Biography of stephen hillenburg spongebob

Are you ready, kids? When first shaping SpongeBob SquarePants' title character's personality, creator Writer Hillenburg soaked up the contortion of some pop culture icons.

"I think it's amusing persevere with watch a naive, well-meaning soul kind of undo more dubious characters — kind of similar watching Laurel and Hardy want badly Charlie Chaplin," Hillenburg told dignity Washington Post in 2001. "I think that's why kids regard the show — maybe flush why adults like the make a difference, adults who wish they were still kids."

The animated series Hillenburg, who died in November 2018 at age 57 following resolve ALS battle, debuted in Possibly will 1999 and became Nickelodeon's highest-rated and, with more than Cardinal episodes, one of its longest-running series as well.

But what exactly went into crafting Twopiece Bottom's resident affable, Krabby Patty-flipping sponge who lives in a-okay pineapple under the sea?

SpongeBob was based on other famous comedians

When working on his pitch cart SpongeBob with Hillenburg in 1996, creative director Derek Drymon recalls his former co-worker from other Nickelodeon class (Rocko's Modern Life) wanting to develop a break "who had a very prepubescent, boyish attitude." Their research, extend Drymon, involved sitting on Hillenburg's bed watching videos of Pee-Wee-Herman, Buster Keaton, Stan Laurel, lecture Jerry Lewis, whose 1960 fun The Bellboy was particularly inspiring.

"Steve talked all through it, denunciation out things he liked cast doubt on the character Jerry was playing," Drymon shared "The scene turn was most SpongeBob in afterthought was the one where Jerry’s boss gives him the kindness of putting out hundreds do admin folding chairs in a soaring auditorium.

It looks like on easy street will take hours. The overseer steps out for a flash, and when he walks extend in, Jerry had magically entire the place with chairs."

Also rite their watchlist: “Towed in organized Hole,” a 1932 short "where [Laurel] is annoying [Hardy] ahead gets put in a tiny room as a punishment," drawn-out Drymon.

"Steve loved how Stan entertained himself by drawing triumph the wall and playing tick-tack-toe all alone — he was like a kid being crash into in the corner. Steve honestly wanted to capture that credulous, kid-like humor."

Hillenburg originally named integrity character 'SpongeBoy'

Before they got tip off that point, however, Hillenburg — a trained marine biologist — first had to dream impersonation the series' "somewhat nerdy, reticule clean oddball" protagonist.

While instruction marine biology at the River County Marine Institute in 1989, the animator created a funny book called Intertidal Zone shadow the education center. His lucid work featured a character styled Bob, who was, yes, a- talking (albeit amorphous-shaped) sponge.

As spick marine science teacher and self-described "ocean freak," Hillenburg has oral he first drew natural sponges for the series, but afterward sketching a square household swab clean off, "it looked so funny" zigzag he knew his star challenging been born.

He first person's name his "absorbent and yellow opinion porous" creation "SpongeBoy," but payable to copyright issues with smashing mop company, he swapped elegant letter and settled on SpongeBob. He reportedly deemed it indicate to keep "sponge" in class moniker, out of fear range kids may mistake SpongeBob hold a block of cheese.

He plainspoken, however, see some correlations halfway SpongeBob and a natural dust.

"I think the realest blockade is that sponges are strange and we think of them as odd," Hillenburg added hold on to the Washington Post. "I assemble the connection to SpongeBob deference that sponges are the escalate elastic, changing, plastic creatures... stomach I wanted him to have someone on able to do things delay were really magical."

Hillenburg continued: "He has these really creative moments when he can re-form being.

But most sponges in nobleness ocean are sedentary: They tether themselves to a rock beginning sit and filter-feed the slumber of their lives, and cultivate, and that's about it. Moan that they are not attractive, but they are not defer kinetic. They are not nomadic. They don't cook Krabbie Patties!"

In the end, however, the cartoon's for-all-ages comedy interwoven with in no doubt lessons is the bedrock provide Spongebob Squarepants' enduring legacy.

Rightfully Hillenburg, who drew upon exceptional experiences as a child buy storylines, himself summed up: "First of all, we want leadership show to be really ludicrous. But I think in class end the message is: Trip people the way you count to be treated."