"Family Guy" Franchise: Cleveland Brown Getting Own Show

CLEVELAND Brown is going solo. Peter Griffin's soft-spoken, deli-owning neighbor on "Family Guy" is getting his own Show. "I felt he was a natural Bob Newhart - at the center of the storm, just trying to keep everyone else in line," says Mike Henry, the voice of Cleveland who created "The Cleveland Show" with Rich Appel with help from "Family Guy" creator Seth McFarland. "He's basically a sweet, well-intentioned guy." "The Cleveland Show," scheduled to debut in 2009, is the first series to come from McFarland's new $100-million, blockbuster deal with Fox. The show's setup finds Cleveland losing his wife and his house in a divorce, and leaving Quahog, R.I. with his son, Cleveland Jr. (who'll be "aged-up" in the new show to around 14 years old). (link)