Seth MacFarlane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Seth MacFarlane
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MacFarlane in 2017
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Seth Woodbury MacFarlane
October 26, 1973 Kent, Connecticut, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Rhode Island School of Design (BFA) |
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| Years active | 1995–present |
| Organization | Fuzzy Door Productions |
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| Awards | Full list |
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Seth Woodbury MacFarlane (born October 26, 1973) is an American actor, animator, writer, producer, director, comedian, and singer. He is famous for creating and starring in TV shows like Family Guy and The Orville. He also helped create American Dad! and The Cleveland Show.
MacFarlane has also directed and starred in movies such as Ted (and its sequel Ted 2) and A Million Ways to Die in the West. He went to the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) where he studied animation. He started his career working for Hanna-Barbera on shows like Johnny Bravo and Dexter's Laboratory.
Seth MacFarlane is also a talented singer. He has performed at famous venues like the Hollywood Bowl and Carnegie Hall. He has released several albums that sound like classic Frank Sinatra songs. He has won many awards, including Primetime Emmy Awards for Family Guy and was nominated for a Grammy Award. In 2013, he hosted the 85th Academy Awards.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Seth MacFarlane was born and grew up in Kent, Connecticut. His parents, Ronald and Ann, met in Massachusetts. His younger sister, Rachael MacFarlane, is also a voice actress. His family has lived in New England since the 1600s.
From a young age, Seth loved to draw. At two years old, he was already drawing cartoon characters like Fred Flintstone. By age five, he knew he wanted to work in animation. He started making flip books. When he was nine, he drew a weekly comic strip called Walter Crouton for his local newspaper. He earned five dollars a week for it.
MacFarlane finished high school in 1991 at the Kent School. He kept practicing animation there with an 8 mm camera. He then studied film, video, and animation at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
While at RISD, MacFarlane made independent films. He met Mike Henry, who would later work with him on Family Guy. Seth also tried stand-up comedy. His final student film, The Life of Larry, later inspired Family Guy. A professor sent his film to Hanna-Barbera, where he was hired.
His Television Career
Starting at Hanna-Barbera
Seth MacFarlane was hired by Hanna-Barbera because of his writing for The Life of Larry. He was one of the few people hired there just for his writing skills. He worked as an animator and writer for Cartoon Network's shows. He made a follow-up to The Life of Larry called Larry & Steve. This short film featured a man named Larry and his smart dog, Steve.
MacFarlane worked on Dexter's Laboratory, Cow and Chicken, and Johnny Bravo. He spent the most time on Johnny Bravo, where he developed his own writing style. He met actors like Adam West while working there. These meetings were important for his later show, Family Guy. He also did freelance writing for Walt Disney Television Animation and Nelvana.
Creating Family Guy
MacFarlane wanted to create animated shows for prime-time TV. He first suggested Family Guy to Fox while at Hanna-Barbera. Fox offered him $50,000 to make a pilot episode. Seth worked for six months, drawing non-stop in his kitchen. He created a simple, animated film to show the idea of the show.
Fox loved the pilot and ordered the series right away. Family Guy first aired on January 31, 1999. Seth MacFarlane was only 24 years old, making him the youngest executive producer in TV at the time. He voices many main characters, including Peter Griffin, Stewie Griffin, Brian Griffin, and Glenn Quagmire.
Family Guy became very popular, especially through DVD sales. In 2008, MacFarlane signed a $100-million deal with Fox. This made him one of the highest-paid TV writers. He also created a Family Guy: Live in Vegas soundtrack and a Family Guy video game. He takes the voice cast on live tours.
Despite its success, Family Guy has been criticized and even canceled twice. However, strong fan support and DVD sales brought it back. In 2018, Fox announced a live-action/animated Family Guy movie was being planned.
Working on American Dad!
MacFarlane also created American Dad!, which started in 2005. This show has never been canceled. It moved from Fox to TBS in 2014. Seth does a lot of voice acting for American Dad!. However, he lets Matt Weitzman and Mike Barker lead the creative direction.
American Dad! first aired after the Super Bowl XXXIX on February 6, 2005. There has been some confusion about how many seasons the show has had. At San Diego Comic-Con in 2013, it was hinted that a movie about the character Roger was being planned. However, these plans were later canceled.
The show is about the Smith family. Stan Smith works for the CIA. His wife is Francine, and they have two children, Hayley and Steve. Two non-human characters live with them: Roger, a funny alien, and Klaus, a fish with a human brain. Hayley's husband, Jeff Fischer, also lives with them.
MacFarlane voices Stan and Roger. He based Roger's voice on Paul Lynde. His sister, Rachael MacFarlane, voices Hayley.
Developing The Cleveland Show
Seth MacFarlane created a Family Guy spin-off called The Cleveland Show. It focuses on the character of Cleveland Brown and his family. The idea came from Mike Henry, who voices Cleveland. Fox ordered 22 episodes, and the show first aired on September 27, 2009.
The show ran for four seasons and 88 episodes, ending on May 19, 2013. Cleveland and his family later returned to Family Guy. Seth MacFarlane did not voice the main character in this show. He did voice Tim the Bear for part of the series.
Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy
In 2008, MacFarlane released a series of short animated videos online. These were called Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy. They were sponsored by Burger King and released weekly.
Creating The Orville
In 2016, MacFarlane started producing a sci-fi comedy-drama series called The Orville. He also stars in it as Captain Edward "Ed" Mercer. Fox ordered 13 episodes in May 2016. This was MacFarlane's first live-action TV series. The show started on September 10, 2017.
The first season received mixed reviews, but it was renewed for a second season. The second season, which aired in December 2018, received better reviews. The series moved to Hulu for its third season, titled The Orville: New Horizons. This season premiered on June 2, 2022.
Producing Other TV Shows
MacFarlane has also been an executive producer for other TV shows.
- The Winner: A live-action sitcom about a man who matures at 32. It ran for six episodes in 2007.
- Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey: An updated science series hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson. MacFarlane co-produced it and provided voices for animated parts. It aired in 2014. He also produced its sequel, Cosmos: Possible Worlds, in 2020.
- Dads: A live-action sitcom about two men whose fathers move in with them. It ran for one season in 2013-2014.
- Blunt Talk: A series for Starz about an English newscaster in Los Angeles. It ran for two seasons.
- Bordertown: An animated series set in Texas, making fun of America's changing culture. It ran for 13 episodes in 2016.
Hosting TV Shows
MacFarlane has hosted several events and shows.
- Comedy Central Roasts: He has been the roastmaster for more than one roast, including those for David Hasselhoff, Donald Trump, and Charlie Sheen.
- 85th Academy Awards: He hosted the Oscars on February 24, 2013. He was also nominated for an Oscar for co-writing the song "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from his movie Ted.
- Breakthrough Prize ceremony: He hosted this science award ceremony in 2014 and 2015.
His Film Career
Directing Ted
MacFarlane directed his first live-action movie, Ted, which came out in 2012. He also wrote the script, produced the film, and voiced the main character, Ted.
Ted is about John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) and his talking teddy bear, Ted. The bear stops John and his girlfriend (Mila Kunis) from growing up. The movie was well-received. A sequel, Ted 2, was released in 2015. A prequel TV series for Peacock is also being made, with MacFarlane returning as Ted's voice.
A Million Ways to Die in the West
MacFarlane co-wrote and starred in his second movie, A Million Ways to Die in the West. The film is about a shy sheep farmer (MacFarlane) who loses a gunfight and his girlfriend. A mysterious woman helps him become brave. But then her outlaw husband comes seeking revenge. The movie received mixed reviews.
MacFarlane also wrote a book based on the film's script. It was released in 2014.
His Music Career
Albums and Collaborations
In 2010, MacFarlane signed a record deal. He released his first album, Music Is Better Than Words, in 2011. It's a big band and jazz album. The album was nominated for two Grammy Awards.
He released his second album, Holiday for Swing, a Christmas album, in 2014. His third album, No One Ever Tells You, was nominated for a Grammy in 2015. In 2017, he released In Full Swing, which was nominated for two Grammys. He has released several more albums, including Once in a While (2019), Great Songs from Stage & Screen (2020), and Blue Skies (2022). In 2023, he released a Christmas album with Elizabeth Gillies called We Wish You the Merriest.
MacFarlane has also sung with other artists. He sang with Barbra Streisand on her album Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway in 2016. He also collaborated with Ariana Grande on Carpool Karaoke: The Series. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he and Elizabeth Gillies released a series of songs online called Songs from Home. He also sang "White Christmas" with Meghan Trainor for her Christmas album.
Musical Style and Influences
Seth MacFarlane has a deep, smooth singing voice. He trained with vocal coaches who also taught Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra. He loves the "old-style way of singing" from the 1950s.
He often performs with the John Wilson Orchestra. His music is mostly vocal jazz, show tunes, and swing. He also uses musical comedy in his shows and movies. His musical influences include Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Bing Crosby.
Other Projects
In 2020, MacFarlane signed a big deal with NBCUniversal to create TV projects. One of these is The End is Nye, a show about possible end-of-the-world scenarios, hosted by Bill Nye.
In 2021, it was announced that MacFarlane is working on a new The Naked Gun movie. He might direct it and has talked about Liam Neeson starring in it. The film was officially approved in 2022.
Guest Appearances
MacFarlane has appeared in many TV shows and films as an actor or voice actor.
- Gilmore Girls (2002)
- The War at Home (2006)
- Star Trek: Enterprise (2004, 2005)
- MADtv (2006)
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Late Show with David Letterman
- Bones (as Stewie's voice)
- Aqua Teen Hunger Force (voice)
- Robot Chicken (voice, including parodies of his own characters)
- Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008, voice of Johann Kraus)
- Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder (2009, voice)
- Tooth Fairy (2010)
- Phineas and Ferb (2010, guest voice)
- Saturday Night Live (2012, host)
- Movie 43 (2013, cameo)
- Sing (2016, voice role and singer on soundtrack)
- Logan Lucky (2017)
- The Loudest Voice (2019)
Activism and Views
Political Views
MacFarlane supports the Democratic Party. He has donated money to help Democratic campaigns. He supported Bernie Sanders and later Hillary Clinton in past presidential elections. For the 2020 election, he supported Pete Buttigieg and then Joe Biden. He endorsed Biden again for 2024, and then Kamala Harris after Biden withdrew.
Supporting Gay Rights
MacFarlane is a strong supporter of gay rights. In 2011, he was named the Harvard Humanist of the Year. This was because of his commitment to human values and his support for equal marriage rights.
Speaking at Colleges
Seth MacFarlane often gives talks at college campuses. He has spoken at Stanford University, Harvard University, and many other universities. He sometimes uses the voices of his characters, like Peter and Stewie Griffin, during these talks.
Supporting Writers' Strikes
MacFarlane has supported writers during strikes. During the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike, he stopped working on Family Guy to support the writers. Fox continued making episodes without his full approval.
In 2023, during the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike and the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, MacFarlane donated $1 million to a fund that helps film and TV workers during strikes.
Supporting Science and Film Preservation
In 2012, MacFarlane donated money to create The Seth MacFarlane Collection of the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan Archive at the Library of Congress. He said that Carl Sagan's work greatly influenced him.
In 2024, MacFarlane worked with director Martin Scorsese to restore old animated short films. They funded the restoration and worked with film archives to save these important pieces of animation history.
Personal Life
Seth MacFarlane lives in Beverly Hills, California. He is not married and does not have children.
In 2010, his mother, Ann Perry Sager, passed away from cancer. From 2012 to 2013, he was in a relationship with actress Emilia Clarke.
MacFarlane is an atheist, meaning he does not believe in God. He sees himself as a critical thinker.
Awards and Recognitions
Seth MacFarlane has received many awards for his work.
- He has been nominated for twenty-four Primetime Emmy Awards for Family Guy and has won five times.
- He has been nominated for five Grammy Awards for his music and work on Family Guy.
- He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from his film Ted.
- He won an Annie Award for Best Voice Acting for Family Guy.
- He won an MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo and an Empire Award for Best Comedy for Ted.
- In 2019, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- In 2020, he was added to the Television Hall of Fame.
- In 2022, a new species of frog from Ecuador was named after him: Hyloscirtus sethmacfarlanei.
Filmography
- Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005)
- Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)
- Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder (2009)
- The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie! (2010)
- Tooth Fairy (2010)
- Ted (2012)
- Movie 43 (2013)
- A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014)
- Ted 2 (2015)
- Sing (2016)
- Logan Lucky (2017)
Discography
- Music Is Better Than Words (2011)
- Holiday for Swing (2014)
- No One Ever Tells You (2015)
- In Full Swing (2017)
- Once in a While (2019)
- Great Songs from Stage & Screen (2020)
- Blue Skies (2022)
- We Wish You the Merriest (with Elizabeth Gillies) (2023)
