'SpongeBob' creator Stephen Hillenburg dies at 57
AP
1543345199000

sponge bob.JPG

In this Jan. 31, 2015 file photo, SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg attends the world premiere of "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water" in New York. Hillenburg died Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 of ALS. He was 57. (File photo: AP)

“SpongeBob SquarePants” creator Stephen Hillenburg has died at age 57.

Nickelodeon says Hillenburg died Monday of Lou Gehrig’s disease, also known as ALS.

Video source: VCG

Hillenburg conceived, wrote, produced and directed the animated series that began in 1999 and went on to spawn hundreds of episodes, movies and a Broadway show.