Veteran Nickelodeon storyboarder, writer, artist, animator, songwriter, and director Tuck Tucker sadly passed away on Tuesday, December 22, 2020, aged 59.
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| Courtesy of Mike Kropf/Longwood; Nickelodeon |
Tucker was born in East Peoria Illinois. Due to his poor school performance, his parents put him into a private school. He would spend most of his time at home watching cartoons with his father and cites these experiences as being very special to him.
While in animation class, his instructor moved him to Los Angeles after graduation to work at Disney, where he launched his career working on films such as The Little Mermaid. Tucker then went to work on shows such as A.L.F. and The Simpsons, before heading to Nickelodeon, where he served in a variety of roles on a raft of the network's beloved animated series, including Rugrats, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, Hey Arnold!, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Fairly OddParents, Oh Yeah! Cartoons ("Planet Kate/Fat Head"), The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius, The Mighty B! and The Ren & Stimpy Show, as well as The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. Tucker's daughter is also one of the kids' voices that can be heard in the SpongeBob SquarePants theme song.
Tucker also worked on animated series such as Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man, 2 Stupid Dogs, Family Guy, Party Wagon, Camp Lazlo!, Clarence and Madagascar spin-off All Hail King Julien. His last credit was working as a storyboard revisionist on the upcoming theatrical Bob's Burgers: The Movie.
During his time on SpongeBob, he won the 38th Annual Annie Award in 2011 for Best Music in a Television Production alongside Jeremy Wakefield, Sage Guyton, and Nick Carr.
In January 2015, Tucker began teaching graphic and animation design at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia.
Former SpongeBob storyboard artist Nick Lauer paid tribute to the late animator on Twitter: Last night I found out my mentor from college, Tuck Tucker, passed away. He was a wonderful man with a great sense of humor. I learned so much from him. You might know him from Spongebob and Hey Arnold (he was a big reason why Helga turned out to be such a great character). I would not be where I am today without his guidance. I can’t get over the fact that I won’t be able to chat on the phone with him again. Don’t forget to tell the important people in your life how much they mean to you. One day it may be too late. Thanks for everything, Tuck."
Nickelodeon also paid tribute to the late animator on Twitter, saying: "We lost a dear friend and staple of the Animation community last week. Tuck Tucker was a gem, and will be sorely missed. Our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. Rest in Power, pal."
We lost a dear friend and staple of the Animation community last week. Tuck Tucker was a gem, and will be sorely missed. Our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. Rest in Power, pal. 💔 https://t.co/2lQal4ZzNu pic.twitter.com/Z9K1rVutJy
— Nickelodeon Animation (@NickAnimation) December 28, 2020
Tucker also went by several alias, including: Bily Tucker, Bill Tucker, William Tucker, Billy Bob Tucker and William 'Tuck' Tucker.
R.I.P. Tuck Tucker.
Read more about Tuck Tucker's life and work at:
From Deadline:
Tuck Tucker Dies: ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ And ‘Hey Arnold!’ Animator Was 59
Veteran animator Tuck Tucker, who worked on popular series such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Hey Arnold!, died on December 22. He Was 59.
Tucker’s family posted the news of Tucker’s passing on Facebook. “It is with a heavy and broken heart that the Tucker family announces the death of Tuck Tucker, father, husband, son, brother, and uncle,” wrote Bailey Tucker on Facebook. “We know he was loved by all of those whom he met. In lieu of visitations, if you have memories of Tuck you would like to share on his timeline, the family would greatly appreciate reading them.”
Tucker was born William Osborne Tucker III on August 20, 1961. He worked on the 1987 film Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night before boarding on some of the most iconic titles in animation including the 1989 Diseny feature The Little Mermaid.
In the TV space, he worked on Nickelodeon’s Rugrats as well as The Simpsons. Tucker was a storyboard director for Hey Arnold! between 1996 and 1999 and also directed the 2002 feature based on the popular Nickelodeon series. He was best known for his work on SpongeBob SquarePants. In addition to being the storyboard artist for SpongeBob SquarePants The Movie in 2004, he served as supervising storyboard director for 47 episodes of the hit series from 2007 to 2014. On top of that, he wrote six episodes.
In 2011, he won an Annie Award for Best Music in a Television Production alongside Jeremy Wakefield, Sage Guyton, and Nick Carr. His other credits include Family Guy, Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story, Drawn Together, The Fairly OddParents, among others. In 2015, he began teaching graphic and animation design at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia.
Most recently, he worked on the upcoming Bob’s Burgers feature, which is set to be released by 20th Century Studios currently on April 9, 2021.
Hey Arnold! creator Craig Bartlett took to Instagram to honor Tucker. “A great friend, a master draftsman, a tireless practical joker, a brilliant storyteller, the first one I reached out to when I began ‘Hey Arnold!’ because he was the best board guy I had ever met,” wrote Bartlett. “I’ll always remember him at his drawing board, arms blackened to the elbows with graphite, eraser shavings everywhere, bringing my characters to life. A killer work ethic, passionately into it. I’m so lucky I got to work with him for so many years. He gave and gave. I miss him already, my heart is broken. Rest in power, Tuck Tucker.”
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From Entertainment Weeky:
Tuck Tucker, animator and storyboard director for Hey Arnold! and SpongeBob, dies at 59
Tucker also worked on The Little Mermaid, Rugrats, The Simpsons, and the upcoming Bob's Burgers movie.
Tuck Tucker, a veteran animator and storyboard director for shows like Hey Arnold! and SpongeBob SquarePants, died Tuesday, his family announced. He was 59.
Hey Arnold! creator Craig Bartlett paid tribute to Tucker in an Instagram post, which also included art from the Nickelodeon series.
"A great friend, a master draftsman, a tireless practical joker, a brilliant storyteller, the first one I reached out to when I began 'Hey Arnold!' because he was the best board guy I had ever met," Bartlett wrote.
"I’ll always remember him at his drawing board, arms blackened to the elbows with graphite, eraser shavings everywhere, bringing my characters to life," Bartlett continued. "A killer work ethic, passionately into it. I’m so lucky I got to work with him for so many years. He gave and gave. I miss him already, my heart is broken. Rest in power, Tuck Tucker."
Former SpongeBob storyboard artist Nick Lauer also honored his mentor.
“Last night I found out my mentor from college, Tuck Tucker, passed away. He was a wonderful man with a great sense of humor. I learned so much from him," Lauer wrote. "You might know him from Spongebob and Hey Arnold (he was a big reason why Helga turned out to be such a great character). I would not be where I am today without his guidance. I can’t get over the fact that I won’t be able to chat on the phone with him again. Don’t forget to tell the important people in your life how much they mean to you. One day it may be too late. Thanks for everything, Tuck.”
Early in his career, Tucker worked as a breakdown artist on Pinocchio and the Emperor of Night and The Little Mermaid, and later he was a layout artist on Rugrats, The Ren & Stimpy Show, and The Simpsons. Tucker then became a storyboard director for Hey Arnold! and SpongeBob Squarepants, and was also a storyboard artist for The Spongebob SquarePants Movie in 2004 (his daughter was even one of the children's voices heard in the SpongeBob theme song).
Other shows he worked on included Family Guy, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, A.L.F., and Camp Lazlo! More recently, he directed episodes of The Fairly OddParents and was a storyboard revisionist for the upcoming Bob's Burgers movie. Tucker also taught graphic and animation design at Longwood University in Virginia, his home state. In 2011, he won an Annie Award, shared with three others, for Best Music in a Television Production for SpongeBob.
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From Variety:
Tuck Tucker, Veteran Animator and Storyboard Director for ‘Hey Arnold!’ and ‘SpongeBob SquarePants,’ Dies at 59
Tuck Tucker, a veteran animator and storyboard director known for his work on “Hey Arnold!” and “SpongeBob SquarePants,” died on Dec. 22. He was 59.
Tucker’s family announced his death on Facebook, writing: “It is with a heavy and broken heart that the Tucker family announces the death of Tuck Tucker, father, husband, son, brother, and uncle. We know he was loved by all of those whom he met.” No cause of death was given.
Born William Osborne Tucker III on Aug. 20, 1961, Tucker’s passion for animation began at a young age through watching cartoons with his father. Tucker eventually moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in animation, and got his first job as a breakdown artist on the 1987 film “Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night.” He also worked on “The Little Mermaid” in 1989, the television series “Rugrats” and over a dozen episodes of “The Simpsons” in 1996 as a character layout artist.
He was the storyboard director on 25 episodes of “Hey Arnold!” between 1996 and 1999, and went on to direct “Hey Arnold! The Movie” in 2002 as well as working as the supervising director on 19 episodes of the show between 1999 and 2004. Tucker was also well-known for his work on “SpongeBob SquarePants,” including as a storyboard artist for “SpongeBob SquarePants The Movie” in 2004 and as the supervising storyboard director for 47 episodes of the hit series from 2007 to 2014. Tucker also wrote six episodes of the series.
Tucker’s most recent project was as a storyboard revisionist for the upcoming “Bob’s Burgers” film, which is currently in production. Beyond his work in the film and television industry, Tucker began teaching graphic and animation design in 2015 at Longwood University in Farmville, Va.
“Hey Arnold!” creator Craig Bartlett paid tribute to Tucker on Instagram, writing: “A great friend, a master draftsman, a tireless practical joker, a brilliant storyteller, the first one I reached out to when I began ‘Hey Arnold!’ because he was the best board guy I had ever met. I’ll always remember him at his drawing board, arms blackened to the elbows with graphite, eraser shavings everywhere, bringing my characters to life. A killer work ethic, passionately into it. I’m so lucky I got to work with him for so many years.”
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From TheWrap:
Tuck Tucker, Prolific Animator Whose Work Includes ‘SpongeBob’ and ‘Hey Arnold,’ Dies at 59
Tucker 's other credits include stints on "The Simpsons" and "The Fairly OddParents" among many others
Tuck Tucker, a prolific writer, artist, songwriter and animator best known for his long tenure with Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Hey Arnold!” died on Dec. 22 from undisclosed causes. His family announced the news on Facebook.
“It is with a heavy and broken heart that the Tucker family announces the death of Tuck Tucker, father, husband, son, brother, and uncle. We know he was loved by all of those whom he met,” the family’s statement said. “In lieu of visitations, if you have memories of Tuck you would like to share on his timeline, the family would greatly appreciate reading them. An obituary will be forthcoming, however, please help us inform all who knew him by sharing this post.”
Born William Osborne “Tuck” Tucker III and originally from Lynchburg, Virginia, Tucker began his career in the late 1980s, with his early credits including work on “BraveStarr: The Movie” and Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.”
In the early 1990s, Tucker served in several roles on “The Simpsons,” including as a layout and storyboard artist. From 1994 to 1995 he worked as a storyboard artist on Nickelodeon’s “Rugrats” and in 1994 as an assistant director. In 1996, he began work on Nickelodeon’s “Hey Arnold!” in a variety of roles, including storyboard supervisor and director, and eventually rose to become the show’s creative director.
After “Hey Arnold!” ended, Tucker worked on shows like “Family Guy” and “Drawn Together” before moving to “SpongeBob SquarePants” in 2006. He remained with the show until 2014, serving as a writer and storyboard Director and supervising storyboard director, and even writing songs for the show.
Tucker’s other credits included “Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story,” “Hey Arnold!: The Movie,” and “The Fairly OddParents” among many other credits. He returned to Virginia in 2005 and began teaching graphic and animation design at Longwood University.
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From ComicBook.com:
Tuck Tucker, Animation Veteran on Hey Arnold! and SpongeBob SquarePants, Dies at 59
Tuck Tucker, an animation veteran behind animated Nickelodeon cartoons Hey Arnold! and SpongeBob SquarePants, died on December 22. He was 59. "We know he was loved by all of those whom he met," the Tucker family wrote when announcing Tucker's death on Facebook, where the Arnold and Fairly OddParents director is remembered as a "father, husband, son, brother, and uncle." Across a career spanning three decades, starting with Filmation's Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night in 1987, Tucker worked on such animated films as Disney's The Little Mermaid and Family Guy spin-off Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story.
As a character layout artist, Tucker's credits include numerous episodes of The Simpsons (1990-1993) and Rugrats (1991); Tucker served as a storyboard artist on the latter from 1994 to 1995. Tucker worked on multiple seminal Nicktoons, including The Ren and Stimpy Show (layout artist, 1992-1993), Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (storyboard artist, 1994-1995), and Hey Arnold! (1996-2004).
On Arnold!, about a football head-shaped fourth-grader, Tucker was storyboard and supervising director. He also directed the beloved animated show's first feature film, Hey Arnold!: The Movie, released in theaters in 2002.
Tucker was a writer, storyboard director, and supervising storyboard director on SpongeBob, penning such episodes as "Best Day Ever" and "Breath of Fresh Squidward." Tucker also served as the supervising storyboard director on "It's a SpongeBob Christmas!," a stop motion animation special that aired on CBS and Nickelodeon, and storyboard artist on the 2004 feature film The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.
Animator and Hey Arnold! creator Craig Bartlett paid tribute to Tucker on Instagram, remembering Tucker as a "great friend, a master draftsman, a tireless practical joker, a brilliant storyteller, the first one I reached out to when I began 'Hey Arnold!' because he was the best board guy I had ever met."
"I'll always remember him at his drawing board, arms blackened to the elbows with graphite, eraser shavings everywhere, bringing my characters to life. A killer work ethic, passionately into it," Bartlett wrote. "I'm so lucky I got to work with him for so many years. He gave and gave. I miss him already, my heart is broken. Rest in power, Tuck Tucker."
Tucker's final credit is as the storyboard revisionist on the upcoming 20th Century Studios release Bob's Burgers: The Movie, the first feature film adaptation of the animated FOX sitcom. Bob's Burgers: The Movie is scheduled to release on April 9, 2021.
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From Animation Magazine:
Director, Storyboard Artist, Writer and Animator Tuck Tucker Dies at 59
We are sad to report the passing of veteran animator, writer, storyboard artist, director and songwriter ‘Tuck’ Tucker at age 59 on Dec. 22nd. Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Tucker fell in love with cartoons and the world of animation at an early age.His first job out of college was breakdown artist on Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night (1987), which led to work on the BraveStarr series and Disney’s feature The Little Mermaid. In the early 1990s, he worked as a layout artist on Rugrats, The Ren & Stimpy Show and The Simpsons. He soon became a storyboard artist and director on animated series such as Hey Arnold!, Aaahh! Real Monsters and Duckman.
Among the many other popular animated shows and movies Tucker worked on were SpongeBob SquarePants, The Fairly OddParents, Oh Yeah! Cartoons (“Planet Kate/Fat Head”), The Mighty B!, Camp Lazlo, as well as The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. (Tucker’s daughter is one of the kids’ voices that heard in the SpongeBob SquarePants theme song.) He also won the 38th Annual Annie Award in 2011 for Best Music in a Television Production (along with Jeremy Wakefield, Sage Guyton, and Nick Carr.) for his work on SpongeBob.
His directing credits included The Fairly OddParents, Drawn Together, Hey Arnold!, Party Wagon and Hey Arnold! The Movie. His most recent credits were as sheet timer on Clarence and as storyboard revisionist on 2021’s upcoming Bob’s Burger: The Movie. Tucker also taught graphic and animation design at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia. (Tucker also went by several aliases, including: Bily Tucker, Bill Tucker, William Tucker, Billy Bob Tucker and William ‘Tuck’ Tucker.)
On Thursday (Dec. 24), Hey Arnold! Creator Craig Bartlett paid tribute to the late artist on Facebook: “A great friend, a master draftsman, a tireless practical joker, a brilliant storyteller, the first one I reached out to when I began Hey Arnold! because he was the best board guy I had ever met. I’ll always remember him at his drawing board, arms blackened to the elbows with graphite, eraser shavings everywhere, bringing my characters to life. A killer work ethic, passionately into it. I’m so lucky I got to work with him for so many years. He gave and gave. I miss him already, my heart is broken. Rest in power, Tuck Tucker.”
Former SpongeBob storyboard artist Nick Lauer wrote: “Last night I found out my mentor from college, Tuck Tucker, passed away. He was a wonderful man with a great sense of humor. I learned so much from him. You might know him from Spongebob and Hey Arnold (he was a big reason why Helga turned out to be such a great character). I would not be where I am today without his guidance. I can’t get over the fact that I won’t be able to chat on the phone with him again. Don’t forget to tell the important people in your life how much they mean to you. One day it may be too late. Thanks for everything, Tuck.”
You can listen to a wonderful interview with Tucker here.
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Originally published: Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at 21:57 GMT.
Sources: @NickSchedules, @skysoundfanatic, CBR.com.
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