• Free Spongebob Episodes All Seasons

Stephen Hillenburg, who used his loves of drawing and marine biology to spawn the absurd undersea world of SpongeBob SquarePants, has died, Nickelodeon announced Tuesday. Hillenburg died Monday of Lou Gehrig's disease, also known as ALS, the cable network said in a statement.

Hillenburg conceived, wrote, produced and directed the animated series that began in 1999 and bloomed into hundreds of episodes, movies and a Broadway show. 'We are sad to share the news of the passing of Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants,' the network said in a tweet.

The episode encapsulates the indomitable spirit of SpongeBob, Stephen Hillenburg’s wildly popular cartoon—which launched in 1999 and has aired new installments continuously on Nickelodeon ever.

'Today, we are observing a moment of silence to honor his life and work.' Fun for kids: His show debuted in 1999 and rocked the animated TV show world because the pace was much faster than most kid's cartoon series. The show centered on a square yellow sponge named SpongeBob SquarePants The TV vet announced last year in March he had been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease.

Lou Gehrig's disease, also known as ALS, is a progressive disease that attacks nerve cells that control the muscles. There is no known cure. Hillenburg told Variety at the time that he would continue to work on the show and his other passions for as long as he's able to. At the time Nickelodeon said in a statement to Variety that he 'is a brilliant creator who brings joy to millions of fans' and that the network's 'thoughts and support' are with Hillenburg and his family. His death comes just weeks after the passing of another cartoon hero - Marvel creator Stan Lee. In an 2001 interview with the Washington Post, Hillenburg said he was always 'an ocean freak.' As a child, he liked to explore tide pools and bring home things that 'should have been left there and that ended up dying and smelling really bad,' he once told the newspaper.

He later studied marine biology and taught kids about life in the tide pools. Hillenburg and voice of SpongeBob Tom Kenny attend the 45th Annual Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on April 27, 2018 His show debuted in 1999 and rocked the animated TV show world because the pace was much faster than most kid's cartoon series. It is one of the longest-running American television series as well as the highest-rated show ever to air on Nickelodeon. The eternally, obliviously jolly SpongeBob and his yell-along theme song that opened 'Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?!' Quickly appealed to college kids and parents as much as it did children.

'The essence of the show is that SpongeBob is an innocent in a world of jaded characters,' Hillenburg told The Associated Press in 2001. 'The rest is absurd packaging.'

The series centered on a square yellow sponge named SpongeBob SquarePants. He lives in a pineapple with his pet snail, Gary, in the city of Bikini Bottom on the floor of the Pacific Ocean. Share Its vast cast of oceanic creatures included SpongeBob's starfish sidekick Patrick, his tightwad boss Mr.

Free Spongebob Episodes All Seasons

Krabs, and his always-exasperated neighbor Squidward Tentacles. Hillenburg's undersea world of Bikini Bottom was a realm like no other, real or fictional. SpongeBob can play his nose like a flute and could not possibly be happier to work his fast-seafood job of flipping Krabby Patties. But he has his troubles, too. He constantly fails his boat-driving test, forcing his frightened blowfish teacher to inflate. In one episode he suffers a broken butt and is afraid to leave his pineapple home for days. Their note: 'We are sad to share the news of the passing of Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants,' the network said in a tweet.