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 known for his work in animation, television, and film. He is the creator of the animated sitcom Family Guy and the science fiction series The Orville. MacFarlane also co-created American Dad! and The Cleveland Show. Furthermore, he has directed, co-written, produced, and starred in the Ted films and A Million Ways to Die in the West, showcasing his diverse talents as a writer, director, actor, and comedian.
1997: Second Pitch for Family Guy
In 1997, after the success of King of the Hill, MacFarlane called Kolins to ask about a possible second pitch for the series Family Guy.
July 1998: Family Guy Purchased
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 first aired on Fox.
January 31, 1999: Family Guy First Aired
On January 31, 1999, 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: Primetime Emmy Award Win
In 2002, Seth MacFarlane won a Primetime Emmy Award for his work on Family Guy.
April 26, 2005: Created 'Family Guy: Live in Vegas'
On April 26, 2005, Seth MacFarlane and Walter Murphy created Family Guy: Live in Vegas. The soundtrack features a Broadway show tune theme, and MacFarlane voiced Stewie in the track "Stewie's Sexy Party".
2005: American Dad! in Production
In early 2005, American Dad! began production.
April 16, 2006: Speech at Stanford University
On April 16, 2006, Seth MacFarlane addressed an audience at Stanford University's Memorial Auditorium, invited by the ASSU Speakers' Bureau.
June 7, 2006: "Class day" address at Harvard University
On June 7, 2006, Seth MacFarlane delivered the "class day" address at Harvard University's class of 2006, speaking as himself and as his Family Guy characters.
November 5, 2006: Guest Starred on The War at Home
On November 5, 2006, Seth MacFarlane guest starred on Fox's show, The War at Home, in the episode "I Wash My Hands of You" as "Hillary's Date".
November 11, 2006: Appearance on MADtv
On November 11, 2006, Seth MacFarlane appeared on an episode of Fox's comedy show, MADtv.
2006: Family Guy Video Game Release
In 2006, a Family Guy video game was released.
March 24, 2007: Interview and Performance on Talkshow with Spike Feresten
On March 24, 2007, Seth MacFarlane was interviewed on Fox's Talkshow with Spike Feresten, and he sang the Frank Sinatra song "You Make Me Feel So Young" to close the show.
July 22, 2007: Possible Family Guy Feature Film
On July 22, 2007, MacFarlane announced he might start work on a Family Guy feature film.
August 2007: Digital Content Deal with AdSense
In August 2007, MacFarlane closed a digital content production deal with AdSense.
September 2007: Blitt Started Working on Script
In September 2007, Ricky Blitt started working on the script for a Family Guy feature film.
December 2007: Participation in the Writers Guild of America Strike
In December 2007, Seth MacFarlane publicly sided with the Writers Guild and fully participated in the Writers Guild of America strike, halting official production of Family Guy.
May 4, 2008: $100-Million Agreement with Fox
On May 4, 2008, 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: Confirmed Plans for Family Guy Movie
On July 18, 2008, MacFarlane confirmed plans to produce a theatrically released Family Guy feature film sometime "within the next year".
2008: Released Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy
In 2008, MacFarlane released a series of webisodes known as Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy, sponsored by Burger King.
2008: Created Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy
In 2008, Seth MacFarlane created the online series Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy.
2008: Donation to Democratic Party and Obama Campaign
In 2008, Seth MacFarlane donated over $200,000 to various Democratic congressional committees and to Barack Obama's presidential campaign and stated that he supports the legalization of cannabis.
2008: Support for Gay Rights
In 2008, Seth MacFarlane voiced his strong support for gay rights, criticizing the need for gay couples to face discrimination.
2008: Voice role in Hellboy II: The Golden Army
In 2008, Seth MacFarlane voiced the character Johann Kraus in the film Hellboy II: The Golden Army.
March 16, 2009: Ruling in Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
On March 16, 2009, United States District Judge Deborah Batts held that Family Guy did not infringe on Bourne's copyright in its parody of "When You Wish Upon a Star."
May 3, 2009: The Cleveland Show Picked Up for Second Season
On May 3, 2009, before the first season even premiered, The Cleveland Show was picked up by Fox for a second season consisting of 13 episodes.
May 8, 2009: Guest on Real Time with Bill Maher
On May 8, 2009, Seth MacFarlane was a guest on Real Time with Bill Maher.
September 27, 2009: The Cleveland Show First Aired
On September 27, 2009, The Cleveland Show first aired on Fox.
2009: Vocalist 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.
August 2010: Guest voice-over in 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: Reappearance at BBC Proms Christmas Concert
In 2010, Seth MacFarlane reappeared at the Proms with the John Wilson Orchestra in a Christmas concert special.
2010: Settlement of Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
In 2010, the copyright infringement case with Art Metrano was settled out of court with undisclosed terms.
October 13, 2011: Deal Made for Family Guy Film
On October 13, 2011, MacFarlane confirmed that a deal for a Family Guy film had been made, and that he would write it with series co-producer Ricky Blitt.
2011: Released 'Music Is Better Than Words'
In 2011, Seth MacFarlane released his first studio album, Music Is Better Than Words.
September 15, 2012: Hosts Saturday Night Live
On September 15, 2012, Seth MacFarlane hosted the season premiere of Saturday Night Live, marking his first appearance on the show with musical guest Frank Ocean.
November 30, 2012: Plans Confirmed for Family Guy Project
On November 30, 2012, MacFarlane confirmed plans for the Family Guy film project.
2012: End of Fox Agreement
In 2012, MacFarlane's agreement with Fox to keep Family Guy and American Dad! expired.
2012: Donation 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: Appearance at BBC Proms Broadway Musicals Concert
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.
May 19, 2013: The Cleveland Show Ended
On May 19, 2013, The Cleveland Show ended after 4 seasons and 88 episodes.
2013: Cameo in Movie 43
In 2013, Seth MacFarlane had a cameo appearance in the film Movie 43.
2013: Hosted the Academy Awards
In 2013, Seth MacFarlane hosted the 85th Academy Awards and was nominated for Best Original Song for "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from Ted.
March 23, 2015: Ted lawsuit dismissed
On March 23, 2015, the lawsuit against Seth MacFarlane regarding Ted was dismissed with prejudice after the plaintiffs conceded that Ted was independently created and withdrew their suit.
2015: Appearance at The Proms in Sinatra Program
In 2015, Seth MacFarlane again appeared at The Proms as a vocalist with the John Wilson Orchestra, this time in a Sinatra program.
2015: Endorsed Bernie Sanders for President
In 2015, Seth MacFarlane endorsed Bernie Sanders for the 2016 US presidential election, and he introduced Sanders onstage at a Los Angeles rally.
2016: Voice Role in Sing and Soundtrack Performance
In 2016, Seth MacFarlane had a voice role in the animated film Sing, and also performed on the film's soundtrack.
2016: Primetime Emmy Award Win
In 2016, Seth MacFarlane won a Primetime Emmy Award for his work on Family Guy.
2016: Supported Hillary Clinton for President
In 2016, after the primaries, Seth MacFarlane supported Hillary Clinton for president during the general election.
2017: Appearance in Logan Lucky
In 2017, Seth MacFarlane appeared in Steven Soderbergh's heist comedy Logan Lucky, alongside Channing Tatum and Adam Driver.
2017: Primetime Emmy Award Win
In 2017, Seth MacFarlane won a Primetime Emmy Award for his work on Family Guy.
2018: Live-Action/Animated Film in Development
In 2018, Fox announced that a live-action/animated film based on the series Family Guy is in development.
2019: Appearance 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 located at 6259 Hollywood Blvd.
2019: Supported Pete Buttigieg for President
In 2019, Seth MacFarlane supported Pete Buttigieg in the 2020 US presidential election.
2019: Primetime Emmy Award Win
In 2019, Seth MacFarlane won a Primetime Emmy Award for his work on Family Guy.
2023: Donation to The Entertainment Community Fund During Strikes
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: Partnered with Martin Scorsese to Showcase Restored Animated Shorts
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, also funding the restoration.
2025: Budget for Pilot
In 1997, Fox gave MacFarlane a budget of $50,000 (equivalent to $100,000 in 2025) to produce the pilot for Family Guy.
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