Tom Kenny is an American actor and comedian who has been the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants and all its related content since 1999. He has received two Daytime Emmy Awards and two Annie Awards for his exceptional performance. He is wed to fellow voice actress Jill Talley, who also stars as Karen in SpongeBob SquarePants.
Early Life
Thomas James Kenny, famously known as Tom Kenny, was born on July 13th, 1962, in Syracuse, New York. From a young age, he had a strong interest in music and began building a collection of records.
It was in first grade that he first crossed paths with Bobcat Goldthwait, and their friendship has endured to the present day.
During their teenage years, the two of them went to their first open mic event as a duo and launched their paths as stand-up comedians. Their main source of motivation was Barry Crimmins, who was featured at the very first stand-up gig they experienced.
Around this time, Kenny was enrolled in a Catholic high school and later went on to pursue higher education before spending eight years touring the country as a stand-up performer.
Tom Kenny’s Career
After some time, Tom Kenny shifted from performing stand-up comedy to working on film and television productions. He made his television debut in the 1989 movie “How I Got Into College,” followed by roles in the 1991 film “Shakes the Clown” and the 2004 movie “Comic Book: The Movie.”
In the early 1990s, Kenny became a familiar face on “The Edge,” a sketch comedy show. He continued to make regular appearances on the mid-to-late 90s comedy sketch show “Mr. Show.”
Later on, he shifted his focus to voice acting but still made on-screen appearances as Patchy the Pirate on “SpongeBob SquarePants” and landed a role on the live-action series “The Haunting Hour.”
Tom Kenny’s initial venture into the realm of voice acting was through his involvement in “Rocko’s Modern Life.” After trying out for various parts, he secured the role of Heffer Wolfe. Despite the show’s eventual cancellation, this opened the door to numerous other opportunities for Kenny in the field of voice acting.
He has made appearances in numerous animated series for children, particularly those produced by Nickelodeon. Some of these include “The Fairly Odd Parents,” “Camp Lazlo,” “CatDog,” “The Powerpuff Girls,” “Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends,” “WorldGirl,” “Codename Kids Next Door,” “Rick and Morty,” “Transformers Animated,” “Dilbert,” “Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force GO!,” “Adventure Time,” and many more. He also took on roles in “Clarence,” “Henry Hugglemonster,” “Ducktales,” and “Miles from Tomorrowland.”
Tom Kenny’s greatest achievement was his work on “SpongeBob SquarePants.” He became a part of the project after “Rocko’s Modern Life” was canceled. During this time, he met Stephen Hillenburg, a marine biologist and animator who had also been involved in “Rocko’s Modern Life.”
In 1997, Hillenburg approached Kenny with his own idea for “SpongeBob SquarePants” and offered him the role of the main character. The show debuted in 1999 and became a massive hit, receiving both commercial and critical acclaim.
Aside from playing SpongeBob, Tom Kenny also lends his voice to other characters including Gary the Snail, the French Narrator, Patchy the Pirate, and SpongeBob’s dad, Harold SquarePants. In addition to his contributions to the show, Kenny has also voiced the lead role in numerous films.
In 2010, he was honored with an Annie Award for his contributions to the show, and in both 2018 and 2020, he was recognized with Daytime Emmy Awards for his performance.
Tom Kenny disclosed that he developed the voice of SpongeBob by blending the qualities of a youthful and mature tone, resulting in a “man-child” similar to Stan Laurel or Jerry Lewis.
Personal Life
Tom Kenny and Jill Talley, both voice actors, first crossed paths on the set of “The Edge” in 1992 and eventually tied the knot in 1995. Their partnership has led to numerous joint ventures, including the popular show “SpongeBob SquarePants.”
Jill portrays Karen Plankton on the show, and the two of them also co-starred in a Smashing Pumpkins music video. Their first child was born in 1997, followed by a second child in 2003. The family currently resides in Studio City, California.
Net Worth
Tom Kenny, an American actor, comedian, and singer, has an estimated net worth of $16 million. He is most recognized for his voice work as the main character in “SpongeBob SquarePants.” He also lends his voice to other characters in the show, such as Gary the Snail, Patchy the Pirate, and the narrator.
