Career Timeline of Seth MacFarlane: Major Achievements and Milestones
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Seth MacFarlane made an impact.
Seth MacFarlane is a multifaceted American entertainer, recognized for his work as an actor, animator, writer, producer, director, comedian, and singer. He gained prominence as the creator and star of the animated sitcom *Family Guy*, co-creator of *American Dad!* and *The Cleveland Show*, and creator of the sci-fi series *The Orville*. MacFarlane has also ventured into film, writing, directing, and starring in the *Ted* movies and *A Million Ways to Die in the West*.
1995: RISD Graduation
In 1995, Seth MacFarlane graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
1997: King of the Hill Success
After the success of King of the Hill in 1997, MacFarlane pitched Family Guy to Fox for a second time.
July 1998: Family Guy Purchase Announcement
In July 1998, Fox announced the purchase of Family Guy for a January 1999 debut.
January 1999: Family Guy Debut
In January 1999, Family Guy was initially intended to be a series of shorts on MADtv, but those negotiations fell through due to budgetary concerns.
January 31, 1999: Family Guy First Airing
Family Guy first aired on January 31, 1999, influenced by Jackie Gleason and Hanna-Barbera, as well as The Simpsons and All in the Family. Seth MacFarlane wrote three episodes and voiced main characters like Peter Griffin, Stewie Griffin, and Brian Griffin.
1999: Family Guy Debut
In 1999, Seth MacFarlane's television series, Family Guy, first aired.
2000: Primetime Emmy Award Win
In 2000, Seth MacFarlane won a Primetime Emmy Award for his work on Family Guy.
2002: MacFarlane Appears in "Gilmore Girls"
In 2002, Seth MacFarlane appeared in the "Gilmore Girls" episode "Lorelai's Graduation Day".
2002: Primetime Emmy Award Win
In 2002, Seth MacFarlane won another Primetime Emmy Award for his work on Family Guy.
February 6, 2005: American Dad! Debut
American Dad! was first shown after Super Bowl XXXIX, debuting with the episode "Pilot", which MacFarlane co-wrote on February 6, 2005.
April 26, 2005: Family Guy: Live in Vegas
On April 26, 2005, Seth MacFarlane and composer Walter Murphy created Family Guy: Live in Vegas, a soundtrack featuring a Broadway show tune theme.
May 1, 2005: American Dad! Regular Airing Begins
American Dad! began airing regularly on May 1, 2005, after an initial sneak preview in February.
2005: American Dad! Production Start
American Dad!, Seth MacFarlane's second long-running adult animated series, has been in production since early 2005.
2005: American Dad! Co-Creation
In 2005, Seth MacFarlane co-created the television series American Dad!.
November 5, 2006: MacFarlane Guest Stars on "The War at Home"
On November 5, 2006, Seth MacFarlane guest starred on Fox's "The War at Home" as "Hillary's Date," an unnamed 33-year-old man who secretly dates teenaged Hillary in the episode "I Wash My Hands of You."
November 11, 2006: MacFarlane Appears on MADtv
On November 11, 2006, Seth MacFarlane appeared on Fox's comedy show "MADtv".
2006: Family Guy Video Game Release
In 2006, a Family Guy video game was released.
March 24, 2007: MacFarlane Interviewed on Talkshow with Spike Feresten
On March 24, 2007, Seth MacFarlane was interviewed on Fox's "Talkshow with Spike Feresten", and he closed the show by singing the Frank Sinatra song "You Make Me Feel So Young".
July 22, 2007: Potential Family Guy Film
On July 22, 2007, Seth MacFarlane announced he might start work on a Family Guy feature film.
August 2007: Digital Content Production Deal
In August 2007, Seth MacFarlane closed a digital content production deal with AdSense.
September 2007: Script Work Begins
In September 2007, Ricky Blitt confirmed he had started working on the script for a Family Guy feature film.
October 3, 2007: Copyright Lawsuit Filed Against Family Guy
On October 3, 2007, Bourne Co. Music Publishers filed a lawsuit against Family Guy, Seth MacFarlane, and others, alleging copyright infringement of the song "When You Wish Upon a Star" by their parody song "I Need a Jew" in the episode "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein".
December 2007: Family Guy Accused of Copyright Infringement by Art Metrano
In December 2007, Family Guy faced another copyright infringement lawsuit, this time from actor Art Metrano, who claimed that a scene in Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story featuring Jesus performing Metrano's magic parody act infringed on his copyright.
December 2007: Family Guy Production Halted During Writers Strike
In December 2007, official production of "Family Guy" was halted for most of December 2007 and various periods afterwards due to the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike, in which Seth MacFarlane publicly sided with the Writers Guild. During the strike, MacFarlane wrote an inside joke into an episode of Family Guy about Jon Stewart's choice to return to the air and undermine the writers of The Daily Show.
May 4, 2008: $100-Million Agreement with Fox
On May 4, 2008, after approximately 2+1⁄2 years of negotiations, Seth MacFarlane reached a $100-million agreement with Fox to keep Family Guy and American Dad! until 2012, making him the world's highest paid television writer.
July 18, 2008: Plans for a Family Guy Film
On July 18, 2008, Seth MacFarlane confirmed plans to produce a theatrically released Family Guy feature film sometime "within the next year".
2008: Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy
In 2008, Seth MacFarlane created the online series Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy.
2008: MacFarlane Expresses Support for Gay Rights
In 2008, Seth MacFarlane expressed his support for gay rights, criticizing the unequal treatment of gay partners regarding marriage before the Obergefell v. Hodges case.
2008: MacFarlane Supports Barack Obama
In 2008, Seth MacFarlane supported the Democratic Party. He donated over $200,000 to various Democratic congressional committees and to the 2008 presidential campaign of then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama.
2008: MacFarlane Voices Johann Kraus in "Hellboy II: The Golden Army"
In 2008, Seth MacFarlane voiced Johann Kraus in the film "Hellboy II: The Golden Army".
March 16, 2009: Family Guy Wins Copyright Lawsuit
On March 16, 2009, United States District Judge Deborah Batts ruled that Family Guy's parody song "I Need a Jew" did not infringe on the copyright of "When You Wish Upon a Star", dismissing the lawsuit filed by Bourne Co. Music Publishers.
May 8, 2009: MacFarlane Guest on "Real Time with Bill Maher"
On May 8, 2009, Seth MacFarlane was a guest on "Real Time with Bill Maher".
July 2009: Court Rejects Fox's Motion to Dismiss Metrano Lawsuit
In July 2009, a federal district court judge rejected Fox's motion to dismiss Art Metrano's copyright lawsuit against Family Guy, stating that initial fair use factors favored Metrano's claim.
2009: MacFarlane Performs at BBC Proms
In 2009, Seth MacFarlane appeared as a vocalist at the BBC Proms with the John Wilson Orchestra in Prom 22, A Celebration of Classic MGM Film Musicals.
2009: The Cleveland Show Co-Creation
In 2009, Seth MacFarlane co-created the television series The Cleveland Show, which ran until 2013.
August 2010: MacFarlane Guest Voice-Over on Phineas and Ferb
In August 2010, Seth MacFarlane appeared as a guest voice-over in a sci-fi themed episode of Disney's "Phineas and Ferb" entitled "Nerds of a Feather".
2010: MacFarlane Reappears at the Proms
In 2010, Seth MacFarlane reappeared at the Proms with the John Wilson Orchestra in a Christmas concert special.
2010: Metrano Lawsuit Settled Out of Court
In 2010, the copyright infringement lawsuit filed by Art Metrano against Family Guy was settled out of court, with the terms remaining undisclosed.
October 13, 2011: Family Guy Film Deal
On October 13, 2011, Seth MacFarlane confirmed that a deal for a Family Guy film had been made, and that he would write it with Ricky Blitt.
2011: Music Is Better Than Words Album Release
In 2011, Seth MacFarlane released his first studio album, Music Is Better Than Words, beginning a series of albums in the style of Frank Sinatra.
September 15, 2012: MacFarlane Hosts "Saturday Night Live"
On September 15, 2012, Seth MacFarlane hosted the season premiere of "Saturday Night Live", with musical guest Frank Ocean. The episode marked MacFarlane's first appearance on the show.
November 30, 2012: Family Guy Film Plans Confirmed
On November 30, 2012, Seth MacFarlane confirmed plans for the Family Guy film project.
2012: Ted Film Release
In 2012, Seth MacFarlane co-wrote, co-produced, directed, and starred in the film Ted.
2012: MacFarlane Donated Money to Create The Seth MacFarlane Collection
In 2012, Seth MacFarlane donated money to create The Seth MacFarlane Collection of the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan Archive at the Library of Congress.
2012: End of Fox Agreement
In 2012, Seth MacFarlane's $100-million agreement with Fox to keep Family Guy and American Dad! expired.
2012: MacFarlane to Appear at the Proms
In 2012, it was announced that Seth MacFarlane would again appear at the Proms with the John Wilson Orchestra in a concert celebrating Broadway musicals.
July 16, 2013: TBS Picks Up American Dad!
On July 16, 2013, TBS announced that they had picked up the series American Dad! for a 15-episode 12th season.
November 4, 2013: Barker's Departure from American Dad!
On November 4, 2013, it was announced that Mike Barker would depart American Dad! after 10 seasons as producer/co-showrunner.
November 12, 2013: The Seth MacFarlane Collection Opened
On November 12, 2013, The Seth MacFarlane Collection of the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan Archive at the Library of Congress opened. MacFarlane donated money to create the collection in 2012.
2013: Potential American Dad! Movie Hinted
At San Diego Comic-Con in 2013, Mike Barker hinted that an American Dad! movie was in the works and partially written.
2013: MacFarlane's Cameo in "Movie 43"
In 2013, Seth MacFarlane had a cameo in the film "Movie 43".
2013: Academy Awards Hosting
In 2013, Seth MacFarlane hosted the 85th Academy Awards and was nominated for Best Original Song for "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from Ted.
2013: The Cleveland Show Ends
In 2013, the television series The Cleveland Show, co-created by Seth MacFarlane, ended.
July 16, 2014: MacFarlane Sued Over Ted Copyright
On July 16, 2014, Seth MacFarlane was sued by the production company of "Charlie the Abusive Teddy Bear" Internet videos, claiming that the movie Ted infringed on the copyright of their videos.
September 2014: American Dad! Leaves Fox
American Dad! left the Fox network following season 11 in September 2014.
October 20, 2014: American Dad! Network Relocation
On October 20, 2014, American Dad! underwent a network relocation from Fox to TBS following its 11th season.
2014: A Million Ways to Die in the West Film
In 2014, Seth MacFarlane co-wrote, co-produced, directed, and starred in the film A Million Ways to Die in the West.
March 23, 2015: Ted Copyright Lawsuit Dismissed
On March 23, 2015, the lawsuit claiming that Ted infringed on the copyright of "Charlie the Abusive Teddy Bear" was dismissed with prejudice after the plaintiffs conceded that Ted was independently created.
2015: MacFarlane Appears at The Proms
In 2015, Seth MacFarlane again appeared at The Proms as a vocalist with the John Wilson Orchestra, this time in a Sinatra program.
2015: Ted 2 Film Release
In 2015, Seth MacFarlane co-wrote, co-produced, directed, and starred in the film Ted 2, a sequel to Ted.
2015: MacFarlane Expressed Interest in Casting Liam Neeson
In 2015, Seth MacFarlane expressed interest in casting Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr. in a potential reboot of "The Naked Gun."
2016: MacFarlane Voices in "Sing" and Performs on Soundtrack
In 2016, Seth MacFarlane had a voice role in the animated film "Sing", and he also served as a major performer on the film's soundtrack.
2016: Primetime Emmy Award Win
In 2016, Seth MacFarlane won a Primetime Emmy Award.
2017: MacFarlane Appears in "Logan Lucky"
In 2017, Seth MacFarlane appeared in Steven Soderbergh's heist comedy "Logan Lucky", alongside Channing Tatum and Adam Driver.
2017: The Orville Premiere
In 2017, Seth MacFarlane created and starred in the television series The Orville, which ran until 2022.
2017: Primetime Emmy Award Win
In 2017, Seth MacFarlane won another Primetime Emmy Award.
2018: Live-Action/Animated Film Development
In 2018, Fox announced that a live-action/animated film based on the series Family Guy is in development.
2019: MacFarlane Appears in "The Loudest Voice"
In 2019, Seth MacFarlane appeared in the Showtime limited series "The Loudest Voice".
2019: Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
In 2019, Seth MacFarlane received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6259 Hollywood Blvd.
2019: Primetime Emmy Award Win
In 2019, Seth MacFarlane won a Primetime Emmy Award.
2020: Inducted into the Television Hall of Fame
In 2020, Seth MacFarlane was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.
January 2021: MacFarlane Hired to Develop "The Naked Gun" Reboot
In January 2021, Seth MacFarlane was hired to develop a reboot of "The Naked Gun." Liam Neeson was considered for the role of Frank Drebin Jr., after MacFarlane expressed interest in 2015. Neeson confirmed he was approached by MacFarlane and Paramount Pictures with a pitch to star in the movie.
October 2022: "The Naked Gun" Reboot Greenlit
In October 2022, "The Naked Gun" reboot, which Seth MacFarlane is producing, was officially greenlit with Liam Neeson in the lead role. Akiva Schaffer will direct, with Dan Gregor and Doug Mand writing a new draft of the script. MacFarlane and Erica Huggins will serve as producers.
2022: American Dad! Movie Scrapped
At San Diego Comic-Con in 2022, Matt Weitzman revealed that plans for the American Dad! movie were scrapped.
2022: The Orville Ends
In 2022, the television series The Orville, created and starred by Seth MacFarlane, ended.
2023: MacFarlane Donated to Entertainment Community Fund
During the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike and the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, Seth MacFarlane donated $1 million to The Entertainment Community Fund to support film and television workers.
April 20, 2024: MacFarlane Showcased Restored Animated Shorts at TCM Classic Film Festival
On April 20, 2024, Seth MacFarlane partnered with Martin Scorsese to showcase "Back From the Ink: Restored Animated Shorts" at the 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival. MacFarlane and Scorsese funded the restoration and worked with the UCLA Film and Television Archive and The Film Foundation with Paramount Pictures Archives.
March 21, 2025: TBS Declines New American Dad! Episodes
On March 21, 2025, it was announced that TBS had declined to order new episodes of American Dad! after the season 21 finale.
March 24, 2025: American Dad! Season 21 Finale Air Date
The season 21 finale of American Dad! was slated to air on March 24, 2025.
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