Born inLawton, Oklahoma and raised inAnaheim, California, Hillenburg became fascinated with the ocean as a child and developed an interest in art. He started his professional career in 1984, instructing marine biology at theOrange County Marine Institute, where he wrote and illustratedThe Intertidal Zone, an informative picture book abouttide-pool animals, which he used to educate his students. After two years of teaching, he enrolled atCalifornia Institute of the Arts in 1989 to pursue a career in animation. He was later offered a job on the Nickelodeon animated television seriesRocko's Modern Life (1993–1996) following the success of his 1992 short filmsThe Green Beret andWormholes, which were made as part of his studies.
In 1994, Hillenburg began developingThe Intertidal Zone characters and concepts for what becameSpongeBob SquarePants, which has aired continuously since 1999. He also directedThe SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004), which he originally intended to be theseries finale. He then resigned as showrunner, but remained credited as executive producer on subsequent seasons (even after his death). He later resumed creating short films withHollywood Blvd., USA (2013). He co-wrote the story for the second film adaptation of the series,The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015), and received a posthumous executive producer credit for the third film,The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (2020).
Besides his twoEmmy Awards and sixAnnie Awards forSpongeBob SquarePants, Hillenburg also received other recognitions, such as an accolade fromHeal the Bay for his efforts in elevating marine life awareness and theTelevision Animation Award from theNational Cartoonists Society. Hillenburg announced he was diagnosed withamyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2017, but stated he would continue working onSpongeBob for as long as possible. He died from the disease on November 26, 2018, at the age of 57.
Stephen McDannell Hillenburg[1] was born on August21, 1961 atFort Sill,[2][3][4][5] aUnited States Army post inLawton, Oklahoma, where his father, Kelly N. Hillenburg Jr. (1936–2006),[6] worked for the U.S. military and was aMethodist.[7] His mother, Nancy (née Dufour),[6] taught visually impaired students and came from a Methodist family.[2][3][4][8] When he was a year old,[7] the family moved toOrange County, California,[2][4] where his father began a career as a draftsman and designer in theaerospace industry.[7] His younger brother, Bryan,[6] eventually became a draftsman/designer as well.[4]
When an interviewer asked Hillenburg to describe himself as a child, he replied that he was "probably well-meaning and naive like all kids."[9][10] His passion for sea life can be traced to his childhood, when films byJacques Cousteau, a Frenchoceanographer, made a strong impression on him.[4][7][11] Hillenburg said that Cousteau "provided a view into that world", which he had not known existed.[7] He liked to exploretide pools as a child, bringing home objects that "should have been left there and that ended up dying and smelling really bad."[10]
Hillenburg also developed his interest in art at a young age.[7][12] His first drawing was of an orange slice. An illustration which he drew in third grade, depicting "a bunch of army men... kissing and hugging instead of fighting", brought him the first praise for his artwork, when his teacher commended it.[7] "Of course, this is 1970... She liked it because, I mean, obviously that was in the middle of [theVietnam War]. She was, I would imagine, not a hundred percent for the war like a lot of people then. ...I had no idea about the implications, really, because I just thought it was a funny idea. I remember that still, that moment when she said, 'oh my gosh, look at that'", Hillenburg elaborated.[7] It was then when he knew he "had some [creative] skill".[7] He asserted that his artistry came from his mother's side, despite his father being a draftsman, noting that his maternal grandmother was "really, really gifted" and a "great painter".[7] In the 1970s, someone took Hillenburg to theInternational Tournée of Animation at theLos Angeles County Museum of Art. He was "knocked out" by the foreign animated films, including Dutch animatorPaul Driessen'sThe Killing of an Egg (1977). "That was the film that I thought was uniquely strange and that lodged itself in my head early on," he recounted.[13]
"I've always been interested in art and making things, but I chose not to go to art school because I thought I needed to do something else. Art was a tough way to make a living. I've always done both. I just kind of figured that the marine biology would be a career and the art would be something I did for my own self-expression."
He attendedSavanna High School in Anaheim,[4][9][14] describing himself as a "band geek" who played the trumpet.[7] At age 15, hesnorkeled for the first time;[3][4][9] Hillenburg took part in a "dive program"[7] at Woods Coves[9] inLaguna Beach,[3][4] as part of theRegional Occupational Program at Savanna.[7] This experience, as well as subsequent dives,[7] reinforced his interest in, and led to his decision to study,marine biology in college:[3][4][7][9][14] "The switch clicked and I decided I wanted to be a marine biologist, but I also liked being an artist."[12] Some of his high-school teachers, who knew of his interest in art and fascination with the ocean, advised him otherwise,[7] saying: "You should just draw fish."[7][15] However, the idea of drawing fish seemed boring to him and he was more riveted by "making weird, little paintings".[7] During a few summers after finishing high school, he worked as a fry cook and lobster boiler[16] at a fast-food seafood restaurant[4] inMaine.[16] (This later inspiredSpongeBob SquarePants's occupation inthe television series.[16])
Hillenburg went toHumboldt State University inArcata, California, as a marine-science major.[7] He minored in art,[7] and said that "[he] blossomed as a painter in Humboldt."[17] In 1984, he earned his bachelor's degree in natural-resource planning and interpretation, with an emphasis on marine resources.[3][4][14][18] He intended to take a master's degree, but said it would be in art:[7] "Initially I think I assumed that if I went to school for art I would never have any way of making a living, so I thought it might be smarter to keep art my passion and hobby and study something else. But by the time I got to the end of my undergrad work, I realized I should be in art."[4]
After graduating from college, Hillenburg held various jobs in 1984, including as a park service attendant in Utah and anart director in San Francisco, before landing the job he wanted: teaching children.[7] He hoped to work in a national park on the coast,[12] and eventually found a job at theOrange County Marine Institute (now the Ocean Institute),[12] an organization inDana Point, California, dedicated to educating the public aboutmarine science andmaritime history.[19] Hillenburg was a marine biology teacher there for three years:[3][4][20] "We taughttide-pool ecology, nautical history,diversity andadaptation. Working there, I saw how enamored kids are with undersea life, especially with tide-pool creatures."[9][21] He stayed at the Dana Point Marina[14] and was also a staff artist.[7][16][22] Although "[i]t was a great experience" for him,[12] he realized he was more interested in art than his chosen profession.[20]
While working there, one of the educational directors asked him if he would be interested in creating an educational comic book about theanimal life of tidal pools.[7][12][23] He created a comic calledThe Intertidal Zone, which he used to teach his students.[23] It featured anthropomorphic forms of sea life, many of which would evolve intoSpongeBob SquarePants characters[24] – including "Bob the Sponge", the comic's co-host, who resembled a realisticsea sponge, as opposed to his later SpongeBob SquarePants character, a sea sponge whose stylized square shape resembles akitchen sponge.[25] He tried to get the comic published, but the publishers he approached turned him down.[7][12]
Hillenburg enrolled in CalArts's Experimental Animation Program[4][24][25] in 1989.[12] About this decision, he said: "Changing careers like that is scary, but the irony is that animation is a pretty healthy career right now and science education is more of a struggle."[26] He studied underJules Engel,[27][28] the founding director of the program,[28][29] whom he considered his "Art Dad" and mentor.[28][30][31] Impressed byThe Intertidal Zone, Engel accepted him into the program.[7][25] Hillenburg said, "[Engel] also was a painter, so I think he saw my paintings and could easily say, 'Oh, this guy could fit in to this program.' I don't have any [prior experience in] animation really."[7] Hillenburg graduated in 1992,[4][9] earning a Master of Fine Arts inexperimental animation.[4] During his time at CalArts, he briefly drew comics for the surfing magazineKEMA in 1990.[32]
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 totraditionally animate his films (where eachframe is drawn by hand) rather than, for instance, make cartoons "by filming piles of sand changing".[7] He made at least one other short film as an animation student,[13][22] titledAnimation Diary, which was made up of 365 drawings made during the span of 1991 (with one drawing per day).[43]
Hillenburg's first professional job in the animation business was as adirector[22][25] onRocko's Modern Life (1993–1996),[3][22][24]Nickelodeon's first in-house cartoon production.[44] He "ended up finding work in the industry and got a job" at the television network after he met the show's creator,Joe Murray,[36] at the 1992 Ottawa International Animation Festival,[13][22] whereWormholes and Murray'sMy Dog Zero were both in competition.[40] Murray, who was looking for people to directRocko's Modern Life at the time,[22] saw Hillenburg's film and offered him a directorial role on the television series.[7][22][25] He "[had] friends that [gave him] a hard time about [the offer]. ... but doors opened when [he] stepped into the animation world," so he accepted it.[22] He "was planning on being astarving artist": "[I spent] several thousand dollars to make a film and [realized] I may not make it back—I had loans out. Fortunately, Joe Murray saw my film... and he took a huge chance," Hillenburg related.[13]
Hillenburg worked closely with Murray[45] onRocko's Modern Life for its whole run on the air.[4] Aside from directing, he also produced, wrote and storyboarded for some episodes, and served as the executive story editor.[3][4] In particular, the third-season episode "Fish-N-Chumps" was co-written and directed by Hillenburg, and involvedRocko,Heffer, andFilburt going on a fishing trip, oblivious to the fact that a pair of anthropomorphic sea creatures are attempting to catch them from underwater; this would foreshadow his later work withSpongeBob.[25] In 1995,[4][45] during the fourth and final season ofRocko,[46] Hillenburg was promoted tocreative director, where he helped oversee pre- and post-production.[3][4][45] Working on the series enabled him to repay his loans.[12] He later related that he "learned a great deal about writing and producing animation for TV" from his stint onRocko's Modern Life.[47]
Some evidence shows that the idea forSpongeBob SquarePants dates back to 1986, during Hillenburg's time at the Orange County Marine Institute.[48] He indicated thatchildren's television series such asThe New Adventures of Mighty Mouse (1987–1988) andPee-wee's Playhouse (1986–1991) "sparked something in [him]." He continued, "I don't know if this is true for everybody else, but it always seems like, for me, I'll start thinking about something and it takes about ten years to actually have it happen, or have someone else believe in it... It took me a few years to get [SpongeBob SquarePants] together."[22]
During the production ofRocko's Modern Life,Martin Olson, one of the writers, readThe Intertidal Zone and encouraged Hillenburg to create a television series with a similar concept. At that point, he had not even considered creating his own series:[7] "After watching Joe [Murray] tear his hair out a lot, dealing with all the problems that came up, I thought I would never want to produce a show of my own."[45] However, he realized that if he ever did, this would be the best approach:[7][25][49] "For all those years it seemed like I was doing these two totally separate things. I wondered what it all meant. I didn't see a synthesis. It was great when [my two interests] all came together in [a show]. I felt relieved that I hadn't wasted a lot of time doing something that I then abandoned to do something else. It has been pretty rewarding," Hillenburg said in 2002.[4] He said that he finally decided to create a series as he was driving to the beach on theSanta Monica Freeway one day.[45]
"It finally dawned on me that if I was going to do my own show, all those things I lectured about and obsessed about would make for an interesting world."
As he was developing the show's concept, Hillenburg remembered his teaching experience at the Orange County Marine Institute and how mesmerized children were by tide-pool animals, includingcrabs,octopuses,starfish,Cyclops copepod andsponges.[3][4][45] It came to him that the series should take place underwater, with a focus on those creatures: "I wanted to create a small town underwater where the characters were more like us than like fish. They have fire. They take walks. They drive. They have pets and holidays."[45] It suited what Hillenburg liked for a show, "something that was fantastic but believable."[45] He also wanted his series to stand out from most popular cartoons of the time exemplified bybuddy comedies such asThe Ren & Stimpy Show (1991–1995). As a result, he decided to focus on one main character: the weirdest sea creature that he could think of. This led him to the sponge:[7] "I wanted to do a show about a character that was an innocent, and so I focused on a sea sponge because it's a funny animal, a strange one."[46] In 1994,[16] Hillenburg began to further develop some characters fromThe Intertidal Zone,[7][16] including Bob the Sponge,[7] who resembles a realistic sea sponge; at first, Hillenburg continued this design[7][22][25][50] because it "was the correct thing to do biologically as a marine-science teacher."[45] In determining the new character's personality, he drew inspiration from innocent, childlike figures that he enjoyed, such asCharlie Chaplin,Laurel and Hardy,Jerry Lewis,Pee-wee Herman,Abbott and Costello, andThe Three Stooges.[7][22][48][51] While Hillenburg "retained the idea of a living sea sponge,"[16] he soon considered giving the character a square shape (like akitchen sponge), and realized that this idea would match the character's square personality perfectly:[7][22][25] "[I]t looked so funny. I think as far as cartoon language goes he was easier to recognize. He seemed to fit the character type I was looking for—a somewhat nerdy, squeaky cleanoddball."[45][52] To voice the central character of the series, Hillenburg turned toTom Kenny, whose career in animation had begun with his role inRocko's Modern Life. Elements of Kenny's own personality were employed in further developing the character.[53][54]
Whilepitching the cartoon to executives at Nickelodeon, Hillenburg donned aHawaiian shirt, brought along an "underwaterterrarium with models of the characters", and playedHawaiian music to set the theme. Nickelodeon executiveEric Coleman described the setup as "pretty amazing".[25] AlthoughDerek Drymon, creative director ofSpongeBob SquarePants, described the pitch as stressful, he said it went "very well".[25] Nickelodeon approved and gave Hillenburg money to produce the show.[55]
SpongeBob SquarePants is Nickelodeon's first originalSaturday-morning cartoon.[15][56] It first aired as a preview on May 1, 1999,[11][57] and officially premiered on July 17 of the same year.[11][15] Hillenburg noted that the show's premise "is that innocence prevails—which I don't think it always does in real life."[55] It has received positive reviews from critics, and has been noted for its appeal to different age groups.[4][46][55]James Poniewozik ofTime magazine described the titular character as "the anti-Bart Simpson, temperamentally and physically: his head is as squared-off and neat as Bart's is unruly, and he has a personality to match—conscientious, optimistic and blind to the faults in the world and those around him."[58] On the other hand,The New York Times criticJoyce Millman said that the show "is clever without being impenetrable to young viewers and goofy without boring grown-ups to tears. It's the most charming toon on television, and one of the weirdest [...].LikePee-wee's Playhouse, SpongeBob joyfully dances on the fine line between childhood and adulthood, guilelessness and camp, the warped and the sweet."[59]
SpongeBob SquarePants was an immediate hit.[55] Within its first month on air, it overtookPokémon (1997–) as the highest-rated Saturday morning children's series.[56] By the end of 2001, the show boasted the highest ratings of any children's series on television.[14][60][61] Nickelodeon began addingSpongeBob SquarePants to its Monday-through-Thursday prime-time block. This programming change increased the number of older viewers significantly.[62] By May 2002, the show's total viewership reached more than 61 million, 20 million of which were aged 18 to 49.[62] Hillenburg did not expect the show would be very popular even to adults: "I never imagined that it would get to this point. When you set out to do a show about a sponge, you can't anticipate this kind of craze. We just try to make ourselves laugh, then ask if it's appropriate for children. I can tell you that we hoped it would be liked by adults. But we really thought the best we could hope for was a college audience."[63]SpongeBob SquarePants has gone on to become the longest-running series on Nickelodeon.[64] "Ten years. I never imagined working on the show to this date and this long. It never was possible to conceive that [...].I really figured we might get a season and a cult following, and that might be it," Hillenburg said in 2009 during the show's tenth anniversary.[13] Its popularity has made it amedia franchise, which is the most-distributed property ofMTV Networks.[65] As of 2015[update], it has generated $25 billion in merchandising revenue.[66]
In 2002, Hillenburg halted production of the show after thethird season was completed to focus on the making ofThe SpongeBob SquarePants Movie which was released in 2004:[67] "I don't want to try and do a movie and the series at the same time. We have 60 episodes and that is probably as many as [Nickelodeon] really needs. It is a standard number for a show like this. I have done a little research and people say it is just crazy doing a series and movie at the same time. I would rather concentrate on doing a good job on the movie," he noted.[34] He directed the film from a story that he conceived with five other writer-animators from the series:Paul Tibbitt, Derek Drymon,Aaron Springer,Kent Osborne, andTim Hill.[68] The writers created a mythical hero's quest: the search for a stolen crown, which brings SpongeBob and his best friendPatrick to the surface.[69] In 2003, during the production ofThe SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, his mentor Jules Engel died at the age of 94.[70] Hillenburg dedicated the film to his memory.[71] He said that Engel "truly was the most influential artistic person in [his] life."[30][31]The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie grossed $140 million worldwide,[72] and received positive reviews from critics. Thereview-aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes rates it 68 percent positive based on 125 reviews, with an average rating of 6.2/10. Its consensus states in summary, "Surreally goofy and entertaining for both children and their parents."[73]
"It reached to a point where I felt I'd contributed a lot and said what I wanted to say. At that point, the show needed new blood and so I selected Paul [Tibbitt] to produce. I totally trusted him. I always enjoyed the way he captured the SpongeBob character's sense of humor. And as a writer, you have to move on—I'm developing new projects."
—Stephen Hillenburg on leavingSpongeBob SquarePants as the showrunner[13]
After completing the film, Hillenburg wanted to end the series "so [it] wouldn'tjump the shark."[13][74] "We're working on episodes 40 through 60 right now, and I always looked at that as a typical run for an animated show. [The Ren & Stimpy Show] lasted about that long, for example. And I thought now was a good time to step aside and look at a different project. I personally think it's good not to go to the point where people don't want to see your show anymore," Hillenburg said in 2002.[4] However, Nickelodeon wanted to produce more episodes: "The show was such acash cow for the station that it couldn't afford not to," storyboard directorSam Henderson observed.[74] Initially Hillenburg doubted that the network would continue the show without him, saying: "I think [Nickelodeon executives] respect that my contribution is important. I think they would want to maintain the original concept and quality."[4] Consequently, he resigned as theshowrunner[75] and appointed his trusted staff member Paul Tibbitt to the role.[13][76][77] Although he no longer had a direct involvement producingSpongeBob SquarePants, he retained his position as anexecutive producer[48] and maintained an advisory role, reviewing each episode.[75][78] Tibbitt started out as a supervising producer but rose up to executive producer when Hillenburg went into semi-retirement in 2004.[79] While he was on the show, he voiced Potty the Parrot[80] and sat in with Derek Drymon at the record studio to direct the voice actors while they were recording.[81] During thefourth season, Tibbitt took on voicing for Potty,[82] whileAndrea Romano replaced the two as the voice director.[81]
In 2014, Tibbitt announced on hisTwitter account that Hillenburg would return to the show. However, he did not specify what position the former showrunner would hold.[83] As early as 2012, Hillenburg had already been contributing to another film based on the series,[7] which was first reported in 2011[84] and officially announced the following year,[85] with Tibbitt as director. Tibbitt also wrote the story with Hillenburg,[86][87] who "[had] been in the studio everyday working with [the crew]."[87] Besides writing, Hillenburg also executive-produced.[88] He said in 2014: "Actually when [the film]wraps, I want to get back to the show. ...it is getting harder and harder to come up with stories. So Paul [Tibbitt] and I are really going to brainstorm and come up with fresh material."[12] CalledThe SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, the second film adaptation was released in 2015[89] to positive critical reception, currently holding a Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 80 percent and an average rating of 6.5/10.[90] It earned $323.4 million worldwide,[91] becoming the second highest-grossing film based on an animated television show, behindThe Simpsons Movie (2007).[92]
In 1998,[93] Hillenburg formedUnited Plankton Pictures Inc., a television and filmproduction company, which producesSpongeBob SquarePants and related media. From 2011 to 2018, the company publishedSpongeBob Comics, a comic-book series based on the cartoon.[94][95] Hillenburg announced the venture in a 2011 press release, where he said, "I'm hoping that fans will enjoy finally having aSpongeBob comic book from me."[94][95] Various cartoonists, includingJames Kochalka,Hilary Barta,Graham Annable, Gregg Schigiel, and Jacob Chabot, have contributed to issues of the comic.[94][95]
According to Jeff Lenburg, in his bookWho's Who in Animated Cartoons, Hillenburg was co-writing and co-directing a second animated feature film based onRob Zombie's comic-book series,The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, which was slated for a 2006 release.[96] He helped to writeDiggs Tailwagger, a 2007pilot by Derek Drymon.[97][98]
In 2010,[7] he began working onHollywood Blvd., USA,[17] a new short film for animation festivals.[7] In making the two-minute film,[12] he videotaped people walking and animated them inwalk cycles.[7][12] Hillenburg said in 2012, "I hope to get [the film] done. It takes forever." He was aiming to finish it that fall.[7] In 2013,[99] three years after production began,Hollywood Blvd., USA was released to festivals.[12] Hillenburg characterized it as a "personal film" and said that "it's not a narrative. It's just really about people in our town."[7]
According to his colleagues, he was "a perfectionist workaholic",[20] and was also known for his private nature.[103] Julia Pistor, co-producer ofThe SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, noted that Hillenburg was "very shy". She said: "He doesn't want people to know about his life or family. He's just a really funny, down-to-earth guy with a dry sense of humor who puts his family first and keeps us on our toes in keeping our corporate integrity."[20] Hillenburg said about himself: "I make animation because I like to draw and create things. I have no real interest to be on camera or to be a celebrity. It's not that I don't like people, but I like having my privacy."[67]
In education, they have donated to schools, including thePolytechnic School in Pasadena (which their son attended), CalArts, and Humboldt State University.[110] Donations to the latter helped fund the HSU Marine Lab[17] and the Stephen Hillenburg Marine Science Research Award Endowment, which the couple created in 2018 to support the university's marine-science research students.[113] The previous year, thePrincess Grace Foundation introduced the Stephen Hillenburg Animation Scholarship, an annual grant from the Hillenburgs to emerging animators.[114]
Hillenburg disclosed toVariety magazine in March 2017 that he had been diagnosed withamyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known asLou Gehrig's disease), though he continued to work onSpongeBob SquarePants for as long as he was able. He added: "My family and I are grateful for the outpouring of love and support. We ask that our sincere request for privacy be honored during this time." Hillenburg was in the early stages of the disease at the time, according to a source close to him.[115] During his last days as executive producer, he had difficulty speaking, and it ultimately got to the point where he stopped going to his office due to the progression of the illness.[116]
Hillenburg died on November 26, 2018, at the age of 57.[103] According to hisdeath certificate obtained byTMZ, he died at his home inSan Marino, California. It also states that his body wascremated, and that his ashes were scattered in thePacific Ocean off the coast of California the next day.[117]
During thehalftime show forSuper Bowl LIII, the performing bandMaroon 5 arranged to use a clip from theSpongeBob episode "Band Geeks" (which uses the song "Sweet Victory" as part of a spoof of a football halftime show) during their show as a means to pay tribute to Hillenburg.[118] A full clip of the "Sweet Victory" song, including a dedication to Hillenburg, was played insideMercedes-Benz Stadium.[119] The song was later included in a promo forViacomCBS'sParamount+ streaming service duringSuper Bowl LV.[120] A full, all-CGI version was broadcast before Nickelodeon's broadcast ofSuper Bowl LVIII.[121]
The day after Super Bowl LIII, theDallas Stars of theNational Hockey League uploaded on theirTwitter page a modified version of the full "Sweet Victory" sequence, in which the band's uniforms were altered from red to green to match the Stars's colors, with the title "The #SuperBowl halftime show fans deserve". The Stars's video had previously been shown during their February 1 game against theMinnesota Wild.[122][123]
In 2019, a spin-off ofSpongeBob SquarePants,Kamp Koral, began production, featuring younger versions of the characters attending summer camp. Former showrunnerPaul Tibbitt stated that Hillenburg would have disliked the idea; he commented, "Steve would always say to me, 'You know, one of these days, they're going to want to makeSpongeBob Babies. That's when I'm out of here.'"[116] Tibbitt also released a statement stating, "I do not mean any disrespect to my colleagues who are working on this show ... [but] they all know full well Steve would have hated this."[124] The concept ofKamp Koral came from aseason 12 meeting in October 2018, a month before Hillenburg died.[125] Hillenburg is credited as the creator ofKamp Koral, and is credited on other spin-offs as the characters' creator.[126][127]
In 1992, one of Hillenburg's early works,Wormholes, won for Best Concept at theOttawa International Animation Festival.[41] ForSpongeBob SquarePants, Hillenburg was nominated for 17Emmy 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 17Annie Award nominations, winning six times, as well as winning twoBritish Academy Children's Awards, out of four nominations. In 2002,SpongeBob SquarePants won its firstTCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming nomination.[128]
On November 18, 2021, Hillenburg was honored with a bench and historical plaque at his alma mater Savannah High School in Anaheim, California. The project was a collaboration between the Hillenburg family, Anaheim Historical Society, andYouTube personality Griffin Hansen.[135] Karen Hillenburg specifically chose a bright yellow bench that "she thought perfectly captured her husband's warmth and goofiness".[136] The memorial was dedicated one day before Savanna High School's 60th anniversary at a school-wide assembly hosted by Hansen and principal Michael Pooley. The event was attended by Karen and Clay Hillenburg, as well as members ofSpongeBob SquarePants' cast and crew includingTom Kenny,Jill Talley,Rodger Bumpass,Bill Fagerbakke,Clancy Brown,Mr. Lawrence, Marc Ceccarelli, and Derek Drymon.[citation needed]
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