Stephen Hillenburg’s Net Worth
Throughout his professional career, Stephen has received numerous awards. In 2007, he received the ‘British Academy Children’s International Award.’ Furthermore, in 2010, he received the ‘Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Award’ for Outstanding Special Class Animated Program. In 2018, he received the ‘Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Award’ for Outstanding Children’s Animated Series.
He has made a lot of money in his professional career as an animator, Marine Biologist, producer, and director. At the time of his death, his net worth was estimated to be around $120 million USD.
Facts of Stephen Hillenburg
| Full Name: | Stephen Hillenburg |
| Age: | 57 years |
| Died : | November 26, 2018 |
| Birthplace: | Lawton, Oklahoma |
| Nationality: | American |
| Gender: | Male |
| Horoscope: | Leo |
| Wife: | Karen Umland |
| Net Worth: | $120 million |
| Height: | N/A |
| Profession: | Animator, Marine Biologist, Storyboard Artist, producer, director, painter |
| Sibling: | Bryan Hillenburg |
Stephen Hillenburg is a marine science instructor and animator from the United States. Stephen Hillenburg is best known for creating the “Nickelodeon” animated television series “SpongeBob SquarePants.” For the first three seasons of the show, he served as the show’s executive producer. The show is now the longest-running animated series in the United States.
Death Cause of Stephen Hillenburg
Stephen died on November 26, 2018, at the age of 57, from cardiopulmonary failure caused by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
When was Stephen Hillenburg born?
Stephen McDannell Hillenburg, better known as Stephen Hillenburg, was born on August 21, 1961, in Lawton, Oklahoma, United States of America. Stephen was an American citizen with the sun sign of Leo. He was the eldest son of (father) Kelly N. Hillenburg Jr. and (mother) Nancy Dufour.
After Stephen was born, his father, Kelly, left the military to work as a draftsman and designer for an aerospace company. Nancy, his mother, was a teacher of visually impaired students. Following that, the family relocated to California from Lawton, Oklahoma.
( Photo: Wiki )
Furthermore, he grew up with his brother, Bryan Hillenburg. Bryan, his younger brother, followed in his father’s footsteps and became an aircraft designer. Stephen has been fascinated by the underwater world since he was a teenager.
He became interested in marine life after watching a film by Jacques Cousteau, a French oceanographer. He later stated that Cousteau’s film gave him an idea of the underwater world that he had never known existed prior to watching the oceanographer’s film.
Education of Stephen Hillenburg
When it comes to Stephen’s educational background, he attended ‘Savanna High School.’ Where he also developed an interest in art. His maternal grandmother, who was a talented painter, inspired him to pursue a career in the arts.
He also used to listen to music while studying in school. He also studied marine science at Humboldt State University in California. In addition, he studied art in college and prepared himself for a career in art and marine science.
Who was Stephen Hillenburg married to?
( Photo: The Murcury News)
Stephen married Karen Umland. Karen, his wife, is a Southern California chef who teaches at the New School of Cooking in Culver City. Clay Hillenburg, the couple’s only child, was born in 1998. Until his death, Stephen was not involved in any kind of controversy or rumor.
How tall was Stephen Hillenburg?
Stephen was 5 feet 8 inches tall. He has blue eyes and brown hair. Aside from that, no information about his weight or other body measurements is available.
Career line of Stephen Hillenburg
- In terms of his professional career, he made his first animated works, short films “The Green Beret” and “Wormholes,” at CalArts in 1992. “The Green Beret” tells the story of a Girl Scout with massive fists who sells cookies and crushes all the houses with one knock at the door.
- Stephen’s graduation thesis on relativity theory, “Wormholes,” earned him a Princess Grace Foundation Graduate Film Scholarship.
- His first professional job in the animation industry was with the Nickelodeon animated series “Rocko’s Modern Life,” which aired from 1993 to 1996. He met the show’s producer, Joe Murray, at the Ottawa International Animation Festival in 1992. Wormholes and Murray’s “My Dog Zero” were both competing.
- Furthermore, after seeing Stephen’s project, Joe offered to work with him. As a result, Stephen was promoted to manager.
- Stephen’s most famous work was the cartoon ‘SpongeBob SquarePants.’ He got the idea for the show while working at the Orange Country Marine Institute in 1986. The first episode of “SpongeBob SquarePants” aired on Nickelodeon on May 1, 1999, and the final episode aired on July 17, 1999.
- In its first month on the air, the cartoon series surpassed ‘Pokemon’ to become the highest-rated Saturday morning children’s series. By the end of 2001, the show had the highest ratings among children’s television series.
- In 2004, he released the full-length animated film “SpongeBob SquarePants.” The film raised $ 120 million. Again, in 2014, he released the second full-length film, ‘SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water.’ The film grossed $ 323.4 million, making it the second-highest-grossing film after ‘The Simpsons’ (2007).
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