Stephen Hillenburg was fascinated with the ocean as a child.
Stephen McDannell Hillenburg -LRB- born August21 , 1961 -RRB- is an American cartoonist , animator , director , producer , and writer .. cartoonist. cartoonist. animator. animator. A former marine-biology teacher , he created SpongeBob SquarePants -LRB- 1999 -RRB- , which has gone on to become one of the longest-running American television series as well as the highest-rated show ever to air on Nickelodeon .. SpongeBob SquarePants. SpongeBob SquarePants ( character ). marine-biology. marine biology. longest-running American television series. List of longest-running United States television series. Nickelodeon. Nickelodeon. Born in Lawton , Oklahoma and raised in Anaheim , California , Hillenburg became fascinated with the ocean as a child and also developed an interest in art .. He started his professional career in 1984 , instructing marine biology , at the Orange County Marine Institute , where he wrote The Intertidal Zone , an informative comic book about tide-pool animals , which he used to educate his students .. Orange County Marine Institute. Ocean Institute. comic book. comic book. tide-pool. tide pool. In 1989 , two years after leaving teaching , Hillenburg enrolled at the California Institute of the Arts to pursue a career in animation .. California Institute of the Arts. California Institute of the Arts. He was later offered a job on the Nickelodeon animated television series Rocko 's Modern Life -LRB- 19931996 -RRB- after his success with animated short films The Green Beret and Wormholes -LRB- both 1992 -RRB- , which he made while studying animation .. Nickelodeon. Nickelodeon. In 1994 , Hillenburg began developing The Intertidal Zone characters and concepts for what became SpongeBob SquarePants .. SpongeBob SquarePants. SpongeBob SquarePants ( character ). The show premiered in 1999 and has since aired episodes .. He also directed The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie -LRB- 2004 -RRB- , for which he received a nomination for an Annie Award for Directing in a Feature Production .. SpongeBob SquarePants. SpongeBob SquarePants ( character ). The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. Annie Award for Directing in a Feature Production. Annie Award for Directing in a Feature Production. Annie Award. Annie Award. Hillenburg 's decision was to end the television series once the film was completed ; however , Nickelodeon wanted to produce more episodes , so he resigned as the showrunner .. Nickelodeon. Nickelodeon. showrunner. showrunner. He returned to making animated short films , with Hollywood Blvd. , USA -LRB- 2013 -RRB- .. Besides his two Emmy Awards and six Annie Awards for SpongeBob SquarePants , Hillenburg has also received other recognition , such as the Walk the Talk award from Heal the Bay for his efforts on elevating marine life awareness , and the Television Animation Award from the National Cartoonists Society .. SpongeBob SquarePants. SpongeBob SquarePants ( character ). Heal the Bay. Heal the Bay. marine life awareness. Marine conservation activism. Television Animation Award. National Cartoonists Society Division Awards#Television Animation Award. National Cartoonists Society. National Cartoonists Society. Despite this , he has been involved in several public controversies , including one that was centered on speculation over SpongeBob SquarePants ' intended sexual orientation , and a lawsuit that was filed against him .. SpongeBob SquarePants. SpongeBob SquarePants ( character )