Stefán Karl Stefansson - wikipedia Stefán Karl Stefansson This is an Icelandic name. The last name is a patronymic, not a family name ; this person is referred to by the given name Stefán Karl. Stefán Karl Stefánsson OF Stefán Karl in 2009 ( 1975 - 07 - 10 ) 10 July 1975 Hafnarfjörður, Iceland 21 August 2018 ( 2018 - 08 - 21 ) ( aged 43 ) Iceland Cause of death Bile duct cancer Education Iceland Academy of the Arts Occupation Actor, singer Years active 1994 -- 2018 Spouse ( s ) Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir ( m. 2002 ) Children Stefán Karl Stefánsson ( / ˈstɛfən ˈstɛfənsən / ; Icelandic : ( ˈstɛːfaun ˈkhartl̥ ˈstɛːfaunsɔn ) ; 10 July 1975 -- 21 August 2018 ) was an Icelandic actor and singer, best known for playing antagonist Robbie Rotten on the children 's television series LazyTown. Contents 1 Career 2 Personal life 3 Illness and death 4 Filmography 4.1 Theater 4.2 Films 4.3 Television 4.4 Video games 5 References 6 External links Career Stefán Karl 's career started in 1994. At the age of 19, he worked as a puppeteer for television. During his years as a puppeteer, he had also been studying at the Drama Academy of Iceland. However, he was unsatisfied with the perspectives of Icelandic drama standards. He recalls that his principal at his high school said that `` acting is not about making faces and changing your face '', which he disagreed with. Later, Stefán Karl had been invited by Magnús Scheving, an Icelandic gymnast, to portray one of the characters in the second LazyTown play. Scheving created the plays due to his concerns about Iceland 's younger generation lacking sufficient physical exercise. Stefán Karl explained that `` ( Scheving ) wanted the kids to get healthier, so he created this musical called LazyTown. He played Sportacus, the fitness fanatic, and I was Robbie Rotten, the guy who liked to stay indoors and sleep ''. After initial success with the musical, Nickelodeon eventually made a deal with the creators of LazyTown to air the first 40 episodes of LazyTown along with a special studio built in Iceland. During the first few years of LazyTown in the early 2000s, Stefán Karl initially knew no English, but soon became fluent. Personal life Stefán Karl lived in Los Angeles with wife Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir, three daughters, and one son. He was first diagnosed with bile duct cancer in 2016, and underwent surgery to remove the metastases in 2017 ; the disease returned in 2018. In June 2018, he was awarded the Order of the Falcon. Illness and death Stefán Karl announced in October 2016 that he had been diagnosed with bile duct cancer ; a GoFundMe campaign was subsequently created by LazyTown head writer Mark Valenti to pay his living costs when he became too ill to work. The campaign was popularized by various YouTube users uploading parodies of Stefán Karl 's work, which led to the songs `` We Are Number One '' and `` The Mine Song '' from LazyTown becoming Internet memes. In August 2017, Stefán Karl stated he was in remission. He clarified on his GoFundMe campaign that while his metastases had been removed after successful liver surgery in June 2017, he still had the disease and had refused further adjuvant therapy. In March 2018, Stefán Karl was diagnosed with inoperable cholangiocarcinoma, and said that he was undergoing chemotherapy to prolong his life. In April 2018, he announced that he personally chose to discontinue chemotherapy, and proceeded to shut down all his social media accounts. He died on 21 August 2018 at the age of 43. His wife stated that `` Per Stefan 's wishes, there will be no funeral. His earthly remains will be scattered in secrecy in a distant ocean. '' It was announced by his manager, Cheryl Edison, that the Stefán Karl Academy & Center for the Performing Arts would be launched in Switzerland in 2019 as a memorial to his career. Filmography Stefán Karl has been credited in various works including plays, television series, films, and games. Theater Year Title Role Notes 1997 -- 99 The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling 1998 -- 99 Palace of Crows by Einar Örn Gunnarsson 1998 -- 99 Ivanov by Anton Chekhov 1999 -- 2000 1000 Island Dressing by Hallgrímur Helgason 1999 -- 2000 Little Shop of Horrors Orin Scrivello, D.D.S. 1999 -- 2000 A Midsummer Night 's Dream 1999 -- 2000 Glanni Glæpur í Latabæ by Magnús Scheving and Sigurdur Sigurjónsson Glanni Glæpur ( Robbie Rotten ) Primary antagonist 2000 -- 01 Stones in His Pockets by Marie Jones 2000 -- 01 Singin ' in the Rain by Comden, Green, Freed and Brown Cosmo Brown 2000 -- 02 The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov 2001 -- 02 Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand 2002 -- 03 Noises Off by Michael Frayn 2002 -- 03 Life x 3 by Yasmina Reza 2008 -- 15 Dr. Seuss ' How the Grinch Stole Christmas ! The Musical The Grinch Baltimore and Boston ( 2008 ) Los Angeles ( 2009 ) North American tour ( 2010 -- 14 ) Worcester, Massachusetts and Appleton, Wisconsin ( 2015 ) Films According to IMDb : Year Title Role Notes Áramótaskaup New Reporter, many others Debut film TV film 1995 Privacy Student First feature film 1999 Skaupið : 1999 Robbie Williams, many others TV film 2001 Regina Manni -- Police Officer 2001 Áramótaskaup TV film 2002 Stella for Office Ingimundur 2002 Litla lirfan ljóta The Worm 2002 Áramótaskaup Many roles TV film 2006 Night at the Museum Miscellaneous crew 2007 Anna and the Moods Voiceover 2009 Jóhannes Diddi 2011 Thor Miscellaneous crew 2011 Polite People Lárus Skjaldarson Lead actor 2014 Harry Og Heimir Símon Television Year Title Role Notes 1998 Baking Trouble Channel 1 program 1999 God Exists... And Love Channel 1 Drama Academy of Iceland 2000 Angel No. 5503288 Channel 1 program 2000 Car Mechanic Sketches for Eurovision Channel 1 program 2000 Cars Can Fly Channel 1 program 2004 -- 2007 ; 2013 -- 2014 LazyTown Robbie Rotten Main villain 2015 Titch and Ted Do Maths Video games Year Title Role Notes 2017 For Honor Viking Soldier References Jump up ^ Stone, Natalie ( 26 August 2018 ). `` LazyTown Star Stefán Karl Stefánsson 's Wife Remembers the Late Actor : ' For His Life to Be Cut So Short Was a Blow to Us All ' ''. people.com. Retrieved 12 September 2018. Jump up ^ Barnes, Tom ( 22 August 2018 ). `` Star of Lazy Town Stefan Karl Stefansson has died aged 43 ''. The Independent. Retrieved 22 August 2018. ^ Jump up to : Ouzounian, Richard ( 24 December 2010 ). `` The Grinch who came from Iceland ''. Toronto Star. Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 22 May 2018. Jump up ^ Baker, Neal ( 22 August 2018 ). `` Who was Stefan Karl Stefansson and when did the Lazytown actor die ? ''. The Sun. Retrieved 22 August 2018. Jump up ^ O'Sullivan, Kyle ( 21 August 2018 ). `` LazyTown actor Stefan Karl Stefansson dies aged 43 after battle with cancer ''. mirror. Retrieved 22 August 2018. Jump up ^ The Sun ( 22 August 2018 ). `` Lazytown Robbie Rotten actor dies ''. News.com.au. News Pty Limited. Retrieved 22 August 2018. Jump up ^ Moore, Sam ( 16 August 2017 ). `` Robbie Rotten actor reveals good news about his cancer diagnosis ''. Metro. Retrieved 22 August 2018. Jump up ^ `` Fálkaorðan ''. Forseti Íslands ( in Icelandic ). Skrifstofa forseta Íslands. 17 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018. Jump up ^ `` Stefán Karl alvarlega veikur ''. Visir.is ( in Icelandic ). 22 September 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2016. Jump up ^ `` Stefán Karl lagður inn á sjúkrahús um helgina ''. DV ( in Icelandic ). 22 September 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2016. Jump up ^ `` Actor de Lazy Town padece de cáncer y pide ayuda ''. La República ( in Spanish ). 19 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016. Jump up ^ Sandwell, Ians ( 16 March 2018 ). `` LazyTown actor Stefan Karl Stefansson reveals his cancer is back and it 's ' inoperable ' ''. Digital Spy. Retrieved 8 April 2018. Jump up ^ Asarch, Steven ( 17 December 2016 ). `` ' We Are Number One ' Meme : Why Do People Keep Remixing A Children 's Show Song ? ''. iDigitalTimes.com. Retrieved 11 February 2017. Jump up ^ `` '' Lífið er núna `` ''. RÚV ( in Icelandic ). 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017. Jump up ^ Anderton, Joe ( 14 August 2017 ). `` '' Stefan Karl Stefansson Is Free of Cancer `` ''. Digital Spy. Retrieved 15 August 2017. Jump up ^ Kelly, Emma ( 16 March 2018 ). `` LazyTown 's Stefan Karl Stefansson confirms ' inoperable ' cancer has returned ''. Metro. Retrieved 16 March 2018. Jump up ^ McManus, Samuel ( 21 August 2018 ). `` Stefan Karl Stefansson dead : LazyTown actor dies of cancer at the age of 43 ''. OK !. Retrieved 22 August 2018. Jump up ^ Akingbade, Toby ( 5 April 2018 ). `` LazyTown 's Stefan Karl Stefansson deletes social media as he confirms return of ' inoperable ' cancer ''. Metro. Retrieved 22 August 2018. Jump up ^ Þórarinn Þórarinsson ( 21 August 2018 ). `` Stefán Karl Stefánsson er látinn ''. Fréttablaðið ( in Icelandic ). Retrieved 21 August 2018. Jump up ^ Baillie, Katie ( 21 August 2018 ). `` LazyTown actor Stefan Karl Stefansson dies of cancer aged 43 ''. Metro. Retrieved 22 August 2018. Jump up ^ Yeung, Jessie ( 22 August 2018 ). `` Stefan Karl Stefansson, LazyTown 's Robbie Rotten actor, dies aged 43 ''. CNN. Retrieved 22 August 2018. Jump up ^ Kelly, Emma ( 22 August 2018 ). `` Stefan Karl Stefansson 's wife confirms no funeral will be held for LazyTown star ''. Metro. Retrieved 22 August 2018. Jump up ^ Masters, Samantha ( 21 August 2018 ). `` Stefan Karl Stefansson dead : LazyTown actor dies aged 43 following battle with cancer ''. Express.co.uk. Retrieved 22 August 2018. Jump up ^ `` The Meme That Is Helping Cure Cancer ''. The Odyssey Online. 17 January 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2018. Jump up ^ Valenti, Mark ( 24 June 2017 ). `` I am Stefan Karl ( Robbie Rotten from LazyTown ) and I am in the fight of my life against cancer ! AMA ! ''. Reddit. Retrieved 29 December 2016. Jump up ^ `` Stefán Karl Stefánsson ''. IMDb. Retrieved 22 August 2018. Jump up ^ O'Connor, Rory ( 21 August 2018 ). `` LazyTown : Robbie Rotten actor Stefan Karl Stefansson dead - best TV moments revealed ''. Sunday Express. Retrieved 12 September 2018. External links Wikiquote has quotations related to : Stefán Karl Stefánsson Stefán Karl Stefánsson on IMDb Stefán Karl Stefánsson at the Internet Broadway Database WorldCat Identities BNE : XX4869325 ISNI : 0000 0000 7321 385X MusicBrainz : 7446820f - 98e3 - 4435 - ad1d - 8b77ae494fa2 VIAF : 102360585 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title= Stefán_Karl_Stefánsson&oldid = 866312613 '' Categories : 1975 births 2018 deaths People from Hafnarfjörður Icelandic male film actors Male actors from Los Angeles Icelandic male stage actors Icelandic male television actors Deaths from cholangiocarcinoma Deaths from cancer in California Icelandic expatriates in the United States Knights of the Order of the Falcon Hidden categories : CS1 Icelandic - language sources ( is ) CS1 Spanish - language sources ( es ) Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism Use dmy dates from August 2018 Pages to import images to Wikidata Articles with hCards Internet Broadway Database person ID not in Wikidata Articles with IBDb links Wikipedia articles with BNE identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Talk View source Contents About Wikipedia Wikiquote Afrikaans Aragonés Asturianu Bân - lâm - gú Basa Banyumasan Bikol Central Brezhoneg Català Cebuano Čeština Corsu Cymraeg Dansk Deitsch Deutsch Eesti Emiliàn e rumagnòl Español Esperanto Estremeñu Euskara فارسی Français Gaeilge Gàidhlig 客家 語 / Hak - kâ - ngî 한국어 Hrvatski Ido Íslenska Italiano עברית Basa Jawa Kernowek Kurdî Magyar Bahasa Melayu Nāhuatl Nederlands Norsk Norsk nynorsk Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча Picard Piemontèis Polski Português Qaraqalpaqsha Română Русский Sardu Scots Shqip Sicilianu Simple English Српски / srpski Suomi Svenska Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt Volapük Walon Yorùbá Zazaki 中文 57 more Edit links This page was last edited on 29 October 2018, at 16 : 17 ( UTC ). 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Question: when did the guy who played robbie rotten die
Answer: 21 August 2018