Story
The token black guy in the neighborhood, Cleveland was a sort of novelty in Quahog which is exemplified in his trip to Barrington Country Club. He is 5 ft 10 inches tall, and until recently he was married to Loretta, but they separated after Loretta had an affair with Quagmire, although they still have feelings for each other. Together they had a son, Cleveland, Jr., whose personality and energy contrast greatly with his father. He also sports a mustache and often offers deep insight that the other characters are unable to see.
He used to be an accomplished auctioneer, but was struck in the head by a totem pole, which resulted in his speech being permanently slowed. Cleveland is also the president of the Quahog Chamber of Commerce. He is currently the proprietor of Cleveland's Deli. His brother, Broderick is a plastic surgeon.
Cleveland may have been married before he met Loretta, suggested in a scene from the episode Death Lives, when Cleveland meets Peter 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 as Family Guy canon that Loretta was Cleveland's first wife. For a while following his divorce he dated a woman named Bernice (also voiced by Alex Borstein), 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, as that is the woman Cleveland ultimately sought.
After Cleveland's divorce was finalized, Loretta obtained Cleveland's house, and Cleveland got custody of Cleveland Brown, Jr. Cleveland and Cleveland Jr. left Quahog, after Peter destroyed their house, and moved to Stoolbend. He married Donna Tubbs, and became the stepfather of her children, Rallo and Roberta.
He "dies" in Lois Kills Stewie when he is shot in the chest by Stewie. But, it was only a simulation, so it never actually occurred.
His name is a reference to the professional football team Cleveland Browns.
He has terrible foot odor and refused to take off his shoes at Quagmire's house because of the odor, running away after accidentally admitting this to all of his friends.
He now stars in a spin-off of Family Guy, entitled The Cleveland Show!, that premiered in Fall 2009. Cleveland officially left Family Guy when The Cleveland Show! started. His son, Cleveland Jr. also left the show and now appears to have gained weight, as well as now suffering from astigmatism. Cleveland's new house, located in Virginia, is surrounded by a variety of neighbors, just like in Family Guy.
Mike Henry has stated that his inspiration for the voice was someone that he had met and told him that he had graduated from the University of Maryland, pronouncing it "the University of Merlind", which is recognizable.
Cleveland is in his early-forties (either 42 or 43), in a flashback during the pilot episode of the Cleveland Show, it was revealed his senior prom was in 1984, giving him a birthdate of somewhere around 1966.
He often falls out of a bathtub from the second floor of his home to the front porch. In Spies Reminiscent of Us, when the missile was destroyed, the remnants of it crashed into his house while he was bathing. Tim the Bear came and said he didn't get it.
Sexual Noises
"OOOOOOOOH, and boom goes the dynamite."
"OW! OW! OW! OW! When is it gonna be my turn?"
Relatives
The Ancestor of Cleveland Brown (great-great-great-great-grandfather) {deceased}
Chet Brown (granduncle)
Loretta's mother (ex-mother-in-law)
Broderick Brown (brother)
Loretta Brown (first wife) {divorced}
Cleveland Brown, Jr. (son)
Madame Claude (Jamaican cousin)
Donna Brown (second wife)
Roberta Brown (step-daughter)
Rallo Brown (step-son)
Editor's note: bolded to appear in The Cleveland Show!