'SpongeBob' Creator Stephen Hillenburg Dies At 57

Stephen Hillenburg

Photographer: Mark Mainz/Getty Images
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Los Angeles (AP) -- Stephen Hillenburg, who used his dual loves of drawing and marine biology to spawn the absurd undersea world of "SpongeBob SquarePants," has died, Nickelodeon announced Tuesday.

Hillenburg died Monday of Lou Gehrig's disease, also known as ALS, the cable network said in a statement. He was 57.