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Seth became an artist at a young age when he realized his potential to bring cartoons to life. After commencing his career as a cartoonist, he created short films during his high school and college years, where he showed off his talent as a storyteller and an animation artist. While working on animated shows, MacFarlane created a sitcom which made him one of the most famous voice actors in Hollywood. Apart from creating shows, he is a director, producer, talented writer, and comedian who has amassed a whopping $300 million fortune throughout his career from working on various roles behind the camera and as an actor.
From directing short films to creating the sitcom Family Guy, Seth has gained astronomical success through his various talents as a versatile artist.
Illustrations
Growing up in Connecticut, the artist started sketching his illustrations influenced by animated shows like Woody Woodpecker and The Flintstones. As reported by Celebrity Net Worth, MacFarlane pursued his career in animation from a young age and began making stories through illustrations. At nine, his first comic book titled Walter Crouton was published in Kent Good Times-Dispatch's weekly newspaper. It was the first paying job for the artist who made $5 per week.
Directing Short Films And Creating Animations
The writer was a step closer to creating cinema during high school as he made short films on an 8 mm camera. While studying at Rhode Island School Of Design, he pursued film, video, and animation. In 1995, he released his short film The Life Of Larry, which the Executives appreciated at Hanna-Barbera Productions. Along with working on shows like Johnny Bravo and Dexter's Laboratory, he also released a sequel to his short film, Larry And Steve, which gave him a lifetime opportunity to create his show, Family Guy.
Show Creator And Filmmaker
Seth MacFarlane is best known to create hit shows such as Family Guy, American Dad, and The Cleveland Show. MacFarlane wrote and directed Family Guy, a story around the Griffin family, which premiered in 1999. He was paid $50,000 per episode to produce the show during the first season. With over 300 episodes aired to date, the show has made billions in revenue.
The filmmaker has also directed and produced several films, including Ted and Ted 2, stars Mark Wahlberg. The movies grossed $500 million and $200 million, respectively. He has also directed and starred in A Million Ways To Die In The West alongside Charlize Theron and Liam Neeson.
Voice Actor
As a talented voice actor, MacFarlane has voiced many characters on Family Guy, including the main character Peter Griffin, the dog Brian, and son Stewie. While he had a budget of $1 million per episode, it increased as the show progressed. According to Business Insider, the show's lead cast made $175,000 to $225,000 per episode for one character, and as Seth voiced three characters, his salary was $20 million per year to run the show. He has also voiced the character of Ted in the Ted series and lent his voice to an arrogant mouse in the 2016-animated movie Sing.
Screenwriter
The comedian has the talent to use humor and create lovable stories. Along with writing his animated shows such as Family Guy, American Dad, and The Cleveland Show, he is also known to have writing credits for a variety of movies, including Ted, Ted 2, and A Million Ways To Die In The West, as well as the American show The Orville. In 2020, NBCUniversal signed a $200 million deal with the writer to create new content for the network, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Syndication Revenue, Merchandise, and Other Sales
After releasing in 1999 and getting canceled in 2003, the reruns of Family Guy aired on Cartoon Network, boosting the viewership to a whopping 200% and selling over 400,000 copies of the first and second season within the first week. When the show returned, it was syndicated in more than fourteen languages, and between 2005 and 2008, the show earned $400 million in DVD sales and syndication. Apart from that, the sitcom also gained $200 million in merchandise sales and about $500 million annually in ad revenue. It also earned $100 million from the merchandise sale at Walmart and Target.
Stand-Up Comedy
A man who knows humor, Seth performed stand-up comedy after he graduated college. The artist has also shown his talent by hosting Saturday Night Live and being a part of the Comedy Central Roast for Charlie Sheen and the Roast Master for the roast of former president Donald Trump.
Singing Career
In 2010, Seth MacFarlane ventured into music when he released his debut album. He signed a deal with Universal Public Records to release the Broadway classic songs from the 1940s and 1950s, as reported by Billboard. Since then, he has released five more albums and has been nominated for the Grammy Awards.
From creating extraordinary television shows to venturing into the world of comedy and music, Seth MacFarlane has expanded his talent in Hollywood to amass a whopping $300 million fortune over the years. The artist has continued to be the creator of Family Guy, a show airing its Season 20 in 2022.
Sources: Celebrity Net Worth, Business Insider, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard