Tom Kenny

**Thomas James Kenny** (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for providing the singing voice of the title character and Gary the Snail in the *SpongeBob SquarePants* TV series, video games, and films. He is also the main songwriter for the franchise, having written more songs than anyone else. But arguably, his most well-known roles are that of Chuck E. Cheese and Mr. Munch from the family entertainment center chain Chuck E. Cheese’s, having voiced both characters since 2007 but started voice and writing work for the company in 1986, 9 years after the company was founded on May 17, 1977.

Kenny has voiced many other characters including the Ice King in *Adventure Time*; the Narrator and Mayor in *The Powerpuff Girls*; Carl Chryniszzswics in *Johnny Bravo*; Dog in *CatDog*; Hank and Jeremy in *Talking Tom and Friends*; and Spyro from the *Spyro the Dragon* video game series. His live-action work includes the comedy variety shows *The Edge* and *Mr. Show*.

Kenny has won a Daytime Emmy Award and two Annie Awards for his voice work as SpongeBob SquarePants, Gary the Snail, and the Ice King. He often collaborates with his wife and fellow voice artist Jill Talley, who plays Karen on *SpongeBob SquarePants*, and Carlos Alazraqui for family-friendly comedy sketches on the otherwise adult-oriented *The Daily Show*.

## Roles

* SpongeBob (vocal effects along with Frank Welker/singing voice/young voice in "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run")
* Gary the Snail
* Jellyfish (along with Frank Welker)
* Sheldon J. Plankton (singing voice, 2001-present) (speaking, US/UK, 2018-present)
* DoodleBob
* Hans
* Dirty Bubble (US, starting in 2008)
* SpongeBot SteelPants
* ToyBob
* Metal Beak the Owl (*Camping Chaos!*)
* Fiasco
* Volcano Sauce Drop
* X29488
* SpongeTron
* SpongeTrons X, Y, and Z
* Howard Blandy
* Atlantean Robots
* Mr. Floyd
* Orange Snail
* Clever Visual Metaphor for the Abstract Concept of Thought (except for the "boss")
* Bodybuilder (voice)
* Old Coot (voice)
* Incidental 40
* Hate Fish

## Trivia

* Kenny is part of a rock-and-roll band called Tom Kenny and The Hi-Seas.
* Over the years, many fans of the show have asked Kenny to lend SpongeBob's voice to their voice email and answering machines. In an interview, he joked that these custom messages might be more common than the factory (default voice)
* His birthday is July 13, one day before SpongeBob's, on July 14.
* Aside from Frank Welker, Tom Kenny is the only other actor to appear in every international dub of *SpongeBob SquarePants*, if one doesn’t count Tim Lagasse, who is known more for his puppeteering skills.
* His name appears on a door in "Krusty Koncessionaires."
* Prior to permanently taking over for Plankton, Kenny provided his singing voice in the previous episodes.
* When SpongeBob jellyfishes, he wears glasses that look similar to those of his singer.
* In the 2017 San Diego Comic Con, he said his favorite *SpongeBob* meme is "Mocking SpongeBob."
* The drop of Volcano Sauce was shot in the Nickelodeon restroom and Tom Kenny had to wear red makeup all over his face to portray the character. He also had an audition on that same day the scene was shot, but the red makeup did not completely come off in time.
* Before SpongeBob even became a global success, Tom showed a VHS of the pilot to random people and even his family and it made them laugh.
* Tom does not have a laptop, so the only way he can see memes is when Bill Fagerbakke sends it to him on his phone.
* Tom and his wife, Jill, appear in the music video for "Tonight, Tonight" by The Smashing Pumpkins.