Seth MacFarlane
Seth Woodbury MacFarlane (/ˈsɛθ ˈwʊdbɛri məkˈfɑrlɪn/; born October 26, 1973) is an American actor, animator, cartoonist, writer, producer, director, comedian, singer, and songwriter. He is the creator of the TV series Family Guy (1999–2003, 2005–present) and co-creator of the TV series American Dad! (2005–present) and The Cleveland Show (2009–2013). He also voices many of the shows' various characters. MacFarlane grew up in Kent, Connecticut and is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, where he studied animation, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Recruited to Hollywood during the senior film festival by development executive Ellen Cockrill and President Fred Seibert, he was an animator and writer for Hanna-Barbera for several television shows, including Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, Dexter's Laboratory, I Am Weasel, and his own Family Guy-like "prequel", Larry & Steve. As an actor, he has made guest appearances on shows such as Gilmore Girls, The War at Home, and FlashForward. MacFarlane's interest in science fiction and fantasy has led to cameo and guest appearances on Star Trek: Enterprise and voicing the character of Johann Kraus in Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy II: The Golden Army. In 2008, he created his own YouTube series entitled Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy. As a singer MacFarlane has performed at several venues, including Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall. MacFarlane has won several awards for his work on Family Guy, including two Primetime Emmy Awards and an Annie Award. In 2009, he won the Webby Award for Film & Video Person of the Year. He occasionally speaks at universities and colleges throughout the United States, and he is a supporter of gay rights. His first feature-length comedy film, Ted, stars Mark Wahlberg as an adult who, as a kid, wished his teddy bear would come to life. MacFarlane voiced and provided motion capture for the bear. It was released on June 29, 2012, and went on to become the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy of all time. In September 2011, MacFarlane released his debut album Music Is Better Than Words. Also in 2011, he began a revival of Hanna-Barbera's The Flintstones for the Fox network. The first episode was due to air in the U.S. in 2013, but production has been indefinitely delayed due to MacFarlane's schedule. MacFarlane served as executive producer of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, an update of the 1980s Carl Sagan–hosted Cosmos series. The new series, hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson, debuted in March 2014. MacFarlane was instrumental in providing funding for the show, as well as securing studio support for it from other entertainment executives. Besides serving as one of the executive producers, MacFarlane also provided voices for characters during the animation portions of the series.