Who is Mr. Herbert in Family Guy?

Last Modified Feb 3, 2025 01:21 EST
Who is Mr. Herbert in Family Guy?
Mr. Herbert (Source: Screengrab from the show)


John Herbert, most popularly known as "Herbert the Pervert", is a fictional character in the animated television series Family Guy, created and voiced by Mike Henry. The Griffin family's elderly neighbor Herbert made his debut in the "To Love and Die in Dixie" episode of season three. He has an unrequited love for Chris Griffin and is a pedophile who is drawn to young boys.


Herbert has had multiple crossover appearances in The Cleveland Show, a Family Guy spin-off, and has been featured in a variety of Family Guy episodes.


Mr. Herbert in Family Guy


Who is Mr. Herbert in Family Guy?
Mr. Herbert and Chris (Source: Screengrab from the show)


Herbert resides in the made-up town of Quahog, Rhode Island, which is modeled after Cranston. Wearing a baby blue bathrobe and using a walker because of his old age, he is an elderly guy without a partner. His dog, Jesse, is also elderly and in poor condition, unable to use his rear legs.


Herbert tries to woo Chris into his house in his debut episode, "To Love and Die in Dixie" (season 3, 2001), by offering him a popsicle that he claims is in his basement. Chris declines the offer despite his requests. It is established in "Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Cheater" that Herbert is a sex offender since he announces, "Trick or Treat! I'm a registered sex offender!" when he visits his neighbors on Halloween every year.


Mr. Herbert’s Background in Family Guy


Who is Mr. Herbert in Family Guy?
Mr. Herbert (Source: Screengrab from the show)


Herbert is a former member of the US Army. "Padre de Familia" features him singing "God Bless the USA" while wearing his formal uniform at a Veteran's Day celebration in Quahog Park. The movie "German Guy" reveals that he was a member of the Army Air Corps during World War II, but that Franz Gutentag forced him to perform hard labor after he was seized by the Germans and taken to a detention camp because he was thought to be gay.


Creation of Mr. Herbert in Family Guy


Who is Mr. Herbert in Family Guy?
Mr. Herbert (Source: Screengrab from the show)


Mike Henry, a writer and voice actor, developed Herbert. Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy, was a student of Henry's brother Patrick at the Rhode Island School of Design. After Family Guy picked up, Henry was asked to write and develop characters for the program. Cleveland Brown was his first character, and Herbert was his second.


Herbert was not initially a pedophile during the production process; Henry presented the idea to the show's writers, who ultimately decided to make him one. Henry voices Herbert, as he does for the majority of the other characters he developed. Henry modeled Herbert's appearance and speech after an old man he encountered while working in a grocery shop during his high school years. Henry said the man was a sweetheart in an interview.


Also read: Who is Peter in Family Guy?

FAQs about Mr. Herbert in Family Guy

A. Mike Henry voices Mr. Herbert in Family Guy. Mike is also the creator of the character.

A. Mr. Herbert debuted in the "To Love and Die in Dixie" episode of season three of Family Guy.

A. Yes, Mr. Herbert is a pervert in Family Guy. He is a sex offender and a pedophile in the show.

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