<P> When he was still in college, Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane created a cartoon short called The Life of Larry . The short centered around a middle - aged man named Larry and his anthropomorphic dog Steve . He made a sequel called Larry & Steve, which Cartoon Network broadcast in 1997 . In 1999, MacFarlane was working for Hanna - Barbara Studios, writing for shows such as Johnny Bravo, Dexter's Laboratory, and Cow and Chicken . The short caught the eye of 20th Century Fox representatives, who asked him to create a TV series revolving around the characters . MacFarlane received a US $50,000 budget to develop a pilot for the show, which was about one twentieth of what most pilots cost . MacFarlane claims to have drawn inspiration from several sitcoms, namely The Simpsons and All in the Family . Several premises were also carried over from several 1980s Saturday morning cartoons he watched as a child, namely The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang, and Rubik, the Amazing Cube . </P> <P> In three months, MacFarlane created the Griffin family and developed a pilot for the show he called Family Guy . Brian's character was largely based on Steve from the Larry and Steve cartoon, with Larry serving as the primary basis of the Peter character . The character's personality was also partially inspired by a friend of his father who rudely fell asleep while watching the 1993 film Philadelphia . The network executives were impressed with the pilot and ordered thirteen episodes, giving MacFarlane a 2 million dollar per - season contract . </P> <P> Lois Griffin is voiced by producer and staff writer, Alex Borstein, who also voices recurring characters such as Asian reporter Tricia Takanawa, Loretta Brown and Lois' mother Barbara Pewterschmidt . Borstein has been part of the main voice cast from the beginning of the series including the pilot, and has been voicing Lois from the start . </P> <P> Alex Borstein, on Lois Griffin's Origins, Interview with IGN . </P>

Who voices lois in family guy season 1