--- title: "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz (S04E18) | familyguy.co.uk" canonical: "https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e18-the-father-the-son-and-the-holy-fonz/" updatedDate: 2026-09-06 author: Alex Moss description: "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz (S04E18): Family Guy season 4 episode 18, first aired 18 December 2005. Facts and credits." --- # The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz Episode 18 of Family Guy season 4 (S04E18), the 68th Family Guy episode overall. Written by Danny Smith and directed by James Purdum. First broadcast on 18 December 2005. ## Story Peter's Catholic father Francis visits and insists Stewie be baptised. The church's holy water is contaminated, so Francis baptises Stewie with it himself; the baby falls ill and is quarantined in a sterile bubble. Lois tells Peter to work out his own beliefs. He tries Mormonism, leaves on learning it bars alcohol, preaches door-to-door as a Jehovah's Witness and is thrown out of a Hindu temple after tackling the guru. Peter then founds the First United Church of the Fonz, built on Happy Days, and draws a large congregation. Brian and Francis, for different reasons, join forces against it. Sherman Hemsley, Gavin MacLeod and Kirk Cameron arrive in turn to recruit worshippers to George Jefferson, Captain Stubing and Christianity, emptying the church. Lois consoles Peter, who returns to Christianity. Francis is last seen alone, clapping to Rock Around the Clock before a picture of the Fonz. ## Production and reception - Danny Smith, who has written every episode featuring Francis since "Holy Crap", wrote the episode; James Purdum directed. ([Wikipedia: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Father%2C_the_Son%2C_and_the_Holy_Fonz)) - The producers could not secure Henry Winkler or Garry Marshall as guests, so a scene about Madonna was written to fill the time. ([Wikipedia: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Father%2C_the_Son%2C_and_the_Holy_Fonz)) - A statue of the Fonz posed like Jesus on the cross was rejected by broadcasting standards, and a scene of the congregation singing the Happy Days theme was dropped because the rights could not be obtained. ([Wikipedia: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Father%2C_the_Son%2C_and_the_Holy_Fonz)) - Guest voices included Paula Abdul, Tom Bosley, Marion Ross, Sherman Hemsley and Charles Durning. ([Wikipedia: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Father%2C_the_Son%2C_and_the_Holy_Fonz)) - The episode was watched by 8.26 million viewers and placed 40th in its week; Ryan Budke of TV Squad reviewed it warmly, while the Parents Television Council named it worst of the week. ([Wikipedia: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Father%2C_the_Son%2C_and_the_Holy_Fonz)) ## Facts | Fact | Detail | | --- | --- | | Season | 4 | | Episode | 18 of 30 | | Overall | No. 68 | | Code | S04E18 | | First aired | 18 December 2005 | | Directed by | James Purdum | | Written by | Danny Smith | | Production code | 4ACX22 | | Source | Wikipedia: Family Guy season 4 | | Wikidata | Q4051074 | | IMDb | tt0576968 | | Verification | Checked against Wikidata and IMDb: title, date, numbering and credits agree | | US viewers | 8.26 million | ## Voices | Voice | Characters | | --- | --- | | Seth MacFarlane | Peter Griffin, Brian Griffin, Stewie Griffin | | Alex Borstein | Lois Griffin, Nancy, Tiffany | | Seth Green | Chris Griffin | | Mila Kunis | Meg Griffin | | Paula Abdul | Paula Abdul | | Lori Alan | Diane Simmons | | Tom Bosley | Howard Cunningham | | Gary Cole | Bill Lumbergh, Priest | | Chris Cox | Husband | | Charles Durning | Francis Griffin | Principal voice credits as recorded by IMDb, which lists up to ten credits per episode, so recurring characters can be missing here. Guest voices below come from Wikipedia and TVmaze. ### Guest voices - Paula Abdul as herself - Tom Bosley as himself playing Howard Cunningham, Mr. Cunningham - Gary Cole as Bill Lumbergh - Charles Durning as Francis Griffin - Sherman Hemsley as himself - Phil LaMarr as Parishioner #2 / Doctor - Sherry Romito as Joanie / Nancy / Young Wife, Joanie - Marion Ross as herself playing Marion Cunningham, Mrs. Cunningham - Amir Talai as Hindu Man / Wedding Priest - Fred Tatasciore as Gavin MacLeod - Sarah Utterback as Lindsay Lohan - Wally Wingert - Ralph Garman as Parishoner #1 ## Links - Season: [4](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/season-4/) - Source: [Wikipedia: Family Guy season 4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Guy_season_4) - Wikidata: [Q4051074](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4051074) - IMDb: [tt0576968](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0576968/) - US viewers: [8.26 million](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Father%2C_the_Son%2C_and_the_Holy_Fonz) ## Navigation - Previous: [S04E17 The Fat Guy Strangler](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e17-the-fat-guy-strangler/) - Next: [S04E19 Brian Sings and Swings](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e19-brian-sings-and-swings/) - Season hub: [Season 4](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/season-4/) - All episodes: [Family Guy episode guide](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/) ## Season 4: episode 18 of 30 - S04E01 [North by North Quahog](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e01-north-by-north-quahog/) - S04E02 [Fast Times at Buddy Cianci Jr. High](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e02-fast-times-at-buddy-cianci-jr-high/) - S04E03 [Blind Ambition](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e03-blind-ambition/) - S04E04 [Don't Make Me Over](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e04-dont-make-me-over/) - S04E05 [The Cleveland–Loretta Quagmire](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e05-the-cleveland-loretta-quagmire/) - S04E06 [Petarded](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e06-petarded/) - S04E07 [Brian the Bachelor](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e07-brian-the-bachelor/) - S04E08 [8 Simple Rules for Buying My Teenage Daughter](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e08-8-simple-rules-for-buying-my-teenage-daughter/) - S04E09 [Breaking Out Is Hard to Do](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e09-breaking-out-is-hard-to-do/) - S04E10 [Model Misbehavior](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e10-model-misbehavior/) - S04E11 [Peter's Got Woods](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e11-peters-got-woods/) - S04E12 [Perfect Castaway](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e12-perfect-castaway/) - S04E13 [Jungle Love](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e13-jungle-love/) - S04E14 [PTV](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e14-ptv/) - S04E15 [Brian Goes Back to College](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e15-brian-goes-back-to-college/) - S04E16 [The Courtship of Stewie's Father](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e16-the-courtship-of-stewies-father/) - S04E17 [The Fat Guy Strangler](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e17-the-fat-guy-strangler/) - S04E18 The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz (this entry) - S04E19 [Brian Sings and Swings](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e19-brian-sings-and-swings/) - S04E20 [Patriot Games](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e20-patriot-games/) - S04E21 [I Take Thee Quagmire](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e21-i-take-thee-quagmire/) - S04E22 [Sibling Rivalry](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e22-sibling-rivalry/) - S04E23 [Deep Throats](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e23-deep-throats/) - S04E24 [Peterotica](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e24-peterotica/) - S04E25 [You May Now Kiss the... Uh... Guy Who Receives](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e25-you-may-now-kiss-the-uh-guy-who-receives/) - S04E26 [Petergeist](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e26-petergeist/) - S04E27 [The Griffin Family History](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e27-the-griffin-family-history/) - S04E28 [Stewie B. Goode](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e28-stewie-b-goode/) - S04E29 [Bango Was His Name, Oh!](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e29-bango-was-his-name-oh/) - S04E30 [Stu and Stewie's Excellent Adventure](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s04e30-stu-and-stewies-excellent-adventure/) --- Unofficial fan resource. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by FOX, Disney, or Fuzzy Door Productions.