Tom Kenny is an American actor, comedian, and voice artist who is best known for voicing the iconic character of SpongeBob SquarePants in the animated series and movies of the same name.
He has also voiced many other characters in various animated shows and films, such as Heffer Wolfe in Rocko’s Modern Life, Ice King in Adventure Time, and Spyro in the Spyro video game series.
As of 2023, Tom Kenny has an estimated net worth of $20 million, which he earned from his successful career in acting, comedy, and writing.
In this article, we will explore Tom Kenny’s background and early life, his net worth and career success, and his personal life and trivia.
Tom Kenny’s Background and Early Life
Tom Kenny was born on July 13, 1962, in Syracuse, New York, to Paul Austin Kenny and Theresa Bridget (Donigan) Kenny. He grew up in East Syracuse, a village near Syracuse, and attended Bishop Grimes Junior/Senior High School, a Catholic school. He developed a love for drawing and collecting record albums as a young child and was influenced by the comedian Woody Allen. He met his lifelong friend and fellow comedian Bobcat Goldthwait in first grade, and they started performing stand-up comedy together in their mid-teens under the monikers Tomcat and Bobcat.
Tom Kenny pursued stand-up comedy for about eight years after finishing his schooling and performed around the country. He then moved on to other venues, such as television and film. His debut TV work was in the 1989 romantic comedy film How I Got into College. He later appeared in films such as Shakes the Clown (1991) and Comic Book: The Movie (2004). On television, he hosted the “Music News” segments of Friday Night Videos in the early 1990s and was a regular cast member of the sketch comedy shows The Edge (1992-1993) and Mr. Show (1995-1998).
Tom Kenny also began his voice acting career in the early 1990s, with his first voice role being in the 1992 animated adventure film Porco Rosso. He soon became one of the most prolific and versatile voice actors in the industry, lending his voice to hundreds of characters in animated shows and films. His most successful voice-acting work is undoubtedly SpongeBob SquarePants, which he has been voicing since 1999. He also voices other characters on the show, such as Gary the Snail, Patchy the Pirate, and SpongeBob’s father Harold SquarePants.
Tom Kenny’s Net Worth and Career Success
As of 2023, Tom Kenny has an estimated net worth of $20 million, according to Wealthy Persons. He makes his fortune from his diverse and prolific career in acting, comedy, and writing. He earns around $50,000 for providing his voice for various series, according to Popular Bio. He also makes money from royalties, endorsements, appearances, and other sources.
Tom Kenny has achieved many notable roles and achievements throughout his career. He has won two Daytime Emmy Awards and two Annie Awards for his voice work as SpongeBob SquarePants and Ice King. He has also been nominated for several other awards for his voice-acting performances. Some of his other prominent voice roles include Carl Chryniszzswics in Johnny Bravo, Dog in CatDog, Mayor and Narrator in The Powerpuff Girls, Hank and Jeremy in Talking Tom and Friends, Rabbit in Winnie the Pooh (2011), Wheelie in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), Eduardo in Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, Scoutmaster Lumpus in Camp Lazlo, Raimundo Pedrosa in Xiaolin Showdown, Yancy Fry Jr. in Futurama, Plastic Man in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Squanchy in Rick and Morty, Doctor Octopus in Ultimate Spider-Man, SpongeBob SquarePants 3 (2023), Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling (2023), Scooby-Doo & Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023), Bill Plympton Presents: Magnum Farce (2023), among many others.
Personal Life and Trivia
Tom Kenny is married to Jill Talley, who is also an actress and voice artist. They met each other while working on The Edge, and have also collaborated on many other projects together. She plays Karen Plankton, SpongeBob’s computer wife, on SpongeBob SquarePants. They have two children together: Mack Kenny, who was born in 1997, and Nora Kenny, who was born in 2003.
Tom Kenny is also known for his interesting facts and trivia. Here are some of them:
- He is a fan of the rock band The Beatles and has a collection of Beatles memorabilia. He also voiced Ringo Starr in the 2010 animated film Back to the Sea.
- He is allergic to cats, but he loves them anyway. He has two cats named Otto and Nelly.
- He is good friends with SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg, who passed away in 2018. He said that Hillenburg was “one of the most authentic people” he ever met.
- He is a vegetarian, and he supports animal rights causes. He has appeared in several campaigns for PETA, such as “Be an Angel for Animals” and “Save the Sea Kittens”.
- He has a cameo appearance in the 2004 film The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie as a pirate who sings the theme song of the show. He also appears in the live-action segments of the 2015 film The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water as a seagull who helps SpongeBob and his friends.
Tom Kenny is one of the most talented and successful actors, comedians, and voice artists in the entertainment industry. He has entertained millions of fans with his hilarious and versatile voice work, especially as SpongeBob SquarePants. He has also earned a fortune from his career and has a net worth of $20 million as of 2023. He is married to Jill Talley, and they have two children together. He is also known for his interesting facts and trivia, such as his love for The Beatles, his allergy to cats, and his cameo appearances in SpongeBob movies. Tom Kenny is a legend in the world of animation, and a role model for aspiring voice actors.
