Seth MacFarlane is a true renaissance man possessing talents that encompass every aspect of the entertainment industry.  He has created some of the most popular content on television and film today while also expanding his career in the worlds of music, literature and philanthropy.

MacFarlane began his career studying animation and design at the Rhode Island School of Design.  His talents were soon noticed by executives at FOX, where they made him an offer to create a pilot presentation.  Over the next six months, MacFarlane created, animated, wrote, produced, directed and provided all the main male characters’ voices for a seven-minute short that eventually became FAMILY GUY.  He was 25 when the series aired on FOX, making him the youngest showrunner in television history.

Unfortunately, FAMILY GUY ended up being canceled twice and existing only on DVD and in repeats on the Cartoon Network.  Executives revived the show for a third time when they noticed DVD sales, international revenue and cable ratings on the rise.  Now in its 11^th season, FAMILY GUY is a multi-billion-dollar asset for FOX, and in 2009, it became the only animated show since THE FLINTSTONES in 1961 to be nominated for a primetime Emmy in the Outstanding Comedy category.  FAMILY GUY has also garnered four nominations for Outstanding Animated Program.  MacFarlane has received Emmy Awards for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance and Outstanding Music and Lyrics for the show.

In addition to FAMILY GUY, MacFarlane serves as co-creator, executive producer and voice actor on AMERICAN DAD! and THE CLEVELAND SHOW, which just ended its 88-episode run in May 2013.  He is executive producing a 21^st century version of COSMOS: A SPACE TIME ODYSSEY described as a 13-part updated docu-series of Carl Sagan’s iconic exploration of the universe as revealed by science.  It will premiere on FOX on March 9, 2014. 

MacFarlane made his feature film directorial debut in 2012 with the highest-grossing original R-rated film of all time, Ted.  This buddy comedy starred Mark Wahlberg and MacFarlane as the voice of the lovable foul-mouthed teddy bear.  The film made over $545 million worldwide and was also co-written and produced by MacFarlane.  A sequel is currently in the works and is set for release on June 26, 2015.

Simultaneously, MacFarlane is currently in post-production on the live action feature film, A Million Ways to Die in the West.  The film pays homage to the traditional Western with a modern comedic spin and will be released by Universal on May 30, 2014. MacFarlane co-wrote, produced, directed and will star in the film alongside a stellar cast comprised of Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried and Neil Patrick Harris.  The film follows a cowardly farmer (MacFarlane) who seeks the help of a gunslinger’s wife (Theron) to help him win back the woman who left him (Seyfried).

MacFarlane’s debut album, “Music Is Better Than Words,” debuted at #1 on the iTunes jazz charts in 2011 and received two Grammy nominations, including ‘Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.’  Released by Universal Republic, the album celebrates the classic, sophisticated sound of the lush swing orchestras of the ‘40s and ‘50s with MacFarlane singing some of the hidden gems of that era.  Norah Jones and Sarah Bareilles collaborated with MacFarlane on two duets on the album.

In 2013, MacFarlane hosted the 85^th Academy Awards and was also an Academy Award nominee the same year for ‘Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song’ for ‘Everybody Needs a Best Friend’ from his feature film, Ted.  MacFarlane is the only three-time returning Roast Master on Comedy Central’s Emmy Roast franchise and, in 2012, he hosted the premiere of the 38^th season of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.

MacFarlane created The Seth MacFarlane Foundation in 2009 to focus his charitable efforts.  Through this foundation, he funded the Seth MacFarlane collection of the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan archive at the Library of Congress.  He also continues to be an avid supporter of science communication, cancer research and the nonprofit organizations, Chrysalis and Perry’s Place.