The TV show “Family Guy” is not based on a true story but the father in the show, Peter Griffin, is based on a real character by the name of Paul Timmins. The show’s creator, Seth MacFarlane has claimed during numerous interviews that Timmins was the inspiration for Peter Griffin.
Timmins was a security guard and former director of public safety at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) when MacFarlane attended RISD. The show is also set in a fictional town in Rhode Island and many sites depicted in the show can be seen in and around Providence, RI.