This was Television on January 31
1999: Family Guy debuts (the first time)
The animated sitcom debuted on Fox following Super Bowl XXXIII, beginning an unusual history in which it would be canceled twice before becoming one of the network’s comedy mainstays. Low ratings prompted a cancellation announcement after the second season, followed by a last-minute change of mind. The show was cancelled once again in 2002, following an abbreviated third season. But Family Guy gained a large following in repeats on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim block, leading Fox to revive new episodes of the show in 2005. Since then it has become a cornerstone of the network’s Sunday night line-up, which includes two other series from creator/star Seth MacFarlane, American Dad and Family Guy spinoff The Cleveland Show. -A.D.
Today’s Birthdays: Jonathan Banks, enforcer (66); Connie Booth, hotel worker (69); Portia de Rossi, Bluth daughter (40); Minnie Driver, con artist (43); John Franciscus, teacher (d. 1991); Gary Moore, game show host (d. 1993); Bobby Moynihan, SNLer (36); Suzanne Pleshette, therapist’s wife (d. 2008); Paul Scheer, League member (37); Justin Timberlake, unofficial SNLer (32); Glynn Turman, mayor (67); Jessica Walter, Bluth matriarch (72); Kerry Washington, crisis manager (36).
This Was Television 
One Response to “This was Television on January 31”
Seth MacFarlane provided the vice of Ted the talking teddy bear in a 2012 Universal Pictures release.