Stephen Hillenburg, creator of "Sponge Bob", dies at age 57

Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of the famous animated series "SpongeBob Squarepants", died Monday at the age of 57 from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), local media reported Tuesday. .

"We are incredibly saddened by the announcement of the death of Stephen Hillenburg after fighting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)," Nickelodeon television said in a statement.

He added that "he was a dear friend and an excellent creative partner for all on Nickelodeon".

The company, which charged more than $ 13 billion in marketing for "SpongeBob SquarePants," pointed out that Hillenburg, who had been diagnosed with the disease last March, had given the popular series "a sense of humor." 39, unique humor, an innocence that has blessed generations of children and families all over the world ".

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In addition, he stressed that his "totally original characters" and the world of Bikini Bottom "will remain as a reminder of the value of optimism, friendship and unlimited power of imagination ".

Born on August 21, 1961 in Lawton (Oklahoma, USA), Hillenburg was a professor of marine biology before devoting himself fully to animation.

Moved by his artistic talent and his love of the ocean and his creatures, Hillenburg undertook to write and illustrate stories as educational tools with characters who would become the locals Bottom Bikini, the home of SpongeBob.

In 1999, he created "SpongeBob SquarePants", an animated series about fun characters living at the bottom of the sea, which has triumphed around the world and has published so far about 250 episodes.

Although it is aimed at children, "SpongeBob SquarePants" has also attracted many adult viewers.

In 2004, the movie "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie" was released, which brought in about $ 140 million worldwide.

His sequel, "The SpongeBob Movie: A Sponge Out of the Water," was released in theaters in 2015 and grossed $ 325 million.

Hillenburg leaves his wife, Karen, with whom he has been married for 20 years, and a son.