‘SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS’ CREATOR STEPHEN HILLENBURG DIES

LOS ANGELES (DPA), NOV 28, 2018 - Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of the children’s cartoon “Spongebob Squarepants,” which became a beloved world-wide phenomenon, has died at age 57, US television network Nickelodeon said Tuesday.

Hillenburg had announced last year that he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease.

“Spongebob” depicts the life of a goofy and excitable oceanic sponge along with his best friend, a starfish named Patrick, and a host of other colourful characters. The show - first aired in 1999 - is one of the longest-running US television series and has won numerous awards, including multiple Emmys, and grown into a multibilliondollar franchise. It has been dubbed or sub-titled in more than 60 languages, including Urdu, Azerbaijani and Maori,

“We are sad to share the news of the passing of Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of Spongebob Squarepants. Today, we are observing a moment of silence to honor his life and work,” Nickelodeon, which broadcasts the show in the US, said in a tweet. Actress Lori Alan, who voiced the character of Pearl on the show, said the cast and crew were “devastated.”