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Encyclopedia SpongeBobia
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**''[[The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water: The Junior Novelization]]'', ''[[Plank-Ton to the Rescue!]]'', ''[[Plank-ton's Big Plan!]]'', ''[[Krabby Patty Caper]]'', and ''[[The Good, The Bad, and the Krabby!]]'' were the last ''SpongeBob'' movie books to be released during Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime.
 
**''[[The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water: The Junior Novelization]]'', ''[[Plank-Ton to the Rescue!]]'', ''[[Plank-ton's Big Plan!]]'', ''[[Krabby Patty Caper]]'', and ''[[The Good, The Bad, and the Krabby!]]'' were the last ''SpongeBob'' movie books to be released during Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime.
 
***''[[SpongeBob HeroPants]]'' was the last ''SpongeBob'' movie based video game to be released during Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime.
 
***''[[SpongeBob HeroPants]]'' was the last ''SpongeBob'' movie based video game to be released during Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime.
*[[The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom (DVD)|The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom DVD]], [[Big Hits: Volume 1]], [[The First & Second Seasons]] and [[SpongeBob SquarePants Holiday Collection]] were the last ''SpongeBob'' DVDs to be released during Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime.
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*[[The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom (DVD)|The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom DVD]], [[Big Hits: Volume 1]], [[The First & Second Seasons]], [[SpongeBob SquarePants Vol. 19]] and [[SpongeBob SquarePants Holiday Collection]] were the last ''SpongeBob'' DVDs to be released during Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime.
 
**[[The Complete Ninth Season]] was also the last ''SpongeBob'' season DVD to be released during Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime.
 
**[[The Complete Ninth Season]] was also the last ''SpongeBob'' season DVD to be released during Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime.
 
***[[The SpongeBob Movie Collection (Blu-ray)]] was the last ''SpongeBob'' Blu-ray to be released during Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime.
 
***[[The SpongeBob Movie Collection (Blu-ray)]] was the last ''SpongeBob'' Blu-ray to be released during Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime.
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*The [[Eight-Hour marathon]] was the first ''SpongeBob'' event to happen after Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime.
 
*The [[Eight-Hour marathon]] was the first ''SpongeBob'' event to happen after Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime.
 
*"[[The Nitwitting]]" is the first episode to premiere after Stephen Hillenburg's death.
 
*"[[The Nitwitting]]" is the first episode to premiere after Stephen Hillenburg's death.
*[[The Third & Fourth Seasons]], [[Movies & TV Collection]], [[The Next 100 Episodes]], [[Big Hits: Volume 2]], [[The Best 200 Episodes Ever]], and [[The Complete Tenth Season]] are the first ''SpongeBob'' DVDs to be released after Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime so far.
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*[[The Third & Fourth Seasons]], [[Movies & TV Collection]], [[The Next 100 Episodes]], [[Big Hits: Volume 2]], [[SpongeBob SquarePants Vol. 20]], [[The Best 200 Episodes Ever]], and [[The Complete Tenth Season]] are the first ''SpongeBob'' DVDs to be released after Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime so far.
 
*''[[Super Brawl Universe]]'', ''[[Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated]]'', and ''[[SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off]]'' are the first ''SpongeBob'' video games to be released after Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime.
 
*''[[Super Brawl Universe]]'', ''[[Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated]]'', and ''[[SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off]]'' are the first ''SpongeBob'' video games to be released after Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime.
 
*''[[The Great Nickelodeon Slime Rally]]'', ''[[Haunted House Hop]]'', ''[[Eggcellent Match]]'', ''[[Make A Scene - SpongeBob SquarePants]]'', and ''[[SpongeBob Saves the Day!]]'' are the first ''SpongeBob'' online games to be released after Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime so far.
 
*''[[The Great Nickelodeon Slime Rally]]'', ''[[Haunted House Hop]]'', ''[[Eggcellent Match]]'', ''[[Make A Scene - SpongeBob SquarePants]]'', and ''[[SpongeBob Saves the Day!]]'' are the first ''SpongeBob'' online games to be released after Stephen Hillenburg's lifetime so far.

Revision as of 20:50, 13 January 2020

If you were looking for the article about the storyboard artist, then see Stephen Herczeg.
If you were looking for the article about the comic book artist, then see Stephen Destefano.
Person

Stephen McDannell Hillenburg[1] (August 21, 1961 - November 26, 2018; aged 57) was an American marine biologist, animator, and the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants. He developed the idea for the series while working at the Ocean Institute in California.

The character of SpongeBob was based on an educational book he had illustrated called The Intertidal Zone, and the character of Pearl was inspired by his time as a supervisor of whale watches at the Ocean Institute.[2][3] He named Karen Plankton after his wife, Karen Hillenburg.[4]

He was the showrunner from 1999 until 2004, when the first movie was completed. He continued to be credited as the executive producer for seasons four to twelve, but his role was much less involved; he received this credit for every episode, regardless of whether or not he contributed at all, making it a "vanity credit" rather than an actual one.[5] According to Vincent Waller, Hillenburg did not do any drawing, directing, or writing whatsoever after the movie; his only job was "being Steve."[5]

Other than behind-the-scenes work, he was the original voice of Potty the Parrot before the role was passed onto Paul Tibbitt. Tibbitt succeeded Hillenburg as the showrunner for seasons four to nine.

Hillenburg was a strong and firm proponent of "cute, stiff, on-model" animation for the characters. He was well known for being adamant about his visions for the show and for never changing his mind; he was even known to stay at the studio "late every night, going over all the storyboards, making sure SpongeBob was cute in every panel."[6] However, as his health deteriorated, the show's new crew from season 10 onward was able to get him to "loosen up" on a few of his former rules for the show. Mainly, they changed the animation from "on-model" to extremely off-model in the vein of Ren & Stimpy, which many of the new crew members had worked on.[7][8]

It was announced he was diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) on March 13, 2017.[9] His deteriorating health made it difficult for him to speak or offer input on the series. However, he continued to occasionally visit Nickelodeon Animation Studio to check on progress. Unfortunately, Hillenburg passed away on November 26, 2018, due to complications linked to ALS.

Life

In 1984, Stephen Hillenburg graduated from Humboldt State University with a bachelor's degree in Natural Resource Planning and Interpretation, with an emphasis on Marine Resources. He became a marine biology teacher at the Orange County Marine Institute--now known as the Ocean Institute--in Dana Point, California. Hillenburg's love for the sea and its creatures inspired him to create teaching tools for his students with characters that would later become the main characters of SpongeBob SquarePants.[10]

In 1987, Stephen Hillenburg pursued a degree in Experimental Animation at the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia and earned his Master of Fine Arts in 1992. Also during the same year,, he won an award for Best Animated Concept at the Ottawa International Animation Festival for his animated short "Wormholes," which was shown at several international animation festivals. From 1993 to 1996, he worked on the Nickelodeon animated series Rocko's Modern Life; during this time, he continued to fine-tune the aquatic series concept that he had begun in the 1980s. It would eventually be pitched to Nickelodeon as SpongeBoy Ahoy! and subsequently renamed SpongeBob SquarePants.[10]

In 2007, a frivolous lawsuit, claiming that a toy inventor named Troy Walker came up with the SpongeBob concept, was filed against Nickelodeon and Hillenburg by a plaintiff wanting a "ridiculous" total of $1.6 billion from Nickelodeon. The claimant, Troy Walker, did not do enough research on his claims before making them, setting his implausible story in 1991, years after Hillenburg had started work on his concept. A summary judgment quickly ruled in Viacom's favor over the flimsy claims.

In March 2017, Hillenburg revealed that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a terminal illness that affects and causes the death of neurons that control the brain and the spinal cord. He tried to work on the series as best as he could from then on.

On November 26, 2018, Hillenburg passed away from ALS-related complications. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered across the coast of California, close to where Bikini Bottom resides.[11][12] The future of the show is currently in doubt, though Vincent Waller has stated that the show would still continue.[13]

Trivia

SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout 800

Errors

Stephen Hilleburg error in Help Wanted

Should be written as "Stephen Hillenburg"

  • In "Help Wanted," Stephen Hillenburg's name is misspelled as "Stephen Hilleburg," missing the "N" in his surname.
  • On Amazon Prime Video for the episode "Frankendoodle," the credits say that the portrayer of the Artist at Sea is Stephen Hillenburg, despite the character actually being portrayed by Doug Lawrence.


Gallery

Photos

Artwork by Hillenburg

Video

References

  1. ^ Veromi: Stephen Hillenburg.
  2. ^ Makin' Toons: Inside Popular Animated TV Shows
  3. ^ Nickelodeon Magazine June 2003: From Boy to Bob
  4. ^ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/stephen-hillenburg-dead-spongebob-squarepants-creator-dies-at-57-1164132
  5. ^ a b https://twitter.com/VincentWaller72/status/644380359275081730
  6. ^ Michelle Bryan: The Frederator Interview.
  7. ^ https://twitter.com/VincentWaller72/status/782061053404336128
  8. ^ https://twitter.com/VincentWaller72/status/832414984999104512
  9. ^ ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ Creator Stephen Hillenburg Reveals ALS Diagnosis (March 13, 2017).
  10. ^ a b ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ Creator Stephen Hillenburg Dies at 57 (November 27, 2018).
  11. ^ SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg's ashes scattered at sea (8th December 2018).
  12. ^ Ashes of 'Spongebob Squarepants' creator spread at sea following ALS death (8th December 2018).
  13. ^ https://twitter.com/VincentWaller72/status/1067504800982429697
  14. ^ https://nieonline.com/coloradonie/downloads/minipage/minipage7.15.15.pdf
  15. ^ Banks, Steven (September 21, 2004). SpongeBob Exposed!: The Insider's Guide to SpongeBob SquarePants. Schigiel, Gregg.
  16. ^ https://twitter.com/VincentWaller72/status/725683970558451712
  17. ^ https://twitter.com/VincentWaller72/status/1096564449446510592
  18. ^ https://twitter.com/VincentWaller72/status/876510810129944576
  19. ^ https://twitter.com/VincentWaller72/status/903043979230420994
  20. ^ https://twitter.com/VincentWaller72/status/711211491983110146
  21. ^ https://twitter.com/VincentWaller72/status/852541558192652289
  22. ^ https://tbivision.com/2009/10/27/spongebob-squarepants-creator-steve-hillenburg/
  23. ^ https://www.change.org/p/nickelodeon-get-nickelodeon-to-respect-spongebob-creator-s-wish-for-no-spinoffs-kamp-koral?recruiter=968188699&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition
  24. ^ Longreads: "The Young Man and the Sea Sponge"
  25. ^ White, Peter (2009-10-27). Spongebob Squarepants’ creator Steve Hillenburg. TBI Vision. Retrieved on 2019-07-15. TBI Vision interview
  26. ^ https://twitter.com/VincentWaller72/status/1188891489041936386
  27. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iAZweZPR7Y

External links

Wikipedia may have more biographical information on this person. Please see Wikipedia's article here.

Template:CastCrew

Awards and nominations for SpongeBob SquarePants VE

Emmy Awards Cup Emmy

Primetime Emmy Awards

Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)

Nominees: Sean Dempsey, Derek Drymon, Juli Murphy Hashiguchi, Sam Henderson, Stephen Hillenburg, Jay Lender, Mark O'Hare, Kent Osborne, Alan Smart, Paul Tibbitt, Tom Yasumi (for "New Student Starfish"/"Clams," 2003)Derek Drymon, Juli Murphy Hashiguchi, Stephen Hillenburg, Kent Osborne, Andrew Overtoom, Alan Smart, Paul Tibbitt (for "Ugh," 2004)Mike Bell, C.H. Greenblatt, Stephen Hillenburg, Alan Smart, Paul Tibbitt, Vincent Waller, Tom Yasumi (for "Fear of a Krabby Patty"/"Shell of a Man," 2005)Casey Alexander, Luke Brookshier, Stephen Hillenburg, Tom King, Dani Michaeli, Chris Mitchell, Andrew Overtoom, Alan Smart, Paul Tibbitt and Tom Yasumi (for "Bummer Vacation"/"Wigstruck," 2007)Steven Banks, Charlie Bean, Stephen Hillenburg, Dani Michaeli, Chris Reccardi, Alan Smart, Aaron Springer, Paul Tibbitt, Tom Yasumi (for "The Inmates of Summer"/"The Two Faces of Squidward," 2008)

Outstanding Short-format Animated Program

Nominees: Dina Buteyn, Stephen Hillenburg, Dani Michaeli, Alan Smart, Aaron Springer, Paul Tibbitt and Tom Yasumi (for "Dear Vikings," 2009)Luke Brookshier, Dina Buteyn, Nate Cash, Stephen Hillenburg, Doug Lawrence, Andrew Overtoom, Alan Smart and Paul Tibbitt (for "That Sinking Feeling," 2011)Marc Ceccarelli, Stephen Hillenburg, Kyle McCulloch, Jennie Monica, Jack Pendarvis, Alan Smart, Paul Tibbitt, Vincent Waller, Tom Yasumi (for "Company Picnic," 2016)Luke Brookshier, Marc Ceccarelli, Stephen Hillenburg, Jennie Monica, Adam Paloian, Alan Smart, Vincent Waller, Tom Yasumi (for "Plankton Paranoia," 2019)


Daytime Emmy Awards

Outstanding Directing in an Animated Program

Directors: Andrew Overtoom, Andrea Romano, Alan Smart and Tom Yasumi (2010)Casey Alexander, Luke Brookshier, Nate Cash, Zeus Cervas, Sean Charmatz, Andrew Overtoom, Andrea Romano, Alan Smart, Aaron Springer, Paul Tibbitt, Vincent Waller and Tom Yasumi (2012)

Outstanding Special Class Animated Program

Animators: Dina Buteyn, Stephen Hillenburg and Paul Tibbitt (2010)

Outstanding Children's Animated Program

Nominees: Stephen Hillenburg, Jennie Monica Hammond and Paul Tibbitt (2012)Stephen Hillenburg, Marc Ceccarelli, Vincent Waller and Jennie Monica (2018)

Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program

Voice actors: Rodger Bumpass as Squidward Tentacles (2012)Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants (2018)Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants (2020)Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants (2021)

Outstanding Sound Editing – Animation

Nominees: Todd Brodie, Nicolas Carr, Mishelle Fordham, Chris Gresham, Matt Hall, Jeffrey Hutchins, James Lifton, Paulette Lifton, D.J. Lynch, Aran Tanchum and Kimberlee Vanek (2012) • Mishelle Fordham, Vincent Guisetti, Jeffrey Hutchins, James Lifton, Paulette Lifton, D.J. Lynch, Wes Otis, Monique Reymond and Aran Tanchum (2013) • Devon Bowman, Nicolas Carr, Mishelle Fordham, Jeff Hutchins, Aran Tanchum and Vincent Guisetti (2014)

Outstanding Sound Mixing for an Animated Program

Nominees: D.J. Lynch, Justin Brinsfield, Ryan Greene, Manny Grijalva, Jeff Hutchins and Aran Tanchum (2020)

Outstanding Voice Directing for an Animated Series

Nominees: Tom Kenny (2021)


Children's and Family Emmy Awards

Outstanding Voice Performance in an Animated Program

Voice actors: Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants (2022)Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants (2023)

Individual Achievement in Animation - Storyboard

Nominees: Benjamin Arcand (for "SpongeBob's Road to Christmas," 2022)


Golden Reel Awards StatueStraight

Best Sound Editing in Television Animation – Music

Nominees: Stephen Hillenburg, Donna Castricone, Nicholas R. Jennings, Alan Smart, Peter Burns, Doug Lawrence, Derek Drymon, Alex Gordon, Donna Grillo, Jennie Monica, Krandal Crews, Jim Leber, Justin Brinsfield, Tony Ostyn, Nicolas Carr (for "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy"/"Pickles;" 2000)Nicolas Carr (for "Fools in April"/"Neptune's Spatula" in 2001; for "Jellyfish Hunter"/"The Fry Cook Games" in 2002; for "Wet Painters"/"Krusty Krab Training Video" in 2003; for "The Great Snail Race"/"Mid-Life Crustacean" in 2004) • Jimmy Lifton, D.J. Lynch, Jeff Hutchins, Tony Ostyn and Paulette Lifton (for "Mid-Life Crustacean;" 2004)

Best Sound Editing in Television Animation – Sound

Nominees: Nicolas Carr (for "Karate Choppers;" 2000) • Andrea Anderson, Jimmy Lifton, Monette Holderer, D.J. Lynch, Vincent Gutisetti, Jeff Hutchins and Gabriel Rosas (for "Rock Bottom"/"Arrgh!;" 2001)

Best Sound Editing in Television – Animation

Nominees: Timothy J. Borquez, Jeff Hutchins and Daisuke Sawa (for "The Secret Box"/"Band Geeks;" 2002)

Best Sound Editing in Television Animation

Nominees: Jimmy Lifton, Jeff Hutchins, Tony Ostyn and Chris Gresham (for "Nasty Patty"/"Idiot Box;" 2003)

Best Sound Editing in Television: Animated

Nominees: Jimmy Lifton, Nicolas Carr, D.J. Lynch, Jeff Hutchins, Tony Ostyn, Chris Gresham and Paulette Lifton (for "Pranks a Lot"/"SpongeBob Meets the Strangler;" 2005) • Vincent Gutisetti, Jimmy Lifton, Nicolas Carr, Monique Reymond, D.J. Lynch, Mark Howlett, Jeff Hutchins, Aran Tanchum, Mishelle Smith and Paulette Lifton (for "Have You Seen This Snail?;" 2006)Nicolas Carr, Mishelle Fordham, Monette Becktold, Jeff Hutchins, Timothy J. Borquez, Tom Syslo, Jason Stiff, Tony Orozco and Kimberlee Vanek (for "SpongeHenge;" 2008)

Best Sound Editing: Television Animation

Nominees: : Chiho Oyamada Carr, Nicolas Carr, Mishelle Fordham, Daisuke Sawa, Monette Becktold, Jeff Hutchins, Timothy J. Borquez, Tom Syslo, Eric Freeman, Dan Cubert, Lawrence Reyes, Jason Stiff, Tony Orozco and Kimberlee Vanek (for "Suction Cup Symphony;" 2009) • Chino Oyamada Carr, Nicolas Carr, Mishelle Fordham, Monette Becktold, Jeff Hutchins, Timothy J. Borquez, Eric Freeman, Tom Syslo, Keith Dickens, Jason Stiff, Sergio Silva, Tony Orozco and Kimberlee Vanek (for "SpongeBob SquarePants vs. The Big One;" 2010)

Best Sound Editing – Sound Effects, Foley, Dialogue and ADR Animation in Television

Nominees: Devon Bowman, Justin Brinsfield, Nicolas Carr, Andrea Anderson, Mishelle Fordham, Monette Becktold, Jeff Hutchins, Eric Freeman, Tony Orozco and Danny Tchibinda (for "Gary's New Toy;" 2013) • Mishelle Fordham, Monette Becktold, Jeff Hutchins, Timothy J. Borquez, Tom Syslo, Eric Freeman, Bobby Crew, Keith Dickens, Gabriel Rossas and Tony Orozco (for "It's a SpongeBob Christmas!;" 2013)


Miscellaneous

British Academy Children's Awards Logo master

International Category

Recipients: Stephen Hillenburg and Alan Smart (2007)Paul Tibbitt, Casey Alexander and Zeus Cervas (2012)Marc Ceccarelli, Luke Brookshier and Vincent Waller (2014)


Annecy International Animated Film FestivalAnnecy International Animated Film Festival logo.svg

Special Award

Episodes: "Fear of a Krabby Patty" (2005)

Special Award for a TV Series

Episodes: "It's a SpongeBob Christmas!" (2013)


Artios Awards

Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Animation TV Programming

Nominees: Sarah Noonan (2010)

Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Television Animation

Nominees: Sarah Noonan (2011; 2013)


ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards Film tv invite 2a

Top Television Series

Nominees: Steve Belfer, Nicolas Carr, Derek Drymon, Mark Harrison, Stephen Hillenburg, Pat Irwin, Stephen Marston, Blaise Smith, Barry Anthony Trop and Ron Wasserman (2011-2013)


BMI Film & TV Awards Logo bmi

BMI Cable Award

Nominees: Michael Bolger, Sage Guyton, Eban Schletter and Jeremy Wakefield (2013)


Satellite Awards 79d5dec3b358448c8a5c20fbd09816b5

Best Youth DVD

DVDs: The Complete 2nd Season (2005)


THEA Awards Bigtheatranslogocolor(1)

Outstanding Achivement - Attraction

Rides: SpongeBob SubPants Adventure (2016)