Stephen McDannell Hillenburg was an American animator, writer, producer, director, voice actor, and marine biology educator. He is best known for creating the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants for Nickelodeon in 1999. The show has become the fourth longest-running American animated series. He also provided the original voice of Patchy the Pirate's pet, Potty the Parrot. August 21, 1961 – November 26, 2018; died at 57. Alive at the same time as Barack Obama, Pope Francis, Neil Armstrong, Gabriel García Márquez, and Stephen Hawking. Wiki link