The iconic character of Peter Griffin on the hit animated sitcom Family Guy has been making audiences laugh for over 20 years. With his bumbling personality, Rhode Island accent, and countless memorable quotes, Peter has become a staple of pop culture. A major part of what makes Peter so humorous and recognizable is his unique voice. The man behind the voice is actor Seth MacFarlane, who created Family Guy and provides the voices for many of the show’s characters.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the history and work of Seth MacFarlane, and how he developed the distinct voice and personality of Peter Griffin. We’ll explore how MacFarlane delivers Peter’s lines, factors that influenced the voice, and his process for voicing the character over the years.
Background of “Family Guy” and Peter Griffin
“Family Guy” was created by Seth MacFarlane and premiered on Fox in 1999. The show centers around the Griffin family, consisting of parents Peter and Lois, their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie, and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian.
Peter Griffin is the patriarch of the family. He is characterized as boorish, loud-mouthed, buffoonish, overweight, and fond of drinking beer. Despite his many flaws, Peter has a good heart and always tries to do right by his family. Some of his most well-known characteristics include:
- His distinctive New England accent and high-pitched laugh
- His job working at the Happy-Go-Lucky Toy Factory
- His rivalry with Ernie the Giant Chicken, leading to epic fight scenes
- His favorite pastimes like watching TV and going to the Drunken Clam bar
- His trademark phrases like “Freakin’ sweet!” and “Grinds my gears!”
Peter often gets the family into trouble with his impulsive shenanigans and morally questionable behavior. However, he always learns his lesson by the end of the episode. Over the show’s lengthy run, Peter has experienced many wild adventures involving celebrities, fictional characters, and pop culture parodies.
How Old is Peter Griffin?
According to details from Screen Rant, the age of Peter Griffin, the central character in “Family Guy,” has been a subject of interest among fans. In the initial seasons of the show, specifically the first and second, Peter’s age is explicitly stated to be 42 years old. This age reference is further supported by a comment made by Lois, Peter’s wife, who mentions being two years younger than him.
Over the course of the series, Peter’s age has remained somewhat ambiguous, but with the passing of time and the progression of the show, it is inferred that Peter should be close to 60 years old in the later seasons. This progression aligns with the aging of the character over the years, providing insight into the timeline and development of Peter Griffin throughout “Family Guy.”
Who is Peter Griffin Voice Actor
Seth MacFarlane provides the iconic voice of Peter Griffin on Family Guy. He has voiced the character since the show’s premiere in 1999, spanning over 20 seasons and counting.
MacFarlane was only 24 years old when he created Family Guy and took on voicing the lead role of Peter. He developed Peter’s unique New England accent and loud, boisterous delivery specifically for the character. Peter’s nasally voice and exaggerated mannerisms perfectly complement his oafish personality.
As both the creator of Family Guy and the voice of Peter, Seth MacFarlane is able to intimately understand and portray the character’s essence. Peter’s random giggles, non-sequiturs, and pop culture references are injected with MacFarlane’s superb comedic timing and energy. His vocal talents bring Peter to life in all his foolish, affectionate and humorous glory.
Seth MacFarlane Family Guy Voices
In addition to Peter, MacFarlane voices a number of other major characters on the show. His vocal dexterity enables him to hilariously inhabit the show’s diverse cast.
- Seth MacFarlane voices four main characters: Peter Griffin (his normal voice), Stewie Griffin, Brian Griffin, and Glenn Quagmire.
- He uses his natural speaking voice for Peter Griffin, but modifies it to create the unique voices of the other characters.
- In addition to the main four characters, he also voices Tom Tucker, Jake Tucker, Dr. Hartman, God, Kool-Aid Guy, and Carter Pewterschmidt.
- So in total, MacFarlane voices around 10 major recurring characters on Family Guy using his vocal range.
- Aside from voice acting, he also writes many episodes of the show.
- MacFarlane has a $100 million 5-year contract with Fox to continue overseeing Family Guy, American Dad, and The Cleveland Show.
- This deal highlights the integral role he plays on Family Guy as a voice actor, writer, and overall creator of the series.
Seth MacFarlane Movies and TV Shows
Beyond his role as the voice of Peter Griffin, Seth MacFarlane has made significant contributions to the world of entertainment as a creator, writer, and actor. Seth MacFarlane’s net worth, as reported by Forbes in 2014, was $35 million. His impressive body of work is listed in the table below:
| Title | Year | Role(s) |
| Ted | 2012 | Voice of Ted (also writer and director) |
| Ted 2 | 2015 | Voice of Ted (also writer and director) |
| A Million Ways to Die in the West | 2014 | Albert Stark (also writer and director) |
| Sing | 2016 | Voice of Mike |
| American Dad! | 2005-present | Voices of Stan Smith, Roger the Alien, and others |
| The Cleveland Show | 2009-2013 | Voices of various characters |
| The Orville | 2017-present | Captain Ed Mercer (also creator, writer, and executive producer) |
How to do Peter Griffin Voice
Here are some tips for doing a Peter Griffin impression without reproducing copyrighted material:
- Study Peter’s character and mannerisms from the show. Pay attention to his accent, speech patterns, facial expressions, body language, etc. YouTube compilations could give you an idea of how he talks and acts.
- Practice speaking in a lower, somewhat nasal tone. Peter has a distinctive Rhode Island accent. Work on imitating his accent without directly quoting his voice.
- Use common Peter Griffin catchphrases or expressions that evoke his style. For example, you could say things like “Freakin’ sweet!” or “Grinds my gears…”
- Make references to things Peter is known for – his job, family, friends, interests, etc. For instance, mentioning the Drunken Clam bar, his desire to be a ship captain, his rivalry with the giant chicken, etc.
- React in ways that fit Peter’s personality without replicating exact lines. Respond impulsively, get distracted easily, make inappropriate or politically incorrect comments.
In a Nutshell
Over his many years voicing Peter Griffin and other fan favorite characters on Family Guy, Seth MacFarlane has proven himself a comedic powerhouse. His vocal versatility and sharp writing skills have helped bring to life the dysfunctional yet lovable Griffin family. While Peter’s buffoonish antics often land him in trouble, MacFarlane injects his performance with an endearing quality that makes the patriarch so relatable.
Even after 20+ seasons, there seems to be no slowing down for MacFarlane and the town of Quahog. As long as he keeps delivering Peter’s signature non-sequiturs and giggles, fans will continue tuning in to see what kind of shenanigans the Griffin family gets up to next.