US Edition 
The Flintstones: Profile of Seth MacFarlane
Seth MacFarlane cut his teeth as an animator at Hanna-Barbera, the studio which created the Flintstones.
The 37-year-old is now a multi award-winning animator, writer, comedian, producer, actor, singer, voice actor and director.
Born in Kent, Connecticut, Mr MacFarlane graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in animation and immediately joined Hanna-Barbera, where he worked on cartoon shows including Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken and Dexter’s Laboratory.
At the age of 24, however, he became the youngest executive producer in television when he completed a 15-minute pilot programme for Fox called Family Guy. “I spent about six months with no sleep and no life, just drawing like crazy in my kitchen,” he recalled to the New York Times.
The show first aired in 1999 and saw Mr MacFarlane voice several of its characters. In its early days, the show was cancelled by the network, but enormous sales of its DVDs persuaded Fox to reinstate it.
Since then it has been hugely successful and spawned a live show, where Mr MacFarlane leads the cast on the road. There have been rumours that a film is planned.
In 2009, Mr MacFarlane performed at the Proms with John Wilson and his orchestra, singing a selection of songs from MGM musicals including High Society, Singin’ in the Rain and That’s Entertainment.
As an actor, he has made appearances on Star Trek: Enterprise and voiced the character of Johann Kraus in Hellboy II: The Golden Army. He is currently directing a feature-length movie called Ted starring Mark Wahlberg.
However, he has been repeatedly targeted by television watchdogs, such as the US Parents Television Council, which has condemned Family Guy for indecency.