Encyclopedia SpongeBobia
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Encyclopedia SpongeBobia
This is the page about the voice actor. For other uses, see Tom (disambiguation).
Person

Thomas James "Tom" Kenny (born July 13, 1962; age 61) is an American actor, voice actor, singer, and voice director. He is a main cast member on SpongeBob SquarePants, voicing SpongeBob, Gary the Snail, and the French Narrator. He also portrays the series' host, Patchy the Pirate, in special episodes and a large amount of Nickelodeon commercials.

Kenny is the husband of Jill Talley (the voice of Karen Plankton). He is the only cast member to provide a voice role in every episode (with the exception of the dialogue-free episode "Reef Blower"). He has written several songs for the show, like "The Best Day Ever," and has held the position of voice director since season 9.

Tom Kenny is a prolific voice actor outside of SpongeBob, known for voicing characters such as the Ice King in Adventure Time, the Mayor in both incarnations of The Powerpuff Girls, Heffer in Rocko's Modern Life, and Dog in CatDog.

He is part of a rock-and-roll band called Tom Kenny and The Hi-Seas.

List of live-action cameos

Note: This list does not include the Patchy the Pirate appearances.

Non-SpongeBob discography

The following is a list of works where Tom Kenny played a role, outside of the SpongeBob SquarePants series.

Television

This list is incomplete, but you can help Encyclopedia SpongeBobia by expanding it.

Film

This list is incomplete, but you can help Encyclopedia SpongeBobia by expanding it.

Video games

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Shower in a Can!
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Trivia

  • Voice actor Jess Harnell auditioned for the role of SpongeBob before Kenny was chosen.[1]
  • Over the years, many fans of the show have asked Kenny to lend SpongeBob's voice to their voice email and answering machines. In an interview, he joked that these custom messages might be more common than the factory (default voice).
    LA Animation Festival - Tom Kenny and Nylon Pink

    Tom Kenny with Nylon Pink

  • Kenny also does the voice of the announcer at the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards every year.[citation needed]
  • Kenny first used the voice for SpongeBob for a minor female alligator character called Al on Rocko's Modern Life who appeared in the episode "Dear John." This is also the first time Kenny and Stephen Hillenburg worked together. Hillenburg wanted Kenny to use that voice for SpongeBob, so he showed him a clip of Al in Rocko's Modern Life to remind Kenny of the voice.
  • He also voiced Han "Chuck" Solo in the Angry Birds Star Wars Cinematic Trailer. Han's laugh also sounds similar to SpongeBob's.[2]
  • To produce SpongeBob's trademark laugh, Kenny pats his throat while saying "ah."[3]
  • His birthday is July 13, one day before SpongeBob's, on July 14.
  • "Mall Girl Pearl" is the only episode where Tom Kenny voices SpongeBob once (due to the character only having one line in the episode).
  • When SpongeBob jellyfishes, he wears glasses that look similar to those of his portrayer.
  • Tom Kenny is the only actor to voice 2 of the main SpongeBob characters.
  • He is the only actor of the series to get credited on every episode of the show.
  • In the 2017 San Diego Comic Con, he said his favorite SpongeBob meme is "Mocking SpongeBob."[4]
  • The drop of Volcano Sauce was shot in the Nickelodeon restroom and Tom Kenny had to wear red makeup all over his face to portray the character. He also had an audition on that same day the scene was shot, but the red makeup did not completely come off in time.[5]
  • Before SpongeBob even became a global success, Tom showed a VHS of the pilot to random people and even his family and it made them laugh. [6]
  • Tom doesn't have a laptop, so the only way he can see memes is when Bill Fagerbakke sends it to him on his phone.[7]
  • Tom and his wife, Jill, appear in the music video for Tonight, Tonight by The Smashing Pumpkins.

Roles

Credits

For a full list of episodes where Tom Kenny is credited, see List of episode credits.
Episode Credits
Season 1
1a - "Help Wanted" Voice of SpongeBob SquarePants, Narrator, bus driver, and Gary the Snail
1b - "Reef Blower" Voice of SpongeBob
1c - "Tea at the Treedome" Voice of SpongeBob
2a - "Bubblestand" Voice of SpongeBob
2b - "Ripped Pants" Voice of SpongeBob and Narrator
3a - "Jellyfishing" Voice of SpongeBob and Narrator
3b - "Plankton!" Voice of SpongeBob and Gary
4a - "Naughty Nautical Neighbors" Voice of SpongeBob
4b - "Boating School" Voice of SpongeBob and Gary
5a - "Pizza Delivery" Voice of SpongeBob
5b - "Home Sweet Pineapple" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, and Dad
6a - "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Dad, Chef, and Young Mermaid Man
6b - "Pickles" Voice of SpongeBob and Gary
7a - "Hall Monitor" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, and Bill
7b - "Jellyfish Jam" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Jellyfish, and Narrator
8a - "Sandy's Rocket" Voice of SpongeBob and Gary
8b - "Squeaky Boots" Voice of SpongeBob and Gary
9a - "Nature Pants" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, and Snail
9b - "Opposite Day" Voice of SpongeBob and Gary
10a - "Culture Shock" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Guy #1 and Mr. SpongeBob
10b - "F.U.N." Voice of SpongeBob, Cop, and Guy #1
11a - "MuscleBob BuffPants" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Fish Guy, and Skinny Fish
11b - "Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost" Voice of SpongeBob
12a - "The Chaperone" Voice of SpongeBob, Billy Fish, and Photo Fish
12b - "Employee of the Month" Voice of SpongeBob
13a - "Scaredy Pants" Voice of SpongeBob, Mom, Gary, and Narrator
13b - "I Was a Teenage Gary" Voice of SpongeBob, Doctor, and Gary
14a - "SB-129" Voice of SpongeBob and Narrator
14b - "Karate Choppers" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, TV fish, and Volcano Sauce drop
15a - "Sleepy Time" Voice of SpongeBob and Gary
15b - "Suds" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Guy in shower and Hans
16a - "Valentine's Day" Voice of SpongeBob, Vender Fish, and Kid
16b - "The Paper" Voice of SpongeBob and Gary
17a - "Arrgh!" Voice of SpongeBob and Customer
17b - "Rock Bottom" Voice of SpongeBob
18a - "Texas" Voice of SpongeBob, Fish #1, #2, and #3
18b - "Walking Small" Voice of SpongeBob, Fish #1, #2, #3, and Doll
19a - "Fools in April" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, and Guy #1
19b - "Neptune's Spatula" Voice of SpongeBob, Guy #1 and Guy in shower
20a - "Hooky" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, and Narrator
20b - "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy II" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, and Narrator
Season 2
21a - "Your Shoe's Untied" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Monkey
21b - "Squid's Day Off" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator
22a - "Something Smells" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary
22b - "Bossy Boots" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary
23a - "Big Pink Loser" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator
23b - "Bubble Buddy" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Vendor #1
24a - "Dying for Pie" Voice of SpongeBob
24b - "Imitation Krabs" Voice of SpongeBob, Hans, Fish #1, Narrator
25a - "Wormy" Voice of SpongeBob, Fish #2
25b - "Patty Hype" Voice of SpongeBob, Fish #2, Scotsman, Ladies, Fish #50
26a - "Grandma's Kisses" Voice of SpongeBob
26b - "Squidville" Voice of SpongeBob, Squid Guard, Squid #2
27a - "Prehibernation Week" Voice of SpongeBob, Fish #71, Muscle Guy
27b - "Life of Crime" Voice of SpongeBob, Muscle Guy, Balloon Salesman
28 - "Christmas Who?" SpongeBob, Patchy, Narrator, Old Fish, Singer #1, Gary, Jellyfish
29a - "Survival of the Idiots" Voice of SpongeBob
29b - "Dumped" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Larry
30a - "No Free Rides" Voice of SpongeBob, Dad, Narrator
30b - "I'm Your Biggest Fanatic" Voice of SpongeBob, King Jellyfish
31a - "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy III" Voice of SpongeBob
31b - "Squirrel Jokes" Voice of SpongeBob
32a - "Pressure" Voice of SpongeBob, Seagull
32b - "The Smoking Peanut" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Guy
33a - "Shanghaied" Voice of SpongeBob, Patchy, Narrator
33b - "Gary Takes a Bath" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary
34a - "Welcome to the Chum Bucket" Voice of SpongeBob, Robot
34b - "Frankendoodle" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Gary, Jellyfish
35a - "The Secret Box" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary
35b - "Band Geeks" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator
36a - "Graveyard Shift" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator
36b - "Krusty Love" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Woman, Waiter
37a - "Procrastination" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Clock
37b - "I'm with Stupid" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary
38a - "Sailor Mouth" Voice of SpongeBob, Sailor, Fish 1
38b - "Artist Unknown" Voice of SpongeBob, Fish 1
39a - "Jellyfish Hunter" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Jellyfish
39b - "The Fry Cook Games" Voice of SpongeBob, Big Guy, Vendor
40a - "Squid on Strike" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Fish #156 Teenager 1
40b - "Sandy, SpongeBob, and the Worm" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Gary, Hook Fish, Fish 156
Season 3
41a - "The Algae's Always Greener" Voice of Alternate-Universe SpongeBob, Fish #83 Old Man
41b - "SpongeGuard on Duty" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Old Man Fish #83
42a - "Club SpongeBob" Voice of SpongeBob
42b - "My Pretty Seahorse" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Flower 2, Old Man Jenkins
43a - "Just One Bite" Voice of SpongeBob
43b - "The Bully" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Old Man
44a - "Nasty Patty" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator
44b - "Idiot Box" Voice of SpongeBob, Police, Astronaut
45a - "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy IV" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Fish #3, Fish#4
45b - "Doing Time" Voice of SpongeBob, Mrs. Puff's dad (deleted scene), Writer, Fish #3, Fish #4
46a - "Snowball Effect" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Narrator, Jellyfish, Mad Fish
46b - "One Krabs Trash" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Skater Fish, Fish #1, Gary
47a - "As Seen on TV" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Gary, Old Fish, Tall Fish
47b - "Can You Spare a Dime?" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Gary
48a - "No Weenies Allowed" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Line Fish #1
48b - "Squilliam Returns" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator
49a - "Krab Borg" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, TV announcer
49b - "Rock-a-Bye Bivalve" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Narrator
50a - "Wet Painters" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator
50b - "Krusty Krab Training Video" Voice of SpongeBob
51 - "Party Pooper Pants" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Gary, Patchy, Announcer
52a - "Chocolate with Nuts" Voice of SpongeBob, Elderly Woman's Mom, Maitred
52b - "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V" Voice of SpongeBob, Geek fish, Pillow fish, Dirty Bubble
53a - "New Student Starfish" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Fish 1
53b - "Clams" Voice of SpongeBob
54 - "Ugh" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Gary, Patchy, Robot, Choir
55a - "The Great Snail Race" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Narrator
55b - "Mid-Life Crustacean" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Kid Fish #2, Old Fish #2, Scout
56a - "Born Again Krabs" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Pinch-o-Matic
56b - "I Had an Accident" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Jellyfish, Old Fish, Pinch-o-matic
57a - "Krabby Land" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Narrator
57b - "The Camping Episode" Voice of SpongeBob
58a - "Missing Identity" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Peterson
58b - "Plankton's Army" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Cousin #1
59 - "The Sponge Who Could Fly" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Gary, Grandpa SquarePants, Fish #86, Fish #1, Patchy the Pirate
60a - "SpongeBob Meets the Strangler" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator
60b - "Pranks a Lot" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Geek fish, Poo fish, Eyeball #1
Season 4
61a - "Fear of a Krabby Patty" Voice of SpongeBob, Medic, Narrator
61b - "Shell of a Man" Voice of SpongeBob, Captain, Iron Eye
62a - "The Lost Mattress" Voice of SpongeBob
62b - "Krabs vs. Plankton" Voice of SpongeBob, Clam, Fish Guy #1
63 - "Have You Seen This Snail?" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary
64a - "Skill Crane" Voice of SpongeBob, Construction Fish #1, SKill Crane, Narrator
64b - "Good Neighbors" Voice of SpongeBob, Car Fish, Security System, Tank Fish
65a - "Selling Out" Voice SpongeBob, Howard Blandy, Museum Tape Operator
65b - "Funny Pants" Voice SpongeBob, Robotic Voice, Narrator
66 - "Dunces and Dragons" Voice of SpongeBob, Electronic British Voice, King, Leech, Narrator, Man Peasant
67a - "Enemy In-Law" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Chum-bot
- "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy VI: The Motion Picture" Voice of SpongeBob, Kelp-thing, Pearl Puller
68a - "Patrick SmartPants" Voice of SpongeBob, Old Head
68b - "SquidBob TentaclePants" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Narrator, Male Fish #2, Skeleton Fish
69a - "Krusty Towers" Voice of SpongeBob, Fish #1
69b - "Mrs. Puff, You're Fired" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Student Fish #1
70a - "Chimps Ahoy" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Mailman
70b - "Ghost Host" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Narrator, Salesman, Ghost
71a - "Whale of a Birthday" Voice of SpongeBob, Radio DJ, Fish #1
71b - "Karate Island" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, The Tickler, Thug #1
72a - "All That Glitters" Voice of SpongeBob, Spat, Salesman, Fish #41
72b - "Wishing You Well" Voice of SpongeBob, Narrator, Gary
73a - "New Leaf" Voice of SpongeBob
73b - "Once Bitten" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Male Fish #2, Male Fish #5
74a - "Bummer Vacation" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Customer
74b - "Wigstruck" Voice of SpongeBob, Gary, Band Member #2, Fish #3, Record Executive
List of episode credits


This list is incomplete, but you can help Encyclopedia SpongeBobia by expanding it.

Gallery

See also

References

External links

Template:People

Awards and nominations for SpongeBob SquarePants VE

Annie AwardsAnnie Award

Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Female Performer in an Animated Television Production

Voice actors: Mary Jo Catlett as Mrs. Puff (in "No Free Rides," 2001)

Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Male Performer in an Animated Television Production

Voice actors: Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants (in "Wormy," 2001)

Outstanding Individual Achievement for a Song in an Animated Production

Songwriters: Peter Straus and Paul Tibbitt for "The Very First Christmas" (in "Christmas Who?," 2001)

Directing in an Animated Feature Production

Directors: Stephen Hillenburg (for The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, 2004)

Music in an Animated Feature Production

Composers: Gregor F. Narholz (for The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, 2004)

Best Writing in an Animated Television Production

Writers: C.H. Greenblatt, Paul Tibbitt, Mike Bell, and Tim Hill (for "Fear of a Krabby Patty," 2005)Dani Michaeli, Sean Charmatz, Nate Cash, Luke Brookshier, and Paul Tibbitt (for "Patrick's Staycation," 2011)

Best Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production

Voice actors: Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants (in "Spy Buddies," 2007)Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants (in "Truth or Square," 2009)

Direction in an Animated Television Production

Directors: Alan Smart (for "Penny Foolish," 2008)Mark Caballero and Seamus Walsh (for "It's a SpongeBob Christmas!," 2012)

Best Home Entertainment Production

DVDs: SpongeBob vs. The Big One (2009)

Music in a Television Production

Composers: Jeremy Wakefield, Sage Guyton, Nicolas Carr, and Tuck Tucker (2010)

Character Animation in an Animated Television or other Broadcast Venue Production

Animators: Dan Driscoll and Savelen Forrest (for "It's a SpongeBob Christmas!," 2012)

Animated Effects in an Animated Production

Animators: Brice Mallier, Paul Buckley, Brent Droog, Alex Whyte, and Jonathan Freisler (for The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, 2015)

Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production

Voice Actors: Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants (for The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, 2015)

Best Animated Special Production

Episodes: "SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout" (2019)

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