ArkaEvren
Ted

FILM · 2012 · USA

Ted

Directed by
Seth MacFarlane
Runtime
107 min
Studio
Universal Pictures, MRC, Fuzzy Door Productions

62 archived facts 6 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026

John Bennett, a man whose childhood wish of bringing his teddy bear to life came true, now must decide between keeping the relationship with the bear or his girlfriend, Lori.

  • Ted — production image

62 Interesting Facts About Ted

Interesting Facts (41)

  1. #001

    At around the 11-minute mark, Ted makes a joke about his reaction to 9/11. Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane both narrowly missed being on American Airlines Flight 11, one of the planes that struck the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Wahlberg had a seat booked on the flight but decided to fly to New York City and then on to California instead. MacFarlane arrived at the gate ten minutes late and was not allowed to board; he was sitting in the airport when he saw that his plane had hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  2. #002

    At around 26 minutes, Ted calls Adam Sandler's film Jack and Jill (2011) "just awful." According to the DVD commentary, Sandler called Seth MacFarlane shortly before Ted's release to tell him how much he loved the film's trailer. MacFarlane felt it necessary to tell Sandler the above-mentioned joke. MacFarlane says Sandler "was a good sport" and "a class act" about it.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  3. #003

    Mark Wahlberg agreed to appear in a Seth MacFarlane film after seeing his own caricature on Family Guy (1999).

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  4. #004

    Ted was usually "played" by a body fitted with eyeballs.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  5. #005

    It was sent to cinemas under the title "Thunder Buddies."

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  6. #006

    Footage from Flash Gordon (1980) had to be digitally converted to high definition.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  7. #007

    At around 24 minutes, the scene in which John remembers first meeting Lori is a parody of Airplane! (1980). This marks an odd occurrence in which one film (this one) imitates another film (Airplane!) that was itself already a spoof imitating another film (Saturday Night Fever (1977)).

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  8. #008
    Contains a major spoiler — show

    At around 1 hour 21 minutes, after his ear is torn off, Ted escapes through a door and, alone, reaches back and holds his ear. Indiana Jones's theme can be heard as he does this, since reaching for a lost hat at the last minute is an Indiana Jones trademark.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  9. #009

    At around 1 hour 21 minutes, the idea of Donny dancing was Giovanni Ribisi's.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  10. #010

    At around 1 hour 30 minutes, toward the end, when Lori looks out the window at the stars, the Ursa Minor constellation, meaning "Little Bear," is in the upper left corner.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  11. #011

    At roughly 2 minutes, Ted is given as a Christmas present in 1985, the first year Teddy Ruxpin was sold.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  12. #012

    Several members of the main voice cast of Family Guy (1999) appear in this film. Seth MacFarlane voices Peter, Stewie and Brian. Alex Borstein, who plays John's mother, voices Lois. Mila Kunis, who plays Lori, voices Meg. The only main member of the Griffin family not in the film is Seth Green, who voices Chris. Other regulars appearing in the film include Patrick Warburton, Sir Patrick Stewart and Ralph Garman. Jessica Stroup voiced Denise in three episodes.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  13. #013

    At roughly 1 hour 11 minutes, Shawn Thornton plays the man who takes the stage at the Norah Jones concert. Thornton is known as the Bruins' enforcer and led the Bruins in fighting majors.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  14. #014

    At roughly 39 minutes, a fictional Cheers (1982) DVD interview mentions the size of Woody Harrelson's penis.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  15. #015
    Contains a major spoiler — show

    When John Bennett dies at the summit, he was actually supposed to be crying while screaming for Ted. Seth MacFarlane cut the scene because he found it too depressing.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  16. #016

    At roughly 1 hour 30 minutes, the AL East standings on the Green Monster at Fenway Park indicate that the scene was shot on the night of May 23, 2011.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  17. #017

    Seth MacFarlane claims this is the first comedy film to use motion capture technology. However, Paul (2011), released a year earlier, also used motion capture technology.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  18. #018

    Sam J. Jones's son Matthew Jones hated the film because his father is portrayed as a drug-addicted, wild party animal, since Sam J. Jones had a real-life history of drug use.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  19. #019

    At roughly 56 minutes, a portrait of the Chinese dictator Chairman Mao Zedong hangs on the wall of Ming's apartment.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  20. #020

    At roughly 1 hour 40 minutes, in the final scene, the narrator (Patrick Stewart) throws away Superman Returns (2006). This may be a joke at the expense of Bryan Singer, who directed Superman Returns and directed Stewart in several X-Men films.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  21. #021

    At roughly 10 minutes, the SpongeBob SquarePants (1999) episode Ted and John initially watch is "Procrastination" from Procrastination/I'm with Stupid (2001) (specifically the scene in which SpongeBob asks, "Do I dare look at the clock?"). It is fitting because it causes John to be late for work while the two laze on the couch.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  22. #022

    It was Seth MacFarlane's directorial debut.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  23. #023

    At roughly 1 minute, the house zoomed in on from space at the beginning of the film is located at 129 Albemarle Road, Norwood, Massachusetts.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  24. #024

    (Around 1 hour 5 minutes) The fight between Ted and John in John's hotel room is a parody of the notorious fights between Peter Griffin and his arch-enemy Ernie the Giant Chicken in Family Guy (1999).

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  25. #025

    (Around 1 hour) Ted says that Jared looks like "Van Wilder." Ryan Reynolds played the title character in Van Wilder (2002).

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  26. #026

    (Around 56 minutes) In the party scene with Sam J. Jones, Johnny does an impression of Ted, and Ted says, "Oh, come on, I do not sound that much like Peter Griffin!" Peter Griffin is a character in the series Family Guy (1999), created by Seth MacFarlane, who voices both Peter and Ted. Ted's voice really is Peter Griffin's voice.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  27. #027

    (Around 50 minutes in) Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis organizations took great offense at John saying he hopes Rex gets Lou Gehrig's disease.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  28. #028
    Contains a major spoiler — show

    (Around 1 hour 24 minutes) When Donny takes Ted to his car in a sack, Ted says that he is an American citizen and has rights. Ironically, in the sequel Ted loses his rights because he is regarded as 'property.'.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  29. #029
    Contains a major spoiler — show

    In an earlier draft of the script, John was supposed to vomit when Lori sees him at Ted's party.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  30. #030

    The opening of the film is set in 1985, the year in which Back to the Future (1985), one of Seth MacFarlane's favorite films, takes place.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  31. #031
    Contains a major spoiler — show

    The film closely resembles the Disney film Pinocchio (1940), because both John and Geppetto wished for Ted and Pinocchio to be alive, and their wishes were granted by a falling star and the Blue Fairy respectively. Likewise, both Ted and Pinocchio 'die' at the end of their films, but both are brought back to life.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  32. #032

    The friendship between Ted and John resembles that of Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin. Winnie the Pooh was based on an old stuffed bear originally named Edward Bear, which A. A. Milne gave to his son C. R. Milne in August 1921 as a first birthday present. Christopher Robin (2018) had essentially the same premise as this film, but it is a Disney film with some changes and a family film, whereas this film has adult content.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  33. #033

    (Around 28 minutes in) While Ted and John are at the aquarium, Ted imitates one of the fish in Stewie Griffin's voice. Seth MacFarlane, who voices Ted, also voices Stewie.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  34. #034

    (Around 50 minutes in) When Ted calls him at Rex's house during the party, John's ringtone is the theme song of the series Knight Rider (1982).

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  35. #035

    (Around the 51st minute) When John leaves Rex's house party, he walks past John's Lamborghini. Rex's house is the same house seen during the Lamborghini theft in Gone in 60 Seconds (2000). Giovanni Ribisi appears in both films.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  36. #036
    Contains a major spoiler — show

    At roughly 1 hour 35 minutes, one of Lori's friends at the wedding jokes that she is unhappy about Lori marrying John. This foreshadows Ted 2 (2015), in which John and Lori are divorced.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  37. #037

    At roughly 16 minutes, while Ted and John are watching Flash Gordon (1980), they mention Tom Brady, who also appeared in Ted 2 (2015).

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  38. #038

    At around 1 hour 7 minutes, Ted strikes John's bare buttocks with the antenna of an AM/FM clock radio. The scene mimics the 1994 caning of Michael Fay, the young American sentenced by the Singapore government to six strokes of a rattan cane for theft; when the United States government declared its displeasure, the caning was reduced to four strokes. Fay was the first known American to be caned in Singapore.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  39. #039

    This is the second time Giovanni Ribisi has appeared alongside a star of That '70s Show (1998). In this film he acted with Mila Kunis, and on Friends (1994) he played Debra Jo Rupp's husband.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  40. #040

    After Casper (1995), The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle (2000), Paul (2011) and Hop (2011), this is Universal's fifth live-action/animation hybrid film.

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  41. #041

    Seth MacFarlane stated that the influence for this film was Alien Nation (1988).

    INTERESTING FACTS · SOURCED

    ShareReport

Production Story (15)

  1. #042

    Although 20th Century Fox had a long-standing relationship with Seth MacFarlane, they refused to finance the film because of budget concerns (especially since it was MacFarlane's first feature-length directing effort). Universal Pictures then took it on.

    PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  2. #043

    (Around 1 hour 40 minutes) At the end, the narrator says that Sam J. Jones has moved in next to Brandon Routh. Both actors played lead characters in films adapted from comic strips: Jones in Flash Gordon (1980) and Routh in Superman Returns (2006). Both films had plans for sequels, but despite warm receptions from fans and critics, they were cancelled after the studios were disappointed with the box office returns.

    PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  3. #044

    (Around 6 minutes) Ted's integrated archive footage from The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) is taken from the broadcast numbered 23.31 (1984), dated February 29, 1984. Johnny Carson's real guest that night was Emmanuel Lewis. This can easily be determined from Johnny saying, upon Ted's arrival: "I thought you'd be taller." Although Ted replies, "I thought you were gonna be funnier," Emmanuel's actual reply was: "Me too."

    PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  4. #045

    According to astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson, Seth MacFarlane called him in advance to make sure he would get the stars in the night sky scenes right.

    PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  5. #046

    (Around 26 minutes) Ted calls Adam Sandler's film Jack and Jill (2011) "just awful." According to the DVD commentary, Sandler called Seth MacFarlane shortly before the release of "Ted" to tell him how much he loved the film's trailer. MacFarlane felt it necessary to tell Sandler the aforementioned joke. MacFarlane says Sandler "was a good sport" and "a class act." about it.

    PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  6. #047

    Mark Wahlberg agreed to appear in a Seth MacFarlane film after seeing his caricature on Family Guy (1999).

    PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  7. #048

    (Around 22 minutes) In a flashback to 2008, John says: "Chris Brown can do no wrong." In 2009, Chris Brown was arrested after physically assaulting his girlfriend Rihanna.

    PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  8. #049

    (Around 56 minutes) A portrait of the Chinese dictator Chairman Mao Zedong hangs on the wall of Ming's apartment.

    PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  9. #050

    (Around 3 minutes later) When John wishes for Ted to come to life, the melody of the song "I Wish" from the musical "Into the Woods" can be heard in the background.

    PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  10. #051

    (Around 1 hour 24 minutes) When Donny takes Ted to his car in a sack, Ted says that he is an American citizen and has rights. Ironically, in the sequel Ted loses his rights because he is regarded as 'property.'

    PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  11. #052

    Although John wastes the police's time by claiming Ted was taken by Donny, he was technically right to report the kidnapping since Ted was alive. If he had said Ted's name, the police could have charged Donny with kidnapping.

    PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  12. #053

    (At about 1 hour 22 minutes) The stapler Ted uses to reattach his ear at Donny's house is an old Swingline Cub.

    PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  13. #054

    (At about 1 hour 4 minutes) When Ted mentions John's meatball, he references Pink Floyd's The Wall.

    PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  14. #055

    Having prostitutes in Ted's apartment also happened in Petarded (2005). Peter Griffin places prostitutes in Cleveland Brown's house to win his children back.

    PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  15. #056

    (At about 48 minutes) At Rex's house party, Rex mistakenly calls John "Jim." Mark Wahlberg played Jim Bennett in The Gambler (2014).

    PRODUCTION STORY · SOURCED

    ShareReport

Behind the Scenes (1)

  1. #057

    A real teddy bear was used for filming, and Seth MacFarlane voiced Ted's dialogue live. The reasoning was that, rather than the far easier green-screen approach in which the actors would have to imagine it, he wanted to get the actors' genuine reactions to what Ted was doing.

    BEHIND THE SCENES · SOURCED

    ShareReport

Characters & Cast (2)

  1. #058

    At around 6 minutes, the integrated archive footage of Ted on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) is taken from broadcast 23.31 (1984), dated February 29, 1984. Johnny Carson's real guest that night was Emmanuel Lewis. This is easily identified by Johnny saying as Ted arrives: "I thought you'd be taller." Although Ted replies, "I thought you were gonna be funnier," Emmanuel's actual response was: "Me too."

    CHARACTERS & CAST · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  2. #059

    Sir Patrick Stewart, star of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), provides the narration.

    CHARACTERS & CAST · SOURCED

    ShareReport

Easter Eggs & References (2)

  1. #060

    The film's antagonist Donny and his son Robert share the names of Mark Wahlberg's real-life brothers: singer Donnie Wahlberg and actor Robert Wahlberg.

    EASTER EGGS & REFERENCES · SOURCED

    ShareReport
  2. #061

    At roughly 3 minutes in, when John wishes for Ted to come to life, the melody of the song "I Wish" from the musical "Into the Woods" can be heard in the background.

    EASTER EGGS & REFERENCES · SOURCED

    ShareReport

Deeper Meaning (1)

  1. #062

    At around 1 hour 10 minutes, James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli traditionally never allows any James Bond theme to be used in other films, but Seth MacFarlane wrote her a letter asking permission to use "All Time High" from Octopussy (1983) because it was his mother's favorite song. Broccoli made a rare exception to her own rule, so John got the chance to butcher the tune in a performance in front of a horrified crowd.

    DEEPER MEANING · SOURCED

    ShareReport

Sources & editorial notes

Reference databases

  • Wikipedia English Wikipedia article
  • IMDb IMDb title page (trivia)

Information from external sources is independently selected, consolidated and edited by Arka Evren. Sources are listed for verification and further reading. Encyclopedia text is used under its licence (CC BY-SA). How we work