Cleveland Orenthal Brown, Sr. is a supporting character on the animated series Family Guy, and central character in the spin-off series, The Cleveland Show, which reduced him to a recurring character on Family Guy until he returned. He was the token black guy in the neighborhood and a sort of novelty in Quahog which is exemplified in his trip to Barrington Country Club in “Fore Father”.
Until “The Cleveland-Loretta Quagmire”, he was married to his wife Loretta Brown, but they separated after Loretta had an affair with Glenn Quagmire, although they still have feelings for each other. Together they had a son, Cleveland Brown, Jr., whose personality and energy contrasted greatly with his father while his parents were still together. He also sports a mustache and often offers deep insight that the other characters are unable to see. In the Pilot Pitch, Cleveland wore a teal shirt with a different hairstyle. However, a character with Cleveland’s current design also appears. Cleveland was an accomplished minor-league baseball player before moving to Quahog after a break-up with his girlfriend Maxine in “Death Lives”. In “Blind Ambition”, he also used to be an accomplished auctioneer, but was struck in the head by a totem pole, which resulted in his speech being permanently slowed. In “A Very Special Family Guy Freakin’ Christmas” Cleveland is also the president of the Quahog Chamber of Commerce. He was once the proprietor of Cleveland’s Deli, until Superstore USA shuts down nearly every store in Quahog in “Hell Comes to Quahog”. It is presumed it was re-opened until he moved to Stoolbend when he sold it. After his return to Quahog, he briefly becomes a therapist in “Dr. C & The Women”. Cleveland may have been married before he met Loretta, suggested in a scene from the episode “Death Lives”, when Cleveland meets Peter Griffin in the 70’s. Cleveland picks up Peter in his van, and Peter asks to go to Rhode Island, then checks if it’s okay with Cleveland. Cleveland then mentions something to the effect of being away from “Maxine, the Cheatin’ Queen”. Maxine may or may not have been Cleveland’s first wife. As Maxine has not been shown on screen, it is largely accepted that Loretta was Cleveland’s first wife. For a while following his divorce he dated a woman named Bernice, who had a higher voice than Loretta’s, but seemed as equally bossy. Presumably his desire for a more feminine, traditional woman caused him to break up with Bernice and marry Donna Tubbs, as that is the woman Cleveland ultimately sought.
