
Who is the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants?
SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg dies at 57. Stephen Hillenburg in 2015. Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, has died at the age of 57.
What happened to SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg?
Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, has died at the age of 57. The animator, writer and director revealed he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neurone disease (MND), in March 2017.
What happened to the original SpongeBob show?
Until his death in 2018, Hillenburg had served as the executive producer over the course of the series' entire history and functioned as its showrunner from its debut in 1999 until 2004. The series went on hiatus in 2002, after Hillenburg halted production on the show itself to work on the feature film The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. [45]
How did SpongeBob get his voice?
When Hillenburg created SpongeBob SquarePants, he approached Kenny to voice the main character. [70] Kenny originally used the voice of SpongeBob for a minor character on Rocko. [44] He forgot how to perform the voice initially and did not intend to use it afterward.
What happened to the creator of Spongebob?
What happened to Spongebob Squarepants?
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Why did the creator of SpongeBob leave?
In 2004, Hillenburg decided not to renew his contract and stepped back from the show. He returned to a life much like his early days at the art institute, surfing and even making another short animated film. Nickelodeon went on to make new episodes without him.
Is Stephen Hillenburg still working on SpongeBob?
Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of the megahit Nickelodeon cartoon series “SpongeBob SquarePants,” died on Monday. He was 57. The cause of death was ALS, which Hillenburg revealed he had been diagnosed with in March of last year.
Did Stephen Hillenburg want SpongeBob to end?
When production on the movie was completed, Hillenburg wanted to end the show so it wouldn't “jump the shark”, and felt three seasons were enough for a series like SpongeBob SquarePants.
Who owns SpongeBob now?
NickelodeonSpongeBob SquarePants (franchise)SpongeBob SquarePantsOwnerNickelodeon (Paramount)Years1999–presentPrint publicationsBook(s)List of books17 more rows
Is SpongeBob ending 2022?
No, 'SpongeBob SquarePants' Has NOT Been Canceled | 2022 Edition.
What race is SpongeBob?
In The SpongeBob Musical, his exact species of animal is identified: Aplysina fistularis, a yellow tube sponge that is common in open waters. He resides in the undersea city of Bikini Bottom with other anthropomorphic aquatic creatures.
When did SpongeBob go downhill?
Then, in 2006, two years after the release of it's first feature length film, "The Spongebob Squarepants Movie", the show started to go downhill with seasons 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 with the story lines being the same and the majority of those seasons now becomes repetitive.
Was the Flying Dutchman a human?
The Flying Dutchman is a ghost who has a green glow around him, yellow eyes with black irises, a scraggly beard, a pirate hat with a chunk taken out, a handbag marked "Souls," a droopy nose, a coat, little pigtails, and a ghostly tail.
When did Stephen Hillenburg stop working on SpongeBob?
In 2002, Hillenburg halted production of the show after the third season was completed to focus on the making of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie which was released in 2004: "I don't want to try and do a movie and the series at the same time.
Is SpongeBob still being produced?
The thirteenth season began in October 2020, and the series was renewed for a fourteenth season on March 24, 2022. It has inspired three feature films: The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004), Sponge Out of Water (2015), and Sponge on the Run (2020)....SpongeBob SquarePantsNo. of episodes278 (list of episodes)Production26 more rows
Who is the new creator of SpongeBob?
Stephen McDannell Hillenburg is the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants (1999), Nickelodeon's ...
Is the original SpongeBob series over?
SpongeBob SquarePants Renewed for Season 14 as Franchise Continues to Expand. SpongeBob has multiple spinoffs in development, but the original show is still going strong with its new full season order from Nickelodeon. Prepare for more adventures at Bikini Bottom.
What Is Stephen Hillenburg's Cause of Death? 'SpongeBob ... - Newsweek
Stephen Hillenburg poses with his character SpongeBob SquarePants at an event held at Tokyo International Anime Fair on March 23, 2006, in Tokyo, Japan.
Who is the creator of Spongebob Squarepants?
"We are sad to share the news of the passing of Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants ," the network wrote. "Today, we are observing a moment of silence to honor his life and work.".
How many episodes of Spongebob are there?
SpongeBob premiered on Nickelodeon in 1999 and has aired nearly 250 episodes since it began. In 2017, the show was renewed for 26 new episodes to last through 2019. Request Reprint & Licensing, Submit Correction or view Editorial Guidelines.
How did Stephen Hillenburg die?
By Kelly Wynne On 11/27/18 at 1:32 PM EST. Culture Death. SpongeBob Squarepants creator Stephen Hillenburg died after a battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) on Monday. He was 57 at the time of his death.
Who wrote the spongebob movie?
Hillenburg also wrote, produced, and directed "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie," which was released in 2004 and went on to gross over $140 million worldwide. Hillenburg then wrote the story for and was the executive producer of the sequel, "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water," in 2015. Hillenburg — or Steve as he was known to family, friends, ...
How many episodes of Spongebob Squarepants are there?
The series has aired nearly 250 episodes to date. It appealed not only to children but older viewers as well, with college students even organizing viewing parties for the show.
What caused Steve Hillenburg to die?
The cause of death was ALS , which Hillenburg revealed he had been diagnosed with in March of last year. "We are incredibly saddened by the news that Steve Hillenburg has passed away following a battle with ALS," Nickelodeon said in a statement.
When did Nickelodeon start animation?
Today, we are observing a moment of silence to honor his life and work. — Nickelodeon (@Nickelodeon) November 27, 2018. He began his animation career in 1987, pursuing a degree in Experimental Animation at the California Institute of Arts in Valencia and earning his Master of Fine Arts in 1992.
How did Stephen Hillenburg die?
Stephen Hillenburg poses with "SpongeBob SquarePants" in Tokyo in 2006. Junko Kimura / Getty Images file. LOS ANGELES — Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of the megahit Nickelodeon cartoon series "SpongeBob SquarePants," died on Monday. He was 57. The cause of death was ALS, which Hillenburg revealed he had been diagnosed with in March of last year.
Who is the creator of Spongebob?
Stephen McDannell Hillenburg (August 21, 1961 – November 26, 2018) was an American animator and marine science educator. He is best remembered for creating the Nickelodeon animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. Hillenburg served as the showrunner for the first three seasons of the show, which has become the fifth-longest-running American ...
Who wrote the spongebob movie?
He went back to making short films, with Hollywood Blvd., USA in 2013, but continued to be credited as an executive producer for SpongeBob SquarePants. Hillenburg co-wrote the story for the second film adaptation of the series, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, which was released in 2015.
How did Hillenburg die?
According to his death certificate, his body was cremated and his ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean at least 500 yards (460 m) off the coast of California the next day . His death was announced by the SpongeBob SquarePants Twitter page later that day.
What did Hillenburg do in experimental animation?
Hillenburg explained that "anything goes" in experimental animation. Although this allowed him to explore alternatives to conventional methods of filmmaking, he still ventured to employ "an industry style"; he preferred to traditionally animate his films (where each frame is drawn by hand) rather than, for instance, make cartoons "out of sand by filming piles of sand changing". Hillenburg had at least one other short film that he made as an animation student but its title is unspecified.
What movie did Hillenburg go to?
He was "knocked out" by the foreign animated films, including Dutch animator Paul Driessen 's The Killing of an Egg (1977).
When did Spongebob Squarepants start?
In 1994, Hillenburg began developing The Intertidal Zone characters and concepts for what became SpongeBob SquarePants. The show has aired continuously since its premiere in 1999. He also directed The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004), which he originally intended to be the series finale.
How did Jacques Cousteau describe himself as a child?
When an interviewer asked him to describe himself as a child, he replied that he was "probably well-meaning and naive like all kids." His passion for sea life can be traced to his childhood, when films by French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau made a strong impression on him. Hillenburg said that Cousteau "provided a view into that world", which he had not known existed. He liked to explore tide pools as a child, bringing home objects that "should have been left there and that ended up dying and smelling really bad."
Where is Spongebob Squarepants?
Spongebob Squarepants is strange little show about a host of working class aquatic animals, in the town of “Bikini Bottom” – it’s surreal, it’s odd, but is enjoyed by pretty much everyone everywhere on the planet.
Who is the voice of Squidward?
And in this cute piece for Salon.com, the voice of Squidward himself, Rodger Bumpass, said about the fans:
What to do if playback doesn't begin?
If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.
Is spongebob a staple?
Here in the UK SpongeBob was a staple. More specifically in our house growing up, it was essential.
Is Spongebob aimed at kids?
Unlike The Simpsons: aimed at adults, while also allowing kids to enjoy visuals, Spongebob went the opposite way – here, kids are the target audience.
What happened to the creator of Spongebob?
Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of the animated show “SpongeBob Squarepants,” has died following a battle with the neurodegenerative disease ALS.
What happened to Spongebob Squarepants?
Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of the animated show “SpongeBob Squarepants,” has died following a battle with the neurodegenerative disease ALS. “ [Hillenburg] was a beloved friend and long-time creative partner to everyone at Nickelodeon, and our hearts go out to his entire family,” the network said in a statement to CNN on Tuesday.

Overview
Stephen McDannell Hillenburg (August 21, 1961 – November 26, 2018) was an American animator, writer, producer, director, and marine science educator. He is known for creating the Nickelodeon animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, on which he served as the showrunner for the first three seasons of the show, and which has become the fifth-longest-running American animat…
Early life and education
Stephen McDannell Hillenburg was born on August 21, 1961 at Fort Sill, a United States Army post in Lawton, Oklahoma, where his father, Kelly N. Hillenburg Jr., worked for the U.S. military. His mother, Nancy (née Dufour), taught visually impaired students. When he was a year old, the family moved to Orange County, California, where his father began a career as a draftsman and designer in the aerospace industry. His younger brother, Bryan, eventually became a draftsman/designer a…
Early career
After graduating from college, Hillenburg held various jobs in 1984, including as a park service attendant in Utah and an art director in San Francisco, before landing the job he wanted: teaching children. He hoped to work in a national park on the coast, and eventually found a job at the Orange County Marine Institute (now the Ocean Institute), an organization in Dana Point, California dedi…
Animation career
Hillenburg made his first animated works, short films The Green Beret (1991) and Wormholes (1992), while at CalArts. The Green Beret was about a physically challenged Girl Scout with enormous fists who toppled houses and destroyed neighborhoods while trying to sell Girl Scout cookies. Wormholes was his seven-minute thesis film, about the theory of relativity. He described the latter as "a p…
Personal life
In 1998, Hillenburg married Karen Umland, a Southern Californian chef who teaches at the New School of Cooking in Culver City. He deemed her the funniest person he knew, and the character of Karen Plankton was named after her. Also in 1998, their first and only child, son Clay, was born. Hillenburg formerly resided in Hollywood and Pasadena, and lived with his family in San Marino, California until his death. His hobbies included surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming, and p…
Illness, death and legacy
Hillenburg disclosed to Variety magazine in March 2017 that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects the motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. He released a statement to the publication, in which he said that he would continue to work on SpongeBob SquarePants "for as long as [he is] able." He added: "My family and I are grateful for the outpouring of love and support. We ask that our sincere requ…
Awards and honors
In 1992, one of Hillenburg's early works, Wormholes, won for Best Concept at the Ottawa International Animation Festival. For SpongeBob SquarePants, Hillenburg was nominated for 17 Emmy Awards, winning in the categories of Outstanding Special Class Animated Program and Outstanding Sound Editing – Animation in 2010 and 2014, respectively. The show has also received several other awards and nominations, including 17 Annie Award nominations, winning s…
Further reading
• Abbey, Cherie D., ed. (2004). Biography Today: Profiles of People of Interest to Young Readers. Author Series. Vol. 14. Omnigraphics. ISBN 978-0-7808-0652-8.
• Banks, Steven (September 21, 2004). SpongeBob Exposed! The Insider's Guide to SpongeBob SquarePants. Illustrated by Gregg Schigiel. Simon Spotlight/Nickelodeon. ISBN 978-0-689-86870-2.
Overview
SpongeBob SquarePants (or simply SpongeBob) is an American animated comedy television series created by marine science educator and animator Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon. It chronicles the adventures of the title character and his aquatic friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom. The fifth-longest-running American animated series, its high popularit…
Production
Series' creator Stephen Hillenburg first became fascinated with the ocean as a child and began developing his artistic abilities at a young age. Although these interests would not overlap for some time—the idea of drawing fish seemed boring to him—Hillenburg pursued both during college, majoring in marine biology and minoring in art. After graduating in 1984, he joined the Ocean Insti…
Premise
The series takes place primarily in the fictional benthic underwater city of Bikini Bottom located in the Pacific Ocean beneath the real-life coral reef known as Bikini Atoll. Its citizens are mostly multicolored fish who live in buildings made from ship funnels and use "boatmobiles", amalgamations of cars and boats, as a mode of transportation. Recurring locations within Bikini Bottom include the n…
Broadcast
Nickelodeon began celebrating the series' 10th anniversary on January 18, 2009, with a live cast reading of the episode "SpongeBob vs. The Big One". The reading—a first for the series—was held at that year's Sundance Film Festival. The episode, which premiered on TV on April 17, 2009, features Johnny Depp as a guest star. Other celebratory actions taken by the network included the launching of a new website for the series (spongebob.com) and the introduction of new mercha…
Reception
Within its first month on air, SpongeBob SquarePants overtook Pokémon as the highest rated Saturday-morning children's series on television. It held an average national Nielsen rating of 4.9 among children aged two through eleven, denoting 1.9 million viewers. Two years later, the series had firmly established itself as Nickelodeon's second highest-rated children's program, after Rugrats. SpongeBob SquarePants was credited with helping Nickelodeon take the "Saturday-mo…
Legacy
In July 2009, Madame Tussauds wax museum in New York launched a wax sculpture of SpongeBob in celebration of the series' 10th anniversary. SpongeBob became the first animated character sculpted entirely out of wax.
The character has also become a trend in Egypt at Cairo's Tahrir Square. After the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, SpongeBob became a fashion phenomenon, …
Criticism
In 2005, an online video that showed clips from SpongeBob SquarePants and other children's shows set to the Sister Sledge song "We Are Family" to promote diversity and tolerance was attacked by an evangelical group in the United States. They saw SpongeBob being used to "advocate homosexuality". James Dobson of Focus on the Family accused the video of promoting homosexuality because it was sponsored by a pro-tolerance group. The incident prompted the q…
Other media
On February 14, 2019, it was announced that a SpongeBob SquarePants spin-off is in development. On June 4, it was announced the spinoff will be titled Kamp Koral. The plot will focus on a 10-year-old SpongeBob and his friends at the titular camp located in the Kelp Forest, where they spend the summer catching jellyfish, building campfires, and swimming in Lake Yuckymuck. It serves as a …