Seth MacFarlane

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RECENT CREDITS

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (FILM) Jul. 11, 2008

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BIOGRAPHY

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Animation pioneer Seth MacFarlane followed in the footsteps of Matt Groening, Trey Parker, and Matt Stone, and others by creating (at age 25!) one of the top-tiered animated series on national television. Family Guy, which debuted in 1999, preserved the sitcom-family premise of The Simpsons but upped the irreverence quotient tenfold (defying many who regarded such an accomplishment as impossible), meanwhile tossing in dozens upon dozens of off-the-cuff (and frequently risqué) references to pop culture -- citing everything from Oz to The Wizard of Oz, The $25,000 Pyramid to songs by a-ha, and thus seizing upon instant identification with Gen-X and Gen-Y viewers. Episodes, which began mundanely enough, could immediately segue, without advance notice, into music video-style montages, game-show sequences, multi-character musical production numbers, mock historical sequences, etc. The basic premise revolved around the nutty Griffin clan of Quahog, Rhode Island: obese toy manufacturer dad Peter; neurotic housewife Lois; ne'er-do-well, dim-bulb 13-year-old son Chris; the angst-ridden 16-year-old daughter Meg, and -- what really made the series bizarre and original -- Stewie, a one-year-old infant with a massive head, a genius IQ, and the verbal erudition of Rex Harrison.
Family Guy found a sizeable audience and lasted for many seasons, yet reportedly suffered from a tumultuous history at Fox, where it endured repeat cancellations, numerous rerun episodes, and reemergence on different networks and in different time slots, meanwhile becoming a cult hit on DVD. In the interim, MacFarlane branched out into another animated sitcom, American Dad (2005), which essentially amounted to a reimagined version of the Family Guy (irreverence intact) with a political twist: the patriarch in this cartoon carried a secret identity as a CIA agent; he also boasted a tentacled, acid-mouthed alien for a sidekick with a voice that bore a startling resemblance to that of the late Paul Lynde.

~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

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Headlines

'Family Guy' Special Loses Microsoft Sponsorship

Oct. 27, 2009

Just two weeks after announcing a partnership on a 'Family Guy' variety special, Fox has lost Microsoft's sponsorship of the show after the software company's executives watched the live taping on Oct. 16.

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MacFarlane to Star in Fox Variety Special

Posted: Oct. 14, 2009

More TV Shows Than Ever At Comic-Con

Posted: Jun. 29, 2009

DO IT TODAY: 'The Family Guy,' Vol. 7 DVDs

Posted: Jun. 15, 2009

Lauren Conrad Lends Her Voice to 'Family Guy'

Posted: Apr. 13, 2009

West Lends Vocals for 'Family Guy' Spin-Off

Posted: Mar. 18, 2009

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