 95'Ted 2′ Gets June 2015 Release DateDeadline — October 2, 2013
  96. 96MagazineComic-Con – Seth MacFarlane Says "I'd Be Open To Making Ted 2"Dominic Patten — July 14, 2012
  97. 97NewsBBC News – Bourne Legacy sequel confirmedBbc.co.uk — September 14, 2012
  98. 98'Ted' TV Series From Seth MacFarlane Based On Movie Ordered By Peacock; UCP & MRC ProducingNellie Andreeva — June 10, 2021
  99. 99Ted Season 2 was nearly canceled for a surprising reasonAugust 20, 2024
  100. 100MacFarlane planning Western film – Yahoo! Movies UKUk.movies.yahoo.com — December 6, 2012
  101. 101Seth MacFarlane to Direct and Star in Live-Action Western Comedy A Million Ways to Die in the WestAdam Chitwood — December 3, 2012
  102. 102A Million Ways to Die in the West Reviews – Metacritic
  103. 103For anyone who still readsMacFarlane, Seth — Twitter — January 27, 2014
  104. 104MagazineSeth MacFarlane Writes His First NovelMegan Gibson — January 28, 2014
  105. 105Seth MacFarlane's A Million Ways to Die in the WestRandom House
  106. 106MagazineSeth MacFarlane on 'Million Ways to Die' and Taking Projects That 'Terrify' HimApril 29, 2014
  107. 107Magazine'Family Guy' Creator Seth MacFarlane Signs Record DealAugust 6, 2010
  108. 108Seth MacFarlane On Leno, Announces Debut Album | Freakin Sweet NewsAlexina — Freakinsweetnews.com — August 6, 2010
  109. 109NewsGrammy Awards 2012: Winners and nominees list
  110. 110Critic reviews- Seth MacFarlane: Music is Better than WordsMetacritic.com
  111. 111Seth MacFarlane Holiday For Swing LPelusivedisc.com
  112. 112MagazineSeth MacFarlane on Playing It Straight for His New 'Holiday for Swing' AlbumAndrew Hampp — August 26, 2014
  113. 113NewsSeth MacFarlane records Christmas album with Norah JonesBen Beaumont-Thomas — May 16, 2014
  114. 114Seth MacFarlane Set to Release Christmas AlbumRoy Trakin — May 15, 2014
  115. 115Holiday for Swing! – Seth MacFarlaneErlewine, Stephen Thomas — Rovi Corporation
  116. 116NewsHoliday reviewsRandy Lewis — November 26, 2014
  117. 117No One Ever Tells You – Seth MacFarlane – Songs, Reviews, Credits – AllMusic
  118. 118MagazineGrammy Nominations 2016: See the Full List of Nominees
  119. 119Seth MacFarlane Honored at 2016 Frank Sinatra Celebrity InvitationalFebruary 3, 2016
  120. 120Seth MacFarlane's New Album 'In Full Swing' Out 9/15Broadway Worldwide — August 17, 2017
  121. 121Recording masterfully crafted, hard-swinging charts the last few days by my pal the brilliant @joelsephmcSeth MacFarlane — May 28, 2016
  122. 122That Face – Seth MacFarlane – VevoAugust 17, 2017
  123. 123Almost Like Being In Love – Seth MacFarlane – VevoAugust 28, 2017
  124. 124Have You Met Miss Jones? – Seth MacFarlane – VevoSeptember 7, 2017
  125. 125NewsGrammys 2018: See the Complete List of NomineesJoe Lynch — December 6, 2016
  126. 126Seth MacFarlane Once In A While on Collectors' Choice MusicCollectors' Choice Music — April 13, 2019
  127. 127Sounding just fantastic @SethMacFarlane! I so enjoyed making this recording with you and can't wait for the release later this month.Andrew Cottee — April 12, 2019
  128. 128Vocalist Seth MacFarlane Presents 'Great Songs From Stage & Screen'Paul Sexton — August 19, 2020
  129. 129MagazineSeth MacFarlane Mines Classic Tunes for 'Great Songs From Stage and Screen': ExclusiveMelinda Newman — August 19, 2020
  130. 130Seth MacFarlane Recorded Great Songs From Stage And Screen at Abbey RoadNBC — September 17, 2020
  131. 131Seth MacFarlane Returns to an Uptempo Take on Big-Band Jazz With New Album, 'Blue Skies' (EXCLUSIVE)Chris William — April 21, 2022
  132. 132MagazineSeth MacFarlane & Liz Gillies Debut Holiday AlbumMeredith Woerner — September 28, 2023
  133. 133MagazineNew Seth MacFarlane Album Boasts Never-Before-Heard Frank Sinatra Arrangements (EXCLUSIVE)April 23, 2025
  134. 134'The Muppets Musical History with Seth McFarlane' Goes on a Nostalgic Journey of The Muppets and Their MusicMr. Daps — August 28, 2026
  135. 135Magazine'Seth MacFarlane Sings The Muppets' Classic Songs on His New Album: Here's the Release DateMelinda Newman — August 11, 2026
  136. 136Calabria Foti & Seth MacFarlane release "Let's Fall in Love"
  137. 137"New album ENCORE: Movie Partners Sing Broadway coming August 26" barbrastreisand.com, June 10, 2016
  138. 138Carpool Karaoke: The Series — Ariana Grande & Seth MacFarlane PreviewApple TV — August 22, 2017
  139. 139Liz Gillies and Seth MacFarlane: Songs from HomeAllMusic
  140. 140MagazineMeghan Trainor & Seth MacFarlane Ring In Holiday Season with 'White Christmas' Chart DebutGary Trust — November 11, 2020
  141. 141MagazineMeghan Trainor & Seth MacFarlane's 'White Christmas' Glistens at No. 1 on Adult Contemporary ChartGary Trust — December 7, 2020
  142. 142Logic Releases First Independent Album 'College Park'Sophie Caraan — Hypebeast — February 24, 2023
  143. 143NewsBrannon Braga to Make Feature Directorial Debut With 'Books of Blood' for HuluJoe Otterson — October 31, 2019
  144. 144NewsSeth MacFarlane Inks $200M Overall Deal With NBCUniversalLesley Goldberg — January 10, 2020
  145. 145NewsSeth MacFarlane signs $200 million TV deal with NBCUniversalMeg James — January 10, 2020
  146. 146'The End is NYE': Bill Nye's New Disaster Series Gets Release DateBritta DeVore — June 17, 2022
  147. 147Liam Neeson & Seth MacFarlane Have Talked About a Naked Gun RebootZinski, Dan — January 19, 2021
  148. 148Liam Neeson Says He Will Soon Retire from Action Movies: 'There's a Couple in the Pipeline'Campione, Katie — January 2021
  149. 149Liam Neeson's Update On Seth MacFarlane's The Naked Gun Reboot Has Us Very ExcitedReyes, Mike — June 24, 2021
  150. 150New 'Naked Gun' Movie A Go At Paramount With Liam Neeson In Talks To Star And 'Lonely Island's Akiva Schaffer DirectingJustin Kroll — October 13, 2022
  151. 151"Family Guy Seth MacFarlane to speak at Class Day: Creator and executive producer of 'Family Guy' will headline undergraduate celebration . Harvard Gazette. Retrieved December 21, 2007.
  152. 152The War at Home – "I Wash My Hands of You" Synopsis. Variety. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  153. 153NewsSeth MacFarlane and Samm Levine in new short film – VIDEOAdam Finley — Webblogs (in partnership with AOL) — June 30, 2007
  154. 154"MAD TV Gets More Animated on FOX" . AWN Headline News. November 2, 2006. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  155. 155Jimmy Kimmel Live GalleryABC
  156. 156Monday, March 28, 2005: Show #2339Michael Z McIntee — CBS
  157. 157TALKSHOW with Spike FerestenJosh Grossberg
  158. 158Seth MacFarlane sings "You Make Me Feel So Young"Spoke
  159. 159Ausiello, Michael. Exclusive: 'Bones' plots 'Family Guy' crossover! Entertainment Weekly. March 19, 2009. Retrieved August 2, 2009.
  160. 160'Family Guy' tips the hat to Stephen KingApril MacIntyre — Monsters and Critics — May 9, 2009
  161. 161'Just Bring 'em in From Space': An Interview With the Creators of Aqua Teen Hunger ForceJosh Grossberg
  162. 162American Dad and Family Guy Creator Seth MacFarlane Is Animated About Work and PlayAOL — May 11, 2007
  163. 163"Hellboy 2's Psychic Entity Voiced By Family Guy" . io9. Retrieved May 31, 2008.
  164. 164Matt Groening looks to the futureTodd Leopold — February 26, 2009
  165. 165Phineas and Ferb – Nerds of a FeatherIMDb — 2010
  166. 166Season 38 Premiere
  167. 167Movie 43 is Upcoming Movie of Emma Stone, Release Date, Cast, Wallpapers
  168. 168MagazineSeth MacFarlane Lends Voice to 'Simpsons' Season FinaleMichael O'Connell — May 8, 2013
  169. 169MagazineFuturama: Seth MacFarlane to play.... – EXCLUSIVEDan Snierson — June 19, 2013
  170. 170Sneak peek: A-list animals 'SING' togetherBrian Truitt — November 10, 2015
  171. 171Adam Driver Steps Into Steven Soderbergh's 'Logan Lucky'; Seth MacFarlane In TalksAnita Busch — May 11, 2016
  172. 172Seth MacFarlane, Sienna Miller, Simon McBurney & Annabelle Wallis Join Showtime's Roger Ailes Limited SeriesNellie Andreeva et al. — Penske Media Corporation — October 12, 2018
  173. 173NewsSeth MacFarlane: from cartoons to showtunesStuart O'Connor — July 31, 2009
  174. 174Seth MacFarlane: From Cartooning to CrooningJohn Murph
  175. 175Seth MacFarlane: A 'Family Guy' Sings OutNPR — January 2, 2012
  176. 176Review for the Independent by Edward Seckerson, Monday 3 August 2009 . accessed August 29, 2010.
  177. 177NewsFamily Guy creator Seth MacFarlane to perform at PromsJune 14, 2012
  178. 178Press releaseThe BBC Proms today announces full details of its 2015 season, marking the 120th anniversary of the world's largest and longest-running music festivalBBC — April 23, 2015
  179. 179Seth MacFarlane
  180. 180NewsSeth MacFarlane Receives Two Grammy Nominations (Video)Schutte, Lauren — January 12, 2011
  181. 181Easy Listening, Soundtracks & Musicals Reviews
  182. 182Swingin' Christmas
  183. 183NewsOscars 2013: 25 Things to Know About Host Seth MacFarlaneFebruary 23, 2013
  184. 184InterviewKevin Pollak Chat ShowKevin Pollak — August 30, 2009
  185. 185Magazine'Simpsons' and 'Family Guy' creators Matt Groening and Seth MacFarlane talk crossover episode, movies, rivalryDan Snierson — September 27, 2014
  186. 186Norman Lear and Seth MacFarlane and Their TV FamiliesPhilip Galanes — June 26, 2015
  187. 187Journal'Family Guy' Creator Seth MacFarlane Releases Cover Art, Release Date For Christmas Album 'Holiday For Swing'September 11, 2014
  188. 188Seth MacFarlane: Swingin' in ConcertEpix — September 26, 2011
  189. 189Seth MacFarlane's Federal Campaign Contribution Reportnewsmeat.com
  190. 190VideoSeth MacFarlane on Legalizing Marijuana
  191. 191News'Family Guy' Creator Seth MacFarlane: Sanders won the debateBradford Richardson — October 15, 2015
  192. 192NewsSeth MacFarlane, Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg to Host Hillary Clinton FundraisersTed Johnson — September 6, 2016
  193. 193NewsA Guide to Every Celebrity Endorsement For The 2020 Presidential Election So FarSavannah Walsh — Elle — October 9, 2019
  194. 194NewsFrom Robert De Niro to Cardi B, These are the Celebrities Endorsing Joe BidenMarina Watts — September 11, 2020
  195. 195Full List of Celebrities Supporting Joe Biden Over Donald TrumpSophie Lloyd — April 5, 2024
  196. 196MagazineCardi B, Charli XCX, Barbra Streisand, More Celebs Endorse Kamala Harris for PresidentKrystie Lee Yandoli et al. — July 23, 2024
  197. 197NewsBGF: Seth MacFarlaneVoss, Brandon — Advocate — January 25, 2008
  198. 198Seth MacFarlane, Harvard Humanist of the Year 2011!
  199. 199Finley, Adam. "Seth McFarlane talks about South Park" TV Squad. Published April 20, 2006. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  200. 200"Seth MacFarlane coming to George Washington Univ.!" Adult Swim. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
  201. 201Creator of Family Guy to speak at Assembly SeriesCaroline Broom — March 24, 2005
  202. 202'Family Guy' creator brings insights to UT
  203. 203DSA lines up fall entertainmentStephanie Levy — August 21, 2007
  204. 204NewsA 'voice' For Obama: 'Family Guy' Creator MacFarlane Speaks At Bowling Green State U.Ryan Sullivan — October 6, 2008
  205. 205LMU reacts to First Amendment Week keynote choiceKyle Oddis — February 8, 2010
  206. 206First Amendment Week 2019Student Edition — 2019-02-18
  207. 207NewsSeth MacFarlane plans to have college kids deliver OscarsPatrick Kevin Day — November 30, 2012
  208. 208"Pencils Down" . Writers' Guild of America. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
  209. 209NewsFox to air new 'Guy' SundayJosef Adalian — November 13, 2007
  210. 210Seth MacFarlane InterviewMorgan Piers — October 4, 2011
  211. 211Seth MacFarlane Donates $1 Million to Entertainment Community Fund to Support Film and Television Workers During Strikes (EXCLUSIVE)August 2023
  212. 212NewsSomewhere, aliens watch Jersey Shore and plot Earth's total annihilationJune 29, 2012
  213. 213Library of Congress Acquires Carl Sagan PapersAudrey Fischer — US Library of Congress
  214. 214NewsSeth MacFarlane donates Carl Sagan's papers to Library of CongressPatrick Day — June 28, 2012
  215. 215NewsScience geek Seth MacFarlane donates to Carl Sagan's notes collectionNovember 12, 2013
  216. 216NewsCarl Sagan Archive Opens at U.S. Library of CongressMiriam Kramer — November 12, 2013
  217. 217Seth MacFarlane Teams With Martin Scorsese To Save Classic CartoonsDouglas Helm — April 23, 2024
  218. 218Seth MacFarlane and Martin Scorsese Team Up for Animation Restoration ProjectGabriella Mendez — April 18, 2024
  219. 219Seth McFarlane's Personal ResortJeff Lichtenstein — July 19, 2016
  220. 220Oscar Host Seth MacFarlane: 7 Things to KnowLuchina Fisher
  221. 221The Real Reason Seth MacFarlane Doesn't Have A WifeHannah Wigandt — September 3, 2021
  222. 222Emilia Clarke Finally Opens Up About Dating Seth MacFarlaneKendall Fisher — 2016
  223. 223Seth MacFarlane Splits From Emilia ClarkeMarch 21, 2013
  224. 224"Full Frontal TV" Q&A: Head of the Family". Penthouse. September 2007.
  225. 225NewsTV Insider (column)Peter Johnson — September 17, 2001
  226. 226DVD Interview: 10 Questions with FAMILY GUY's Seth MacFarlane – Part TwoPatrick Sauriol — ManiaDVD — September 15, 2003
  227. 227Interview with Seth MacFarlaneTVShowsonDVD.com — April 23, 2003
  228. 228Obituaries – Ann Perry MacFarlaneNewburyport News — July 16, 2010
  229. 229Seth MacFarlane's mother diesCanoe — July 29, 2010
  230. 230NewsBig Gay Following: Seth MacFarlaneBrandon Voss — Planet Out, Incorporated — February 28, 2008
  231. 231Hungover with Seth MacFarlaneStacey Grenrock Woods — August 18, 2009
  232. 232Seth MacFarlane to Steppin' Out magazine
  233. 233http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/family%20guy%20complaint.pdfOctober 3, 2007
  234. 234"The Family Guy" Once Again Tests Parody's Limits: The Copyright Suit Challenging the Show's Use of "When You Wish Upon a Star"Julie Hilden — FindLaw — October 31, 2007
  235. 235NewsNews Corp. Wins Suit Dismissal Over 'Family Guy' Song (Update1)Bloomberg L.P. — March 16, 2009
  236. 236News"Family Guy" wins court battle over songChristine Kearney — March 16, 2009
  237. 237Magician sues over cartoon Jesus
  238. 238http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_documents/1206_metrano_fox_wm.pdfDecember 5, 2007
  239. 240The Amazing Metrano, Family Guy, and Fair UseDave Fagundes — July 20, 2009
  240. 241Copyright Lessons from Family Guy Add Insult to Injury to Support Your Fair-Use DefenseAndy I. Corea — Tennessee Bar Association — December 2009
  241. 242Separating the sheep from the goats: celebrity satire as fair use
  242. 243NewsLawsuit: Seth MacFarlane's 'Ted' ripped off 'Charlie the Abusive Bear'Alan Duke — July 16, 2014
  243. 244NewsCharlie the Abusive Teddy Bear creators drop lawsuit against Seth MacFarlane's TedBen Child — March 24, 2015
  244. 245NewsSeth MacFarlane wins in lawsuit claiming he stole 'Ted' ideaMarch 24, 2015
  245. 246NewsSeth MacFarlane Beats Ted Lawsuit With Independently Created BearMarch 23, 2015
  246. 247Seth MacFarlane – EmmysTelevision Academy
  247. 248NewsThe Complete List of Grammy NominationsDecember 8, 2005
  248. 249Grammy Nominations: The Biggest Shocks And SnubsJames Montgomery — MTV
  249. 250NewsGrammy Nominations 2018: Complete ListNovember 28, 2017
  250. 251Best ComedyBauer Consumer Media — 2013
  251. 252'Marvel's The Avengers' Slays Competition At 2013 MTV Movie AwardsApril 15, 2013
  252. 253Seth MacFarlane Receives Walk of Fame StarNBC Southern California — April 23, 2019
  253. 254TV Academy Hall Of Fame Adding Bob Iger, Geraldine Laybourne, Seth MacFarlane, Jay Sandrich & Cicely TysonPatrick Hipes — December 3, 2019
  254. 255JournalA spectacular new species of Hyloscirtus (Anura: Hylidae) from the Cordillera de Los Llanganates in the eastern Andes of EcuadorJuan P. Reyes-Puig et al. — September 29, 2022

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