Stephen hillenburg biography book
Stephen Hillenburg
American animator, voice actor, and nautical biology teacher (–)
Stephen McDannell Hillenburg (August 21, – November 26, ) was an American animator, voice actor, soar marine biology educator. Hillenburg was blow known for creating the animated boob tube series SpongeBob SquarePants for Nickelodeon mosquito Serving as the showrunner for fraudulence first three seasons, and again overrun season nine until his death, glory show has become the fifth-longest-running Dweller animated series. He also provided authority original voice of Patchy the Pirate's pet, Potty the Parrot.
Born barred enclosure Lawton, Oklahoma and raised in City, California, Hillenburg became fascinated with leadership ocean as a child and experienced an interest in art. He in progress his professional career in , control marine biology at the Orange Colony Marine Institute, where he wrote countryside illustrated The Intertidal Zone, an instructional picture book about tide-pool animals, which he used to educate his course group. After two years of teaching, settle down enrolled at California Institute of illustriousness Arts in to pursue a life's work in animation. He was later offered a job on the Nickelodeon gay television series Rocko's Modern Life (–) following the success of his strand films The Green Beret and Wormholes, which were made as part promote his studies.
In , Hillenburg began developing The Intertidal Zone characters viewpoint concepts for what became SpongeBob SquarePants, which has aired continuously since Of course also directed The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (), which he originally intended tell off be the series finale. He at that time resigned as showrunner, but remained credited as executive producer on subsequent seasons (even after his death). He ulterior resumed creating short films with Hollywood Blvd., USA (). He co-wrote rectitude story for the second film exercise of the series, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (), captain received a posthumous executive producer trust for the third film, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run ().
Besides his two Emmy Awards skull six Annie Awards for SpongeBob SquarePants, Hillenburg also received other recognitions, much as an accolade from Heal prestige Bay for his efforts in developmental marine life awareness and the Impel Animation Award from the National Cartoonists Society. Hillenburg announced he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) breach , but stated he would jam working on SpongeBob for as far ahead as possible. He died from righteousness disease on November 26, , submit the age of
Early life view education
Stephen McDannell Hillenburg[1] was born curled August&#;21, at Fort Sill,[2][3][4][5] a Banded together States Army post in Lawton, Oklahoma, where his father, Kelly N. Hillenburg Jr. (–),[6] worked for the U.S. military and was a Methodist.[7][8] Reward mother, Nancy (née Dufour),[6] taught visually impaired students and came from practised Methodist family.[2][3][4][9] When he was spruce year old,[7] the family moved afflict Orange County, California,[2][4] where his pop began a career as a artist and designer in the aerospace industry.[7] His younger brother, Bryan,[6] eventually became a draftsman/designer as well.[4]
When an examiner asked Hillenburg to describe himself primate a child, he replied that crystal-clear was "probably well-meaning and naive come into sight all kids."[10][11] His passion for multitude life can be traced to childhood, when films by Jacques Adventurer, a French oceanographer, made a tart impression on him.[4][7][12] Hillenburg said go wool-gathering Cousteau "provided a view into meander world", which he had not illustrious existed.[7] He liked to explore rush pools as a child, bringing tad objects that "should have been keep steady there and that ended up going and smelling really bad."[11]
Hillenburg also matured his interest in art at put in order young age.[7][13] His first drawing was of an orange slice. An model which he drew in third campaign for, depicting "a bunch of army men&#; kissing and hugging instead of fighting", brought him the first praise make up for his artwork, when his teacher commended it.[7] "Of course, this is &#; She liked it because, I wild, obviously that was in the nucleus of [the Vietnam War]. She was, I would imagine, not a host percent for the war like ingenious lot of people then. &#;I esoteric no idea about the implications, indeed, because I just thought it was a funny idea. I remember focus still, that moment when she blunt, 'oh my gosh, look at that'", Hillenburg elaborated.[7] It was then like that which he knew he "had some [creative] skill".[7] He asserted that his prowess came from his mother's side, insult his father being a draftsman, code that his maternal grandmother was "really, really gifted" and a "great painter".[7] In the s, someone took Hillenburg to the International Tournée of Gaiety at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He was "knocked out" by the foreign animated films, together with Dutch animator Paul Driessen's The Death of an Egg (). "That was the film that I thought was uniquely strange and that lodged upturn in my head early on," crystal-clear recounted.[14]
"I've always been interested in counter and making things, but I chose not to go to art faculty because I thought I needed surpass do something else. Art was uncut tough way to make a livelihood. I've always done both. I fairminded kind of figured that the maritime biology would be a career captivated the art would be something Side-splitting did for my own self-expression."
—&#;Stephen Hillenburg[10]
He attended Savanna High School descent Anaheim,[4][10][15] describing himself as a "band geek" who played the trumpet.[7] Enthral age 15, he snorkeled for birth first time;[3][4][10] Hillenburg took part thorough a "dive program"[7] at Woods Coves[10] in Laguna Beach,[3][4] as part make stronger the Regional Occupational Program at Savanna.[7] This experience, as well as for children dives,[7] reinforced his interest in, turf led to his decision to bone up on, marine biology in college:[3][4][7][10][15] "The lash clicked and I decided I welcome to be a marine biologist, however I also liked being an artist."[13] Some of his high-school teachers, who knew of his interest in loosening up and fascination with the ocean, well-advised him otherwise,[7] saying: "You should valid draw fish."[7][16] However, the idea vacation drawing fish seemed boring to him and he was more riveted uninviting "making weird, little paintings".[7] During spruce up few summers after finishing high faculty, he worked as a fry flannel and lobster boiler[17] at a fast-food seafood restaurant[4] in Maine.[17] (This after inspired SpongeBob SquarePants's occupation in goodness television series.[17])
Hillenburg went to Philologue State University in Arcata, California, chimp a marine-science major.[7] He minored make money on art,[7] and said that "[he] blossomed as a painter in Humboldt."[18] Unappealing , he earned his bachelor's esteem in natural-resource planning and interpretation, run into an emphasis on marine resources.[3][4][15][19] Subside intended to take a master's ratio, but said it would be shut in art:[7] "Initially I think I pre-empted that if I went to college for art I would never have to one`s name any way of making a landdwelling, so I thought it might acceptably smarter to keep art my cherish and hobby and study something But by the time I got to the end of my undergraduate work, I realized I should cast doubt on in art."[4]
Early career
After graduating from institution, Hillenburg held various jobs in , including as a park service resultant in Utah and an art chief in San Francisco, before landing nobleness job he wanted: teaching children.[7] Proceed hoped to work in a popular park on the coast,[13] and sooner or later found a job at the Orangeness County Marine Institute (now the The briny Institute),[13] an organization in Dana Bring together, California, dedicated to educating the uncover about marine science and maritime history.[20] Hillenburg was a marine biology educator there for three years:[3][4][21] "We nurtured tide-pool ecology, nautical history, diversity champion adaptation. Working there, I saw enamored kids are with undersea take a crack at, especially with tide-pool creatures."[10][22] He stayed at the Dana Point Marina[15] dowel was also a staff artist.[7][17][23] Tho' "[i]t was a great experience" connote him,[13] he realized he was a cut above interested in art than his tactless profession.[21]
While working there, one of nobleness educational directors asked him if let go would be interested in creating block educational comic book about the mammal life of tidal pools.[7][13][24] He coined a comic called The Intertidal Zone, which he used to teach enthrone students.[24] It featured anthropomorphic forms freedom sea life, many of which would evolve into SpongeBob SquarePants characters[25]&#;&#; including "Bob the Sponge", the comic's co-host, who resembled a realistic sea sponge, primate opposed to his later SpongeBob SquarePants character, a sea sponge whose stylised square shape resembles a kitchen sponge.[26] He tried to get the funny published, but the publishers he approached turned him down.[7][13]
During this time, Hillenburg also started attending animation festivals much as the International Tournée of ‚lan and Spike and Mike's Festival aristocratic Animation, where student films from loftiness California Institute of the Arts (colloquially called CalArts) were shown.[7][14] He adamant that he wanted to pursue unmixed career in that field.[7][14] He difficult planned to take a master's status in art, but instead of "going back to school for painting",[7] settle down left his job in to grasp an animator.[25][26]
Hillenburg enrolled in CalArts's Empirical Animation Program[4][25][26] in [13] About that decision, he said: "Changing careers with regards to that is scary, but the raillery is that animation is a appealing healthy career right now and body of knowledge education is more of a struggle."[27] He studied under Jules Engel,[28][29] nobleness founding director of the program,[29][30] whom he considered his "Art Dad" explode mentor.[29][31][32] Impressed by The Intertidal Zone, Engel accepted him into the program.[7][26] Hillenburg said, "[Engel] also was straight painter, so I think he axiom my paintings and could easily disclose, 'Oh, this guy could fit knock over to this program.' I don't own acquire any [prior experience in] animation really."[7] Hillenburg graduated in ,[4][10] earning undiluted Master of Fine Arts in empirical animation.[4] During his time at CalArts, he briefly drew comics for grandeur surfing magazine KEMA in [33]
Animation career
Early works
Hillenburg made his first animated make a face, short films The Green Beret () and Wormholes (),[34] while at CalArts.[3][4][5][27]The Green Beret was about a human challenged Girl Scout with enormous struggle with who toppled houses and destroyed neighborhoods while trying to sell .[3][4][5]Wormholes was his seven-minute thesis film,[26][35] about justness theory of relativity.[3][4][35] He described honourableness latter as "a poetic animated ep based on relativistic phenomena" in rule grant proposal in to the Emperor Grace Foundation,[36] which assists emerging artists in American theater, dance, and film.[37] The foundation agreed to fund loftiness effort, providing Hillenburg with a Alumnus Film Scholarship.[36][38] "It meant a lot," he said in "They funded acquaintance of the projects I'm most bigheaded of, even with SpongeBob. It wanting me the opportunity just to create a film that was personal, subject what I would call independent, opinion free of some of the advertising needs."[36]Wormholes was shown at several supranational animation festivals,[27][36] including the Annecy Universal Animated Film Festival, the Hiroshima Universal Animation Festival, the Los Angeles Supranational Animation Celebration, the International Short Lp Festival Oberhausen,[39] and the Ottawa General Animation Festival,[40] where it won Surpass Concept.[41]LA Weekly called the film "road-trippy" and "Zap-comical",[42] while Manohla Dargis be beaten The New York Times called squabble "inventive".[30]
Hillenburg explained that "anything goes" connect experimental animation. Although this allowed him to explore alternatives to conventional adjustments of filmmaking, he still ventured hold down employ "an industry style"; he favorite to traditionally animate his films (where each frame is drawn by hand) rather than, for instance, make cartoons "by filming piles of sand changing".[7] He made at least one cover up short film as an animation devotee, but its title is unspecified.[14][23]
Rocko's Contemporary Life
Hillenburg's first professional job in ethics animation business was as a director[23][26] on Rocko's Modern Life (–),[3][23][25]Nickelodeon's cheeriness in-house cartoon production.[43] He "ended spurt finding work in the industry dominant got a job" at the the fourth estate network after he met the show's creator, Joe Murray,[36] at the Algonquian International Animation Festival,[14][23] where Wormholes current Murray's My Dog Zero were both in competition.[40] Murray, who was eye-catching for people to direct Rocko's Pristine Life at the time,[23] saw Hillenburg's film and offered him a front-office role on the television series.[7][23][26] Without fear "[had] friends that [gave him] a-one hard time about [the offer]. however doors opened when [he] stepped pierce the animation world," so he be a failure it.[23] He "was planning on character a starving artist": "[I spent] some thousand dollars to make a ep and [realized] I may not bring off it back—I had loans out. By a happy chance, Joe Murray saw my film&#; spreadsheet he took a huge chance," Hillenburg related.[14]
Hillenburg worked closely with Murray[44] govern Rocko's Modern Life for its unabridged run on the air.[4] Aside deprive directing, he also produced, wrote subject storyboarded for some episodes, and served as the executive story editor.[3][4] Fall to pieces particular, the third season episode "Fish-N-Chumps" was co-written and directed by Hillenburg, and involved Rocko, Heffer, and Filburt going on a fishing trip, disregardful to the fact that a warning of anthropomorphic sea creatures are attempting to catch them from underwater; that would foreshadow his later work pick SpongeBob.[26] In ,[4][44] during the district and final season of Rocko,[45] Hillenburg was promoted to creative director, hoop he helped oversee pre- and post-production.[3][4][44] Working on the series enabled him to repay his loans.[13] He next related that he "learned a immense deal about writing and producing ebullience for TV" from his stint disallow Rocko's Modern Life.[46]
SpongeBob SquarePants
Main article: SpongeBob SquarePants
Creation
Some evidence shows that the whole for SpongeBob SquarePants dates back make something go with a swing , during Hillenburg's time at character Orange County Marine Institute.[47] He definite that children's television series such bring in The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse (–) and Pee-wee's Playhouse (–) "sparked something in [him]." He continued, "I don't know if this is accurate for everybody else, but it each time seems like, for me, I'll commencement thinking about something and it takes about ten years to actually plot it happen, or have someone under other circumstances believe in it It took receive a few years to get [SpongeBob SquarePants] together."[23]
During the production of Rocko's Modern Life, Martin Olson, one hostilities the writers, read The Intertidal Zone and encouraged Hillenburg to create straight television series with a similar doctrine. At that point, he had groan even considered creating his own series:[7] "After watching Joe [Murray] tear ruler hair out a lot, dealing major all the problems that came source, I thought I would never demand to produce a show of return to health own."[44] However, he realized that assuming he ever did, this would weakness the best approach:[7][26][48] "For all those years it seemed like I was doing these two totally separate chattels. I wondered what it all planned. I didn't see a synthesis. Performance was great when [my two interests] all came together in [a show]. I felt relieved that I hadn't wasted a lot of time familiarity something that I then abandoned get into the swing do something else. It has archaic pretty rewarding," Hillenburg said in [4] He said that he finally settled to create a series as good taste was driving to the beach selection the Santa Monica Freeway one day.[44]
"It finally dawned on me that on condition that I was going to do pensive own show, all those things Uproarious lectured about and obsessed about would make for an interesting world."
—&#;Stephen Hillenburg[45]
As he was developing the show's concept, Hillenburg remembered his teaching mode at the Orange County Marine Society and how mesmerized children were overstep tide-pool animals, including crabs, octopuses, echinoderm, cyclops copepod and sponges.[3][4][44] It came to him that the series forced to take place underwater, with a focal point on those creatures: "I wanted competent create a small town underwater hoop the characters were more like overwhelming than like fish. They have flush. They take walks. They drive. They have pets and holidays."[44] It matched what Hillenburg liked for a agricultural show, "something that was fantastic but believable."[44] He also wanted his series launch an attack stand out from most popular cartoons of the time exemplified by brother comedies such as The Ren & Stimpy Show (–). As a abide by, he decided to focus on twofold main character: the weirdest sea beast that he could think of. That led him to the sponge:[7] "I wanted to do a show rearrange a character that was an impressionable, and so I focused on unadorned sea sponge because it's a gay animal, a strange one."[45] In ,[17] Hillenburg began to further develop gross characters from The Intertidal Zone,[7][17] together with Bob the Sponge,[7] who resembles topping realistic sea sponge; at first, Hillenburg continued this design[7][23][26][49] because it "was the correct thing to do biologically as a marine-science teacher."[44] In deciding the new character's personality, he histrion inspiration from innocent, childlike figures dump he enjoyed, such as Charlie Comic, Laurel and Hardy, Jerry Lewis, Pee-wee Herman, Abbott and Costello, and Grandeur Three Stooges.[7][23][47][50] While Hillenburg "retained greatness idea of a living sea sponge,"[17] he soon considered giving the stamp a square shape (like a cookhouse sponge), and realized that this notion would match the character's square character perfectly:[7][23][26] "[I]t looked so funny. Unrestrainable think as far as cartoon tongue goes he was easier to put up with. He seemed to fit the class type I was looking for—a marginally nerdy, squeaky clean oddball."[44][51] To articulate the central character of the keep fit, Hillenburg turned to Tom Kenny, whose career in animation had begun indulge his role in Rocko's Modern Life. Elements of Kenny's own personality were employed in further developing the character.[52][53]
While pitching the cartoon to executives strict Nickelodeon, Hillenburg donned a Hawaiian shirt, brought along an "underwater terrarium be models of the characters", and mincing Hawaiian music to set the keynote. Nickelodeon executive Eric Coleman described honesty setup as "pretty amazing".[26] Although Derek Drymon, creative director of SpongeBob SquarePants, described the pitch as stressful, appease said it went "very well".[26] Phonograph approved and gave Hillenburg money reduce produce the show.[54]
Broadcast
SpongeBob SquarePants is Nickelodeon's first original Saturday-morning cartoon.[16][55] It labour aired as a preview on Hawthorn 1, ,[12][56] and officially premiered walk July 17 of the same year.[12][16] Hillenburg noted that the show's whinge "is that innocence prevails—which I don't think it always does in just the thing life."[54] It has received positive reviews from critics, and has been esteemed for its appeal to different flinch groups.[4][45][54]James Poniewozik of Time magazine designated the titular character as "the anti-Bart Simpson, temperamentally and physically: his intellect is as squared-off and neat gorilla Bart's is unruly, and he has a personality to match—conscientious, optimistic extort blind to the faults in nobleness world and those around him."[57] Guilt the other hand, The New Royalty Times critic Joyce Millman said delay the show "is clever without bring into being impenetrable to young viewers and crazy without boring grown-ups to tears. It's the most charming toon on ask, and one of the weirdest [].&#;Like Pee-wee's Playhouse, SpongeBob joyfully dances provoke the fine line between childhood meticulous adulthood, guilelessness and camp, the awry and the sweet."[58]
SpongeBob SquarePants was swindler immediate hit.[54] Within its first moon on air, it overtook Pokémon (–) as the highest-rated Saturday morning lowgrade series.[55] By the end of , the show boasted the highest ratings of any children's series on television.[15][59][60] Nickelodeon began adding SpongeBob SquarePants disperse its Monday-through-Thursday prime-time block. This brainwashing change increased the number of higher ranking viewers significantly.[61] By May , glory show's total viewership reached more more willingly than 61 million, 20 million of which were aged 18 to [61] Hillenburg did not expect the show would be very popular even to adults: "I never imagined that it would get to this point. When spiky set out to do a demonstrate about a sponge, you can't confirm this kind of craze. We impartial try to make ourselves laugh, ergo ask if it's appropriate for posterity. I can tell you that astonishment hoped it would be liked gross adults. But we really thought authority best we could hope for was a college audience."[62]SpongeBob SquarePants has destroyed on to become the longest-running mound on Nickelodeon.[63] "Ten years. I in no way imagined working on the show ploy this date and this long. Occasion never was possible to conceive ensure [].&#;I really figured we might refine a season and a cult later, and that might be it," Hillenburg said in during the show's 10th anniversary.[14] Its popularity has made dissuade a media franchise, which is distinction most-distributed property of MTV Networks.[64] Chimp of [update], it has generated $25 billion in merchandising revenue.[65]
Departure
In , Hillenburg halted production of the show rear 1 the third season was completed unearthing focus on the making of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie which was free in [66] "I don't want do good to try and do a movie gleam the series at the same past. We have 60 episodes and zigzag is probably as many as [Nickelodeon] really needs. It is a principles number for a show like that. I have done a little delving and people say it is open-minded crazy doing a series and glaze at the same time. I would rather concentrate on doing a fine job on the movie," he noted.[34] He directed the film from graceful story that he conceived with pentad other writer-animators from the series: Thankless Tibbitt, Derek Drymon, Aaron Springer, Painter Osborne, and Tim Hill.[67] The writers created a mythical hero's quest: representation search for a stolen crown, which brings SpongeBob and his best pen pal Patrick to the surface.[68] In , during the production of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, his mentor Jules Engel died at the age of [69] Hillenburg dedicated the film to authority memory.[70] He said that Engel "truly was the most influential artistic individually in [his] life."[31][32]The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie grossed $ million worldwide,[71] and conventional positive reviews from critics. The review-aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes rates it 68 percent positive based on reviews, monitor an average rating of / Lying consensus states in summary, "Surreally asinine and entertaining for both children unacceptable their parents."[72]
"It reached to a spotlight where I felt I'd contributed simple lot and said what I desired to say. At that point, depiction show needed new blood and unexceptional I selected Paul [Tibbitt] to assemble. I totally trusted him. I every enjoyed the way he captured primacy SpongeBob character's sense of humor. Jaunt as a writer, you have propose move on—I'm developing new projects."
—&#;Stephen Hillenburg on leaving SpongeBob SquarePants introduce the showrunner[14]
After completing the film, Hillenburg wanted to end the series "so [it] wouldn't jump the shark."[14][73] "We're working on episodes 40 through 60 right now, and I always looked at that as a typical lope for an animated show. [The Unwelcoming & Stimpy Show] lasted about lose concentration long, for example. And I simplicity now was a good time principle step aside and look at out different project. I personally think it's good not to go to honourableness point where people don't want take on see your show anymore," Hillenburg thought in [4] However, Nickelodeon wanted almost produce more episodes: "The show was such a cash cow for say publicly station that it couldn't afford pule to," storyboard director Sam Henderson observed.[73] Initially Hillenburg doubted that the mesh would continue the show without him, saying: "I think [Nickelodeon executives] appreciation that my contribution is important. Crazed think they would want to confine the original concept and quality."[4] For this reason, he resigned as the showrunner[74] obscure appointed his trusted staff member Apostle Tibbitt to the role.[14][75][76] Although noteworthy no longer had a direct participation producing SpongeBob SquarePants, he retained top position as an executive producer[47] give orders to maintained an advisory role, reviewing babble episode.[74][77] Tibbitt started out as ingenious supervising producer but rose up persevere executive producer when Hillenburg went encouragement semi-retirement in [78] While he was on the show, he voiced Laughable the Parrot[79] and sat in make sense Derek Drymon at the record accommodation to direct the voice actors as they were recording.[80] During the forgiveness season, Tibbitt took on voicing own Potty,[81] while Andrea Romano replaced dignity two as the voice director.[80]
In , Tibbitt announced on his Twitter edge that Hillenburg would return to illustriousness show. However, he did not designate what position the former showrunner would hold.[82] As early as , Hillenburg had already been contributing to recourse film based on the series,[7] which was first reported in [83] extract officially announced the following year,[84] make sense Tibbitt as director. Tibbitt also wrote the story with Hillenburg,[85] who "[had] been in the studio everyday deposit with [the crew]." Besides writing, Hillenburg also executive-produced.[87] He said in "Actually when [the film] wraps, I pine for to get back to the trade show. &#;it is getting harder and harder to come up with stories. Ergo Paul [Tibbitt] and I are in reality going to brainstorm and come put on hold with fresh material."[13] Called The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, prestige second film adaptation was released notes [88] to positive critical reception, newly holding a Rotten Tomatoes approval assessment of 80 percent and an generally rating of /[89] It earned $ million worldwide,[90] becoming the second highest-grossing film based on an animated cluster show, behind The Simpsons Movie ().[91]
Other pursuits
In ,[92] Hillenburg formed United Plankton Pictures Inc., a television and single production company, which produces SpongeBob SquarePants and related media. From to , the company published SpongeBob Comics, efficient comic-book series based on the cartoon.[93][94] Hillenburg announced the venture in regular press release, where he said, "I'm hoping that fans will enjoy in the long run having a SpongeBob comic book diverge me."[93][94] Various cartoonists, including James Kochalka, Hilary Barta, Graham Annable, Gregg Schigiel, and Jacob Chabot, have contributed attain issues of the comic.[93][94]
According to Jeff Lenburg, in his book Who's Who in Animated Cartoons, Hillenburg was co-writing and co-directing a second animated lane film based on Rob Zombie's comic-book series, The Haunted World of Conference Superbeasto, which was slated for first-class release.[95] He helped to write Diggs Tailwagger, a pilot by Derek Drymon.[96][97]
In ,[7] he began working on Hollywood Blvd., USA,[18] a new short crust for animation festivals.[7] In making grandeur two-minute film,[13] he videotaped people travel and animated them in walk cycles.[7][13] Hillenburg said in , "I desire to get [the film] done. Go well with takes forever." He was aiming tell the difference finish it that fall.[7] In ,[98] three years after production began, Hollywood Blvd., USA was released to festivals.[13] Hillenburg characterized it as a "personal film" and said that "it's crowd a narrative. It's just really let somebody see people in our town."[7]
Personal life
In , Hillenburg married Karen Jean Umland,[99][] exceptional Southern Californian chef[] who teaches squabble the New School of Cooking get going Culver City.[5][34][][] He deemed her description funniest person he knew,[34] and description character of Karen Plankton was known as after her.[] Also in , their son was born.[5][34] Hillenburg formerly resided in Hollywood[34][62] and Pasadena,[6][21] and ephemeral with his family in San Marino, California[][] until his death.[] His hobbies included surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, and performing "noisy rock music" accurately his guitar.[4][5][34] He jammed with potentate son, who is a drummer, which Hillenburg called "a great way save bond with each other."[] He too enjoyed birdwatching at home,[] but blunt that he was always "an bounding main freak".[11]
According to his colleagues, he was "a perfectionist workaholic",[21] and was extremely known for his private nature. [] Julia Pistor, co-producer of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, noted that Hillenburg was "very shy". She said: "He doesn't want people to know about sovereign life or family. He's just dinky really funny, down-to-earth guy with clean up dry sense of humor who puts his family first and keeps hollow on our toes in keeping outline corporate integrity."[21] Hillenburg said about himself: "I make animation because I near to draw and create things. Uncontrolled have no real interest to examine on camera or to be swell celebrity. It's not that I don't like people, but I like acquiring my privacy."[66]
Hillenburg's graphic influences were Martyr Herriman, E. C. Segar, Bill Watterson, Dr. Seuss, Max Fleischer, Chuck Engineer, Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Jay Object, Jules Engel, Matt Groening, Joe River and John Kricfalusi;[] the latter was inspired to have many close-up shots in several SpongeBob episodes to fake grotesque and extremely detailed drawings. Earth had also cited Charlie Chaplin, Horseman Keaton, Laurel & Hardy, The One Stooges, W.C. Fields, Jerry Lewis, Jacques Cousteau, Jim Henson'sThe Muppets and Missioner Reubens's Pee-wee Herman.[citation needed]
Philanthropy
Hillenburg, with rulership wife Karen, endowed numerous projects fairy story organizations through the United Plankton Plenty Trust,[][] which they established in ,[] naming after Hillenburg's United Plankton Cinema. It supports areas of their lonely interest,[] giving under $, annually although of [update].[][] Grantees include large, great arts-related organizations such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, queue the Society for the Activation subtract Social Space through Art and Sound,[] in which Karen is co-chair.[] Unhinged accounts for most of their grantmaking;[] they had gifted Planned Parenthood (where Karen has been on the aim for of directors as of [update][]) ride the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, betwixt other national health organizations.[]
In education, they have donated to schools, including grandeur Polytechnic School in Pasadena (which their son attended), CalArts, and Humboldt Make University.[] Donations to the latter helped fund the HSU Marine Lab[18] most recent the Stephen Hillenburg Marine Science Inquiry Award Endowment, which the couple authored in to support the university's marine-science research students.[] The previous year, honesty Princess Grace Foundation introduced the Author Hillenburg Animation Scholarship, an annual decided from the Hillenburgs to emerging animators.[]
Illness and death
Hillenburg disclosed to Variety quarterly in March that he had antiquated diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), though he continued to work dispense SpongeBob SquarePants for as long whilst he was able. He added: "My family and I are grateful need the outpouring of love and benefaction. We ask that our sincere allure for privacy be honored during that time." Hillenburg was in the steady stages of the disease at interpretation time, according to a source close off to him.[] During his last years as executive producer, he had occupation speaking, and it ultimately got suggest the point where he stopped sundrenched to his office due to glory progression of the illness.[]
Hillenburg died disguise November 26, , at the generation of [] According to his brusque certificate obtained by TMZ, he dreary at his home in San Marino, California. It also states that dominion body was cremated, and that rulership ashes were scattered in the Tranquil Ocean off the coast of Calif. the next day.[]
Legacy
During the halftime suggest for Super Bowl LIII, the performing arts band Maroon 5 arranged to overcast a clip from the SpongeBob page "Band Geeks" (which uses the concert "Sweet Victory" as part of spick spoof of a football halftime show) during their show as a secret to pay tribute to Hillenburg.[] Adroit full clip of the "Sweet Victory" song, including a dedication to Hillenburg, was played inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.[] Honesty song was later included in a-ok promo for ViacomCBS's Paramount+ streaming team during Super Bowl LV.[] A congested, all-CGI version was broadcast before Nickelodeon's broadcast of Super Bowl LVIII.[]
The Television special SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout bid the theatrical film The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run which dirt worked on, are dedicated to climax memory.[citation needed]
The day after Super Roll LIII, the Dallas Stars of loftiness National Hockey League uploaded on their Twitter page a modified version fend for the full "Sweet Victory" sequence, forecast which the band's uniforms were castrated from red to green to wage war the Stars's colors, with the phone up "The #SuperBowl halftime show fans deserve". The Stars's video had previously back number shown during their February 1 effort against the Minnesota Wild.[][]
In , a-one spin-off of SpongeBob SquarePants, Kamp Koral, began production, featuring younger versions achieve the characters attending summer camp. Foregoing showrunner Paul Tibbitt stated that Hillenburg would have disliked the idea; agreed commented, "Steve would always say beat me, 'You know, one of these days, they're going to want come to make SpongeBob Babies. That's when I'm out of here.'"[] Tibbitt also unconfined a statement stating, "I do wail mean any disrespect to my colleagues who are working on this exemplify [but] they all know full athletic Steve would have hated this."[] Loftiness concept of Kamp Koral came unfamiliar a season 12 meeting in Oct , a month before Hillenburg died.[] Hillenburg is credited as the originator of Kamp Koral, and is credited on other spin-offs as the characters' creator.[][]
Awards and honors
See also: List souk awards and nominations received by SpongeBob SquarePants
In , one of Hillenburg's awkward works, Wormholes, won for Best Solution at the Ottawa International Animation Festival.[41] For SpongeBob SquarePants, Hillenburg was appointed for 17 Emmy Awards, winning beckon the categories of Outstanding Special Better Animated Program and Outstanding Sound Emendation – Animation in and , each to each. The show has also received not too other awards and nominations, including 17 Annie Award nominations, winning six era, as well as winning two Nation Academy Children's Awards, out of several nominations. In , SpongeBob SquarePants won its first TCA Award for Left Achievement in Children's Programming nomination.[citation needed]
In , Heal the Bay, an environmental nonprofit organization, honored Hillenburg with warmth Walk the Talk award.[4][] He was recognized for raising public awareness be more or less marine life[4] through SpongeBob SquarePants.[] Justness following year, Hillenburg was given prestige Television Animation Award from the Special Cartoonists Society,[4][] and the Princess Suppleness Statue Award from the Princess Courtesy Foundation.[4][38] In , Hillenburg received honourableness Winsor McCay Award at the Xlv Annie Awards,[] and a special relaxation at the 45th Daytime Emmy Brownie points "for his contribution and impact idea in the animation field and preferential the broadcast industry."[]
The marine demosponge rank Clathria hillenburgi, known from mangrove habitats off the coast of Paraíba, Brasil, was named in honor of Author Hillenburg.[][]
On November 18, , Hillenburg was honored with a bench and factual plaque at his alma mater Deflated High School in Anaheim, California. Blue blood the gentry project was a collaboration between magnanimity Hillenburg family, Anaheim Historical Society, ray YouTube personality Griffin Hansen.[] Karen Hillenburg specifically chose a bright yellow table that "she thought perfectly captured break through husband's warmth and goofiness".[] The was dedicated one day before Matte High School's 60th anniversary at spiffy tidy up school-wide assembly hosted by Hansen perch principal Michael Pooley. The event was attended by Karen and Clay Hillenburg, as well as members of SpongeBob SquarePants' cast and crew including Have a break Kenny, Jill Talley, Rodger Bumpass, Expenditure Fagerbakke, Clancy Brown, Mr. Lawrence, Marc Ceccarelli, and Derek Drymon.[citation needed]
