Seth MacFarlane

American writer, actor, and producer (born 1973)

Seth Woodbury MacFarlane (born October 26, 1973) is an American actor, comedian and voice actor. He is best known for creating the animated television series, Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show. MacFarlane developed the upcoming animated series, The John Layzell Show, which will be premiered in October 2024.

Seth MacFarlane
MacFarlane at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International
Born
Seth Woodbury MacFarlane

(1973-10-26) October 26, 1973 (age 50)
Kent, Connecticut, U.S. England
NationalityAmerican
English
British
Mexican
Chinese
South Korean
Alma materRhode Island School of Design (Bachelor of Fine Arts)
Occupation(s)Actor, voice actor, animator, writer, comedian, singer, producer, director, activist
Years active1995–present
Known forFamily Guy
American Dad!
The Cleveland Show
The Winner
Seth McFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy
Comedy Central Roasts
Ted
PartnerEmilia Clarke (2012-2013)[1]
RelativesRachael MacFarlane (sister)
Signature

Early years and beginning of Family Guy

change

MacFarlane went to Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), a school in Rhode Island where he studied animation. He made a short cartoon movie named, The Life of Larry during his senior year. He worked at Hanna-Barbera writing and making episodes of Johnny Bravo. FOX, a media network, saw The Life of Larry and offered him $50,000 to make a pilot.

Political views

change

MacFarlane is a supporter for the Democratic Party.[2] In 2015, MacFarlane revealed support for Bernie Sanders on the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and he introduced Sanders on a Los Angeles rally.[3]

September 11 attacks

change

On the morning of September 11, 2001, MacFarlane was scheduled to return to Los Angeles on American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston. After having a hangover from last night's celebrations,[4] and after getting his departure time incorrectly (8:15 a.m. instead of 7:45 a.m.) from his travel agent,[5] he arrived at Logan International Airport about ten minutes too late to board the flight as the gates had been closed.[5] Fifteen minutes after departure, American Airlines Flight 11 was hijacked,[6] and at 8:46 a.m. it was flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, destroying the airplane, and killing everyone on board.[7]

Awards and nominations

change

MacFarlane has been nominated for twenty-four Primetime Emmy Awards for his work on Family Guy and has won five times, in 2000, 2002, 2016, 2017 and 2019.[8] He has been nominated for five Grammy Awards for his work in Family Guy: Live in Vegas, Music Is Better Than Words, Family Guy, No One Ever Tells You and In Full Swing.[9][10][11] He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for co-writing the opening song, "Everybody Needs a Best Friend", from his film Ted with the film's composer Walter Murphy.

He has received numerous awards from other organizations, including the Annie Award for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production and the Saturn Award for Best Television Presentation for the Family Guy episode titled "Blue Harvest", the MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo and the Empire Award for Best Comedy for Ted. In 2019, MacFarlane received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6259 Hollywood Blvd. In 2020, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.[12]

In 2022, a new species of Hyloscirtus frog (Hyloscirtus sethmacfarlanei) was described from Ecuador and named after him.

Career

change

Family Guy

change

American Dad!

change

The Winner

change

The Cleveland Show

change

Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy

change

The Flintstones

change

Cosmos: A Personal Voyage

change

In August 2011, Fox ordered a 13-part updated series of Cosmos: A Personal Voyage. MacFarlane will co-produce with Anne Druyan and Steven Soter. It will be hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson. The series was broadcast on Fox in 2014.[13]

Bordertown

change

Seth MacFarlane is on his fifth animated series Bordertown with Alex Borstein. Its broadcast date is on January 3, 2016. It shows a family and has a female lead role.[14]

Awards and nominations

change

MacFarlane has been nominated for twenty-four Primetime Emmy Awards for his work on Family Guy and has won five times, in 2000, 2002, 2016, 2017 and 2019. He has been nominated for five Grammy Awards for hisR work in Family Guy: Live in Vegas, Music Is Better Than Words, Family Guy, No One Ever Tells You and In Full Swing.[15][16] He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for co-writing the opening song, "Everybody Needs a Best Friend", from his film Ted with the film's composer Walter Murphy.[17]

He has received numerous awards from other organizations, including the Annie Aw for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production and the Saturn Award for Best Television Presentation for the Family Guy episode titled "Blue Harvest", the MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo and the Empire Award for Best Comedy for Ted. In 2019, MacFarlane received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6259 Hollywood Blvd. In 2020, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.

In 2022, a new species of Hyloscirtus frog (Hyloscirtus sethmacfarlanei) was described from Ecuador and named after him.

Filmography

change

Movies

change
Year Title Role Notes
1995 The Life of Larry Larry Cummings
Steve
Lois Cummings
Various
Student movie
2006 Life is Short Dr. Ned Short subject
2008 Hellboy II: The Golden Army Johann Krauss (voice)
2009 Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder Mars Vegas Singer (voice) Direct-to-DVD Release
2010 The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie! I.S.R.A.E.L. (voice) Direct-to-DVD
2010 Tooth Fairy Ziggy
2012 Ted Ted (voice) Also writer/director/producer
2014 A Million Ways to Die in the West Albert Stark Also writer/director/producer
2015 Ted 2 Ted Also writer/director/producer
2016 Sing Mike (voice)

Television

change
Year Title Role Notes
1995 The Shnookums and Meat Funny Cartoon Show Rhode Island Bug Episode 2.3: "Bugging Out!"
1996 The Life of Larry and Larry & Steve Larry
Steve
Various
1999–2002
2005–present
Family Guy Peter Griffin
Stewie Griffin
Brian Griffin
Glenn Quagmire
Various characters
Longest-running role, Creator/Executive producer/Voice artist/Writer
2002–2003 Gilmore Girls Zach
Bob Merriam (Emily Gilmore's lawyer; on the phone)
Episode 2.21: "Lorelai's Graduation Day"
Episode 3.11: "I Solemnly Swear"
2003 Aqua Teen Hunger Force Wayne the Brain Episode 2.10: "Super Trivia"
The Pitts Radio voice Episode 1.3: "Squarewolves"
2003–2005 Crank Yankers Dick Rogers
Arthur Johnson
Appeared in four episodes
2004 Complete Savages TV Announcer Episode 1.4: "Nick Kicks Butt"
2004–2005 Star Trek: Enterprise Engineer Episodes 3.20: "The Forgotten" and 4.15: "Affliction"
2005–2009 Robot Chicken Various characters Appeared in 15 episodes
2005–present American Dad! Stan Smith
Roger
Many characters
2006 The War at Home Hillary's Date Episode 2.5: "I Wash My Hands of You"
2007 Help Me Help You Seth Episode 1.13: "Moving On"
Robot Chicken: Star Wars Emperor Palpatine TV movie
59th Primetime Emmy Awards Stewie Griffin
Brian Griffin
TV special
2008 Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II Emperor Palpatine
many characters
TV movie
2008 Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III Emperor Palpatine
many characters
TV movie
2008–2009 Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy Many characters Appeared in 19 episodes
2009 Bones Stewie Griffin Episode 4.25: "The Critic in the Cabernet"
2009–2010 FlashForward Agent Jake Curdy
FBI Agent
Episode 1.1: "No More Good Days" and 1.15: "Queen Sacrifice";
2009–present The Cleveland Show Tim the Bear
Many characters
2010 Phineas and Ferb Jeff McGarland Episode 2.33: "Nerds of a Feather"
Comedy Central Roast of David Hasselhoff Himself Roastmaster of The Roast of David Hasselhoff
2010 BBC Breakfast Himself Guest
2010 Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III Emperor Palpatine TV movie
2011 Comedy Central Roast of Donald J. Trump Himself Roastmaster of The Roast of Donald Trump
2011 Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen Himself Roastmaster of The Roast of Charlie Sheen
2011 Night of the Hurricane Peter Griffin
Stewie Griffin
Brian Griffin
Tom Tucker
Stan Smith
Roger
Various characters

References

change
  1. "PICS: Seth McFarlane Dating Game of Thrones' Emilia Clarke!". Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  2. "Seth MacFarlane's Federal Campaign Contribution Report". newsmeat.com. Archived from the original on January 5, 2012. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
  3. Seth MacFarlane Introduces Bernie Sanders at Los Angeles Rally.
  4. "Full Frontal TV" Q&A: Head of the Family". Penthouse. September 2007.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "DVD Interview: 10 Questions with FAMILY GUY's Seth MacFarlane – Part Two". ManiaDVD. Archived from the original on 2014-04-28. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
  6. 9/11 Investigation (PENTTBOM) Archived 2008-05-14 at the Wayback Machine. FBI National Press Release, September 2001. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
  7. "Flight Path Study – American Airlines Flight 11" (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-02-01. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
  8. "Seth MacFarlane". Television Academy. Retrieved 2024-07-14.
  9. "The Complete List of Grammy Nominations". The New York Times. 2005-12-08. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-14.
  10. "Grammy Nominations: The Biggest Shocks And Snubs - Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV". web.archive.org. 2011-12-03. Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2024-07-14.
  11. Staff, Billboard (2015-12-07). "Grammy Nominations 2016: See the Full List of Nominees". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-07-14.
  12. Hipes, Patrick (2019-12-03). "TV Academy Hall Of Fame Adding Bob Iger, Geraldine Laybourne, Seth MacFarlane, Jay Sandrich & Cicely Tyson". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-07-14.
  13. "Fox Orders Seth MacFarlane's 'Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey'". The Hollywood Reporter.
  14. "Digital Spy - TV, Movies and Entertainment News". Digital Spy.
  15. "Grammy Nominations: The Biggest Shocks And Snubs - Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV". web.archive.org. 2011-12-03. Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  16. "The Complete List of Grammy Nominations". The New York Times. 2005-12-08. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  17. Morgan, David (2013-01-10). ""Lincoln," "Life of Pi" lead Oscar race - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-07-15.

Other websites

change

  Media related to Seth MacFarlane at Wikimedia Commons