The Life of Larry and Larry & Steve: Difference between revisions
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==Larry and Steve (1997)== |
==Larry and Steve (1997)== |
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After being hired at [[Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc.]], MacFarlane was given a chance |
After being hired at [[Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc.]], MacFarlane was given a chance in 1996 to direct a sequel entitled ''Larry and Steve'', a seven minute short which was broadcast as part of [[Cartoon Network]]'s ''[[What-A-Cartoon!|World Premiere Toons]]'' strand. For this reason, ''Larry and Steve'' is animated better and is more widely available than ''The Life of Larry''. Since it aired on Cartoon Network, it is MacFarlane's only work that is suitable for immature (it has no swearing, violence or sex scenes). |
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[[Image:Larrysteve.gif|right|thumb|150px|''Larry and Steve'' (1997)]] |
[[Image:Larrysteve.gif|right|thumb|150px|''Larry and Steve'' (1997)]] |
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Revision as of 08:25, 12 March 2007
The Larry shorts were two animated films made by Seth MacFarlane in the 1990s, which led to the development of Family Guy as a prime-time TV show from 1999 onwards.
The Life of Larry (1995)
Seth MacFarlane created a short film titled The Life of Larry while studying at the Rhode Island School of Design. It featured a middle-aged slob named Larry Cummings, his cynical talking dog, Steve, wife Lois, and pudgy teenage son Milt. The film begins with a live-action segment where MacFarlane, as himself, briefly describes the show and its characters. The film includes many of the same gags that would appear in the first few episodes of Family Guy, such as the Star Trek parody in I Never Met the Dead Man. The live-action footage of MacFarlane was referenced in the Adult Swim bumps of MacFarlane introducing his favorite episodes of Family Guy, noticably the line, "Oh, hi there. You scared the crap out of me." In the bumps, he sat in a chair by a fireplace of a study, as in the short.
Larry and Steve (1997)
After being hired at Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc., MacFarlane was given a chance in 1996 to direct a sequel entitled Larry and Steve, a seven minute short which was broadcast as part of Cartoon Network's World Premiere Toons strand. For this reason, Larry and Steve is animated better and is more widely available than The Life of Larry. Since it aired on Cartoon Network, it is MacFarlane's only work that is suitable for immature (it has no swearing, violence or sex scenes).
This short begins with Steve in front of a camcorder recording an SOS tape for someone to come and save him from his bumbling owner, Larry. Steve recounts for the tape the misadventures that have ensued ever since Larry bought Steve from the dog pound, focusing on a series of misadventures and hijinks that ensued when the pair went to the mall to buy items for Larry's apartment.
While at the mall, the two destroy nearly everything. For example, Larry is looking for a light bulb for his bedside lamp. He puts in a high-wattage lighthouse bulb and criticizes Steve for saying that it wasn't a good idea to put the bulb in by commenting that he didn't go to kindergarten for twelve years because he was stupid (but because he got his foot caught in the radiator). When Larry plugs the lamp in, it turns into a wide lightsaber and he cuts the store in half. As this is happening, Larry references the "Luke, I am your father..." line from The Empire Strikes Back by saying "Luke, this is your landlord. You still haven't returned my weedwacker".
Relationship with Family Guy
Both shorts portray vast similarities to Family Guy, including similar voices and character status for Peter and Brian's character, as well as an airline pilot character with a voice similar to that of Glenn Quagmire (who is an airline pilot). Also Larry mentions a store named Stewie's. Stewie would later become the name of Peter Griffin's infant son. Milt would become Chris, and Larry's wife is named Lois.
The "Drive-by arguments" (seen in There's Something About Paulie), Tom Hanks in Philadelphia (seen in Death Has a Shadow), the "What is diarrhea" (seen in Chitty Chitty Death Bang), and Star Trek parody gags (a couple seen in I Never Met the Dead Man) were later recreated almost identically for Family Guy.
The title card in Steve and Larry is like a classical animated movie, much like the "Road to..." episodes of Family Guy. The announcer at the pound at the beginning and the clerk at the furniture store also sounds a lot like Diane Simmons, as they are both voiced by Lori Alan.
Larry and Steve act a lot like Peter and Brian in The Life of Larry. Although Larry and Steve is a children's cartoon, they still act like Peter and Brian, they just don't swear.
Legacy
Executives at Fox Broadcasting Company saw both shorts, and MacFarlane was given the opportunity to develop a show based on them [citation needed]. He agreed, leaving Hanna-Barbera and working on the characters of Larry and Steve, who eventually evolved into Peter and Brian Griffin. Family Guy premiered on Fox in 1999 and over 80 episodes have been made in two runs, between 1999-2002 and 2005-present. It is obvious that these characters evolved into Peter and Brian, because their voices are exactly the same as theirs.
Quotes
- Seth MacFarlane (acting stuffy): Oh, Hi there! You scared the crap outta me.